Song Meaning
The recurring refrain "Que será, que será" (What will be, will be) sets a tone of hopeful anticipation and perhaps a touch of uncertainty. This is immediately juxtaposed with the description of "Chicuelo," who is presented as someone who "seems" but "is not a child." The narrator projects qualities onto this figure: "sweetness and simplicity," a "free smile," an "intense gaze," and an "open heart," suggesting a pure or idealized essence.
This idealized image seems to be the narrator's focus, as they then shift to their own path. The narrator states, "The future does not yet exist, but I can guess." This implies a belief in shaping or at least anticipating what's to come through their own actions. Their work is framed as the "product that will be," linking personal effort directly to the unfolding future.
The lyrics reveal a core tension between observing an almost ethereal quality in "Chicuelo" and the narrator's active engagement with their own destiny. The choice to "prefer to be a pilgrim / Than dry wood or straw" highlights a desire for a conscious, purposeful existence over a passive or inert one. This commitment to a guided path, "the path conscience marks," reinforces the idea of actively creating one's future rather than simply waiting for it.
The song's effectiveness lies in this blend of gentle observation and determined self-direction. The repeated "Que será, que será" acts as both a mantra for acceptance and a prompt for introspection, while the narrator's self-definition as a conscious pilgrim underscores a powerful, personal agency in the face of an unknown future.