Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: salsa
Song Meaning of “Falta la Plata” by Joe Arroyo
“Falta la Plata” is an expressive song about the working class citizen’s struggle to make ends meet in harsh economic conditions. The title literally translates to “Lack of Money” and serves as a direct reflection of the narrator’s current financial state. The lyrics and the passionate delivery of Joe Arroyo calls to attention a deep sense of frustration, pain and inequality.
The narrator longs for a world where money has no value and access to the basic needs of life are available to him. But he knows that this is an impossible fantasy and that he has to endure his daily injustices. The chorus of “Falta La Plata” declares, “My people, my spirit, have been filled with grief/ my heart has cried and I sang out loud/ it’s too much the lack of money/ it’s too much, much too much!”.
This sentiment articulates the narrator’s exhaustion with his current financial situation and paints a vivid picture of the deep-seated suffering the working class feels on a daily basis. The song serves as a celebration of their resilience and a powerful reminder of the importance of the working class to Latin American culture. It emphasizes the need for economic fairness and social justice no matter how bleak the current conditions may seem. This song speaks to anyone who has ever struggled to survive in times of scarcity and serves as an anthem of hope amidst despair.