Aside from functioning as a light-hearted interlude, “Piragua” serves as a nice microcosm of the song as a whole. Here we have the friendly Piragua Guy travelling the streets with his cart, singing and chatting in an effortless mix of Spanish and English. He’s selling his traditional Puerto Rican dessert, trying to make a little money for his local business while helping his neighbors beat the summer heat. But the big, American franchisor (a Mister Softee ice cream truck) is encroaching on his turf and threatening to put him out of business. Local flavor is in danger of being wiped out by gentrification.