Los Prisioneros: between new wave and Nueva Ola

The purpose of this paper is to problematize the relationship between dance and socially conscious lyrics interpellated by the songs of Los Prisioneros during the eighties in Chile, attending to the narrative of the members of the band. At a distance from interpretations that usually focus on the meanings of the lyrics in the band's songs, the complex stance adopted by the Chilean pop rock trio regarding dance and social commitment –documented mainly in magazines of the period– is analyzed for the purpose of making readable certain problems around the relationship of young subjects with the body and memory during the decade. This research points to the convergence of the influence of both American and British new wave artists in Los Prisioneros –especially regarding the recovery of sixties rock styles– as well as the musical and discursive influence of the Chilean Nueva Ola on the band –with attention to the terms of its antagonistic relationship with Chilean New Song during the sixties.