ALV Lyrics in English by Arcángel, Grupo Frontera
Rescate means 'rescue' or 'salvation'. It's a powerful and evocative word that suggests being saved from a difficult situation.
In the song, the artist sings, "El tequila y un gallito me sirvieron de rescate" (Tequila and a joint served as my rescue). He uses this word to describe how he found solace and a way to cope after a breakup, highlighting the emotional intensity of his recovery.
Ever been so completely done with someone that you just want to throw the whole relationship in the trash? That is exactly what Puerto Rican artist Arcángel and Mexican-American band Grupo Frontera are doing in "ALV". The title is an abbreviation for the blunt Mexican slang phrase a la verga (to hell with it / to the trash), and the lyrics do not hold back. The singer opens with digital-age heartbreak, saying Tú y yo estábamos conectados y la señal se nos cayó ("You and I were connected and we lost the signal"), before dropping the best line of the chorus: Las cuatro letras del amor las cambié por tres ("I traded the four letters of love for three"). Love (A-M-O-R) is out, and A-L-V is in.
Instead of moping at home after running through el plan a, el plan b, el plan c ("plan A, plan B, plan C"), he is out blowing cash at the club and relying on el tequila y un gallito ("tequila and a small joint") to move on. He even jokes about keeping an AK-47 ready for Cupid (pa' cupido tengo un cuerno de chivo—literally "a goat's horn," which is classic street slang for an assault rifle). It is funny, petty, and deeply relatable when you finally decide that being single beats dealing with someone else's lies and stress.
