Original zarzuela version In 1913, Peruvian songwriter Daniel Alomía Robles composed "El Cóndor Pasa", and the song was first performed publicly at the Teatro Mazzi in Lima. The song was originally a musical piece in the Peruvian zarzuela (musical play), El cóndor pasa.

El Cóndor Pasa (Flight of the Condor) is a song from the zarzuela El Cóndor Pasa by the Peruvian composer Daniel Alomía Robles written in 1913 and based on traditional Andean folk tunes.

So I learnt the meaning … El condor pasa, “The condor passes”, denotes the spirit of freedom. It is about being in control of your life. Like while the snail is slow and stuck to the ground, the sparrow is swift and free and can fly to places it wants to reach.

After a copyright lawsuit between Simon and the son of Alomía Robles, the song was re-established as belonging to the Peruvian composer. Now, 100 years after it was written, 'El Cóndor Pasa' is in the public domain.