“No Es Serio Este Cementerio” turns the usually grim setting of a graveyard into a playful, almost carnival-like scene. Sung from the point of view of the residents of the cemetery, the lyrics paint a picture of the dead joking about marble headstones, bargain-priced niches, and even Friday-night outings that never go beyond the gate. Instead of mourning, the song serves up vivid imagery—twelve cypress trees as green apostles, Cuban war heroes sharing a common grave, and African choirs singing Misa Luba—all to show that life (and after-life) can still sparkle with humor, rhythm, and colorful flowers.
Beneath the wit lies a gentle social critique. The dead poke fun at class differences (“dukes of Medina and Luengo” rest in luxury) and at society’s obsession with solemnity. Mecano suggests that if everyone ends up in the same place, perhaps we should laugh at our own pretensions while we can. In short, the song turns fear of death into a celebration of equality, community, and the irresistible urge to keep the party going—because “heaven, for me, can wait.”
Mecano was a pioneering Spanish pop band formed in Madrid in 1981, consisting of Ana Torroja and brothers Nacho and José María Cano. They are celebrated as one of the best-selling Spanish bands of all time, with over 20 million records sold worldwide. Known for their evolution from synth-pop and new wave sounds to more acoustic pop rock infused with diverse genres such as flamenco, bossa nova, and salsa, Mecano left a lasting imprint on Spanish and Latin American music scenes.
Their hits include timeless classics like "Hijo de la luna," "Me cuesta tanto olvidarte," and the groundbreaking "Mujer contra mujer," which was adapted into several languages and became a worldwide number one hit. Their music inspired a successful musical, Hoy no me puedo levantar, viewed by over 1.5 million spectators across Spain and Mexico. Though their original run ended in the early 1990s, Mecano's innovative style and cultural impact continue to resonate with new generations of music lovers.