Oh Qué Será?

Surface Meaning: On a literal level, "Oh Qué Será?" describes an overwhelming, indefinable passion or obsession. It is a force that "has no size," "no remedy," and "no government." It invades every private and public space—from the lover's bedroom to the noisy marketplace. It creates a sense of frantic anxiety and inevitable surrender to a feeling that cannot be intellectually categorized or physically contained.

Political and Allegorical Meaning: The song is a cover of Chico Buarque's "O Que Será? (À Flor da Pele)," written during the Brazilian military dictatorship. In this context, the "thing" that cannot be named, censored, or imprisoned is Liberty (Freedom). The lyrics cleverly personify Freedom as a chaotic, natural force that the dictatorship cannot control. when Colón sings that it "has no censorship" and that "not even prisoners can defy it," he is championing the resilience of the human spirit against oppression. The "ghosts" mentioned in the intro can be interpreted as the "disappeared" victims of the regime or the silenced voices of resistance.

Magical Realism: Colón's version, particularly with its added spoken introduction, leans into magical realism. It treats the spiritual and the ethereal as undeniable parts of reality. The song suggests that the most profound truths of human existence (love, freedom, hope) are invisible and technically "irrational," yet they are more real than the physical world.

The song opens with a spoken reflection on the invisible and the unexplained. The narrator confesses a belief in things unseen—ghosts and ethereal presences—asserting that one cannot deny the existence of something felt simply because it lacks physical form. He suggests that the only true gesture in the face of such mysteries is to believe, sometimes even through tears. He frames the song as an "incomplete topic" lacking an answer, a technicolor theme attempting to make something useful out of love.

The singer then launches into a frantic, rhythmic inquiry about a mysterious "thing" or force. He asks what this entity is that sighs in bedrooms, whispers in the verses of folk songs, and plants crazy questions in people's minds. This force is described as rising through gaps, speaking loudly in cellars, and shouting in marketplaces. It is characterized as nature itself—uncertain, concept-less, and size-less—yet undeniably present.

As the song builds, the narrator describes where this force lives: in the ideas of lovers, in the songs of delirious poets, and in the oaths of drunken prophets. It permeates every stratum of society, found in the pilgrimages of the mutilated, the fantasies of the unhappy, and the daily lives of sex workers. It exists within bandits and the helpless alike. This force is described as having no decency, no censorship, and no logical sense, yet it remains unstoppable.

In the final swelling verses, the narrator declares that no warning can prevent this force, and no prison can defy it. It is a destiny that all roads must cross and all signs will consecrate. He predicts that all children will investigate it and all fates will eventually meet it. Ultimately, even the "Eternal Father" who never visited this realm will bless humanity again because of it, extinguishing hell's final flame, as the force defies judgment and reason, continuing to roll on endlessly.

The song was originally written and recorded by the legendary Brazilian artist Chico Buarque in 1976 for the film Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. It was titled "O Que Será? (À Flor da Pele)." Buarque wrote it as a subtle protest against the Brazilian military government, disguising political resistance as a song about an overpowering passion.

Willie Colón recorded his Spanish cover for the album Fantasmás, released in 1981. This album was heavily influenced by Colón's travels to Brazil and his desire to fuse Caribbean Salsa with Brazilian MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) and symphonic elements.

A unique addition to Colón's version is the spoken-word introduction. According to salsa historians, while in Brazil, Colón met the iconic singer Maria Bethânia. She recommended he read the work of novelist Clarice Lispector. The intro monologue is adapted from Lispector's final novel, The Hour of the Star (A Hora da Estrela), specifically the dedication where the author discusses believing in things one hasn't seen. This literary addition elevated the song from a standard cover to a complex, theatrical piece of art.

Rhythm: The song is built on a driving Salsa/Son Montuno rhythm, but it feels faster and more urgent than a typical dance track due to the density of the lyrics. The percussion locks into a 2-3 clave feel, but the vocal phrasing often spills over the bar lines, creating a sense of overflow and abundance.

Rhyme Scheme: The lyrics employ a rapid-fire rhyme scheme, often using AABB or AAAA patterns within verses (e.g., amantes/delirantes, emborrachados/mutilados). The rhymes are mostly perfect consonants in Spanish, which adds to the percussive quality of the vocals. The relentless rhyming contributes to the "delirious" feeling of the song, as if the singer is caught in a feverish stream of consciousness.

Musical: Symphonic Salsa: This track is a prime example of Colón's "symphonic" period. Unlike the raw, trombone-heavy sound of his early years with Héctor Lavoe, this arrangement uses a lush string section and woodwinds alongside the traditional salsa percussion (congas, timbales) and brass. This creates a cinematic, broad soundscape that matches the epic scope of the lyrics.

Literary: Anaphora: The lyrics rely heavily on anaphora, the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. The relentless repetition of "Que anda..." (That walks/goes...) and "Que no tiene..." (That has no...) creates a rhythmic momentum that mimics the unstoppable nature of the subject matter.

Vocal Delivery: Colón utilizes a spoken-word (recitative) style for the introduction, establishing an intimate, confessional tone before the music explodes. His singing style is urgent and declamatory, emphasizing the lyrics' rhythm over melodic ornamentation.

"Oh Qué Será?" is one of Willie Colón's most significant solo hits and a cornerstone of the Salsa Consciente (socially conscious salsa) movement. It successfully bridged the gap between the Spanish-speaking Caribbean salsa scene and Brazilian musical culture, introducing many Latinos to the work of Chico Buarque.

The song remains a staple in Latin American culture, often associated with movements for democracy and freedom of expression due to its original context against the Brazilian dictatorship. It demonstrated that salsa could be intellectually rigorous, orchestrally complex, and poetically profound, influencing a generation of songwriters like Rubén Blades to pursue more literary themes in dance music.

The "Thing" (Lo que será): The central metaphor is the undefined subject of the song. It represents Freedom in a political sense, or Eros/Life Force in a philosophical sense. It is described as having "no government" (cannot be ruled), "no remedy" (incurable), and "no size" (infinite).

The "Ghosts" (Fantasmas): In the intro and chorus backing vocals, "ghosts" represent the unseen realities—ideas, emotions, and perhaps the spirits of those silenced by political violence. They knock on the door, demanding to be acknowledged.

The Census of Characters: The lyrics list a wide array of social figures: "drunken prophets," "delirious poets," "mutilated pilgrims," "harlots," "bandits." This symbolizes the universality of the human spirit. The force of life/freedom does not discriminate between the holy and the sinful, the rich and the poor; it infects everyone equally.

Technicolor: Colón refers to the song as a "technicolor theme." This metaphor suggests vibrancy and vividness, contrasting the song's emotional intensity with the drab, gray reality of oppression or mundane life.

"Oh, qué será?" (Oh, what could it be?): This is the central hook. It is a rhetorical question that is never answered, maintaining the mystery and tension throughout the track.

"Que anda..." (That goes/walks...): This phrase creates a sense of movement. The "thing" is not static; it is active, moving through bedrooms, heads, and markets.

"Son fantasmas" (They are ghosts): This backing vocal chant serves as a haunting motif, reminding the listener of the spiritual/invisible undercurrent of the song.