Abstract

The article begins by considering the New Chilean Song movement, which has traditionally been conceptualized through the connection that its musicians established with Salvador Allende and the Popular Unity Coallition's 'government of the workers.' "Popular subjects" pervaded the movement's repertory, particularly the figure of the miner, who was considered to be the revolutionary proletarian par excellence. The article then discusses how music groups embodied musical labour by promoting the redistribution of roles, multi-instrumentalism and collective creation. Finally, it explores how these musicians, who attempted to include "the people" in their creation, discursively developed a 'double rapport' between musicians and workers.