¿Qué Dice Usted?

Song Meaning

The lyrics directly challenge a traditional, passive view of women, contrasting it with a historical narrative of strength and action. The repeated question, "¿Qué dice usted?" (What do you say?), serves as a pointed rhetorical device, forcing a confrontation with outdated notions of femininity. The central tension lies between the idealized "flor de aquel Edén" (flower of that Eden) and the "dulce hogar" (sweet home) versus the "otra verdad" (other truth) that history shouts. The narrator dismisses the idea that women are merely for lovemaking or domesticity, like "tejiendo su aburrimiento" (knitting her boredom), suggesting these are superficial perspectives. The lyrics pivot to a historical example, referencing "cien años" (a hundred years) and a "mambisa" (a female fighter in Cuban history) who "alzó el machete" (raised the machete). This image powerfully refutes the notion that women are not capable of action or struggle, highlighting a tradition of fighting for life. This direct confrontation with patriarchal assumptions, grounded in historical defiance, is what makes the lyrics resonate. They dismantle passive stereotypes by invoking a legacy of active, fighting women, urging a re-evaluation of what a woman is truly capable of.