Not so fabuloso - "Matador" peddles Nissans

It's not a new strategy: big company purchases the rights to a popular song in order to sell a product. Nissan is no exception and is currently running a series of commercials in both Spanish and English set to some of our favorite tunes, such as Julieta Venegas' "Eres Para Mi" and Marc Anthony's "Dímelo." The most disappointing, though, is that Los Fabulosos Cadillacs have also sold a song to Nissan. The kicker is that the song they sold is “Matador,” a song about a freedom fighter living under a (U.S. backed) dictatorship. I saw Los Fabulosos in concert about ten years ago. One of the band members was wearing a Madres de la Plaza de Mayo t-shirt. These days, instead of demanding justice for los desaparecidos, “Matador” is out peddling the 2008 Altima to television watchers.

In memory of the true spirit of “Matador,” I leave you with these lyrics from the song:

Viento de libertad sangre combativa
en los bolsillos del pueblo la vieja herida
de pronto el día se me hace de noche
Murmullos, corridas aquel golpe en la puerta,
Llegó la fuerza policial

Mira hermano en que terminaste
por pelear por un mundo mejor
Que suenan, son balas, me alcanzan,
me atrapan, resiste, Victor Jara no calla…