Alongside "Mal Bicho", "Manuel Santillan, El León" and "Desapariciones" (a cover of Rubén Blades' song), "El Matador" is one of the Cadillacs' several thematic songs about the oppression and forced disappearances during the years of military dictatorship across the Southern Cone, particularly Argentina's last civil-military dictatorship (1976–1983).
The song also references Víctor Jara, a Chilean folksinger and supporter of the Allende government who was kidnapped, tortured and assassinated shortly after the Chilean coup of 1973 by military officials loyal to the dictator Augusto Pinochet.
[2] This song is played when Nicaraguan boxer Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga walks to the ring.
[citation needed] "El Matador" was the intro song for #1 tennis player in the world Rafael Nadal in the 2010 US Open Night Sessions.
The University of Southern California's "Spirit of Troy" Marching Band, always played "El Matador" when their USC Trojans football quarterback Mark Sanchez entered the field.