Persiguiendo means "chasing" or "pursuing." While the root verb perseguir is common, its use in this song is particularly thought-provoking and central to the lyrical theme.
Siddhartha repeatedly asks, "¿Por qué la velocidad? Si nadie te está persiguiendo" (Why the speed? If no one is chasing you). This highlights a universal human tendency to rush through life, even when there's no external pressure, making it a relatable and introspective word choice.
Have you ever felt like you're just... waiting? Siddhartha and Carlos Sadness totally get it in "80 Días." The song starts with someone "contando estrellas" [counting stars] and "sumando del uno al diez" [counting from one to ten], just lying in bed with "nada que hacer" [nothing to do]. It's that feeling of time just passing by.
But then the song asks the big questions: "¿Por qué quieres escapar? ¿Por qué la velocidad?" [Why do you want to escape? Why the speed?] It's like, why are we always rushing when "nadie te está persiguiendo" [nobody is chasing you]? And even more, "¿Por qué quieres llegar antes que los demás? Si todos estamos cayendo" [Why do you want to arrive before everyone else? If we are all falling]. It's a really thoughtful look at how we spend our lives, sometimes feeling lost and trying to disappear, when maybe we should just slow down and realize we're all in this together.