Third National Flag of the
Confederate States of America
P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
National Jack of the
Confederate States Navy
|
Third National Flag of the Confederate States of America |
P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland |
National Jack of the Confederate States Navy |
CSS Dixieland
Probing the depths of knowledge
These essays by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland, cover a wide range of
historical, philosophical, scientifical and technical subjects. Each page
deals with a particular topic, divided into sections and explained by itself.
Every page shows at its top hyper links to every other page. The Start page
also has short descriptions of the other pages. CSS Dixieland expresses
gratitude to the readers that make this work meaningful.
This Web document has been tested with KDE Konqueror, graphic HTML interpreter
for Linux. It may not be rendered correctly by other graphic HTML interpreters.
It will probably be correct when rendered by text-only HTML interpreters (visual,
aural, or Braille tactile interpreters), but if feasible, please use KDE Konqueror.
Uniform Resource Locator:
Tango Music page
Homage to the Argentinian and Uruguayan Nations
Sections in this page
History of Tango Music
Technical note: In languages other than English or Latin, but which use mainly
Latin characters, some characters are taken from other alphabets, or some Latin
characters are modified with diacritic marks for representing different phonemic
sounds or other orthographic conventions of those languages. Those characters,
when used in this document, have been encoded as entities of Hyper Text Mark-up
Language or sometimes in Unicode UTF-8. Therefore computers using other character
encodings may render some characters inaccurately, but hopefully, it will still
be possible to read non-English words without too much difficulty.
Legal note: All records offered here from the server of CSS Dixieland are well
over fifty years old, some records are over a hundred years old. They are all
believed to be in the Public Domain, therefore readers are invited to download
them if they wish and they have the means to do so. For this purpose, information
is provided on running time, storage size and audio or video format of each record.
Hyper links to external servers may point to records still protected by authoral
rights. In this case playing the record is usually permitted, but downloading or
distribution may not be permitted. Readers are advised to check conditions from
external servers, as it is not the responsibility of CSS Dixieland to warn the
reader of the highly diverse legal permissions maintained by external servers.
History of Tango Music
Historical background: The Río Platense cultural milieu
In January 1520 a round-the-World Spanish expedition of five ships,
under command of the experienced Portuguese explorer Fernão de
Magalhães, spent some days mapping the Estuary of Río de la Plata.
Their goal was to find a passage to the Pacific Ocean, previously
discovered by Nuñez de Balboa.
When they saw that the Plata gave no access to the Pacific, they
continued travel along the Atlantic coast to the South. One ship
returned to Spain and informed of the Plata region, prompting the
Spanish authorities to begin colonisation.
The City of Santa María de los Buenos Aires was founded twice. The
first foundation was in 1536, by Pedro de Mendoza. For five years
the Spanish founders kept an almost constant war against various
tribes of American Aborigins that inhabited the surrounding area.
In 1541 the Spaniards were forced to destroy the young city, and
to retreat before the advance of their enemies.
The second foundation was in 1580, by Juan de Garay. In the two
foundations Buenos Aires was part of the Virreinato (Vice-Royalty)
of Perú, as part of the Spanish Empire. In 1776 Spain created the
Vice-Royalty of Río de la Plata, naming Buenos Aires as its capital.
The second Buenos Aires was founded in a place near the first one.
Not quite the same place, but today encompassed by the grown city.
After almost three centuries of Spanish rule in the Virreinato del Perú
and the Virreinato del Río de la Plata, a new national identity began to
take shape in the early and mid XIX century.
In 1806 Buenos Aires was invaded by Great Britain, because in that
year Spain still was an ally of Napoleonic France. The British Armed
Forces kept control of the city for only a few months.
In May 1810 exploded the 'Revolución de Mayo' (Revolution of May). Spain
was tragically divided between supporters of King José Bonaparte, brother
of Napoleon Bonaparte and helped by Napoleonic France, and those who were
against him. The opponents of Bonaparte were more heterogeneous, but they
received important help from Great Britain, Portugal, and other nations.
Portuguese troops, however, sometimes ravaged Spanish towns in vengeance
for the invasion of Portugal by the French and Spanish Armies in 1807.
In that confused situation, thousands of people in Buenos Aires expelled
the Spanish Viceroy, established a 'Junta de Autogobierno' (Committee of
Self-Government), and began the War for Argentinian Independence.
On one hand the Province of Buenos Aires with Juan Manuel Rosas and
the Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata, and on the other hand the
Banda Cisplatina with José Gervasio Artigas and the Treinta y Tres
Orientales, set the foundation of what would become the República
Argentina and the República Oriental del Uruguay.
After the cruel War of the Triple Alliance against the Paraguay of
President Francisco Solano López, Argentine gradually consolidated her
political and economical stability under President Bartolomé Mitre and
Uruguay under President Venancio Flores (in reality, a puppet at the
service of Brazil), as well as under the governments that came later.
Massive waves of European migration flocked to the new independent
nations, carrying with them the Race and Culture of the Old Europe.
In that cosmopolitan atmosphere, Tango was born. Or rather it should
be said that it developed gradually since the 1880's, perhaps earlier.
In 1913 was inaugurated the 'Ferrocarril Subterráneo' (Underground Railway)
of Buenos Aires, the first one in Ibero America (but not the first one in
the Americas, because some lines of the New York Subway are older).
In 1994 Argentine changed its Constitution, and Buenos Aires became a
'Ciudad Autónoma' (Autonomous City), with its own autonomous Government.
It is important to clarify two points that cause confusion to those
who are not acquainted with historical facts:
-First, Tango is not properly the music of the whole Argentine.
-Second, Tango is not more Argentinian than it is Uruguayan.
Regarding the first point, it must not be forgotten that there are
other traditional music styles in Argentine. Carnavalito or Chamamé
are as important in their regions as Tango is in the Estuary of the
Plata, though those styles are internationally less known than Tango.
In regard to the second point, Tango developed from the start on BOTH
shores of the Plata. This is, in the docks of Buenos Aires as much as
in the wharfs of Montevideo. Both ports were very active.
One of the most famous Tango songs of all time is 'La Cumparsita',
composed in 1917 by Uruguayan musician Gerardo Matos Rodriguez
(1897-1948), with lyrics added later by Pascual Contursi and Enrique
Pedro Maroni.
'La Cumparsita' was interpreted first by Roberto Firpo, then by Tito
Schipa, and finally it entered into Immortal Glory through the
insuperable voice and style of Carlos Gardel. 'La Cumparsita' is now
the second Official Anthem of Uruguay.
So, Tango is Río Platense music, rather than just Argentinian or just
Uruguayan music.
The origin of the name 'Tango'
There is no agreement among historians, linguists or musicologists as
to the etymology of the name 'Tango'. Some researchers have taken as
possible origin a corruption of the term 'Napolitano' into 'Litano',
'Tano', and finally 'Tango'. This hypothesis seems dubious from the
linguistic point of view, and almost groundless from the musical one,
because the rhythm and melody of Tarantella has little in common with
the rhythm and melody of Tango. The music that we know as Tango is in
a time of two by four or of four by four, and it is improbable that a
musician imbued of the folk lore of Campania (or of the other regions
of the Mezzogiorno), could have changed his musical creations to the
very different sound of Tango.
More probably, Tango is the result of various influences. Predominantly
Italian and German, but heterogeneous in origin. This concept of the
probable genesis of Tango fits well with available historical data. In
regard to the name 'Tango', it is one of those historical mysteries of
which we shall probably never know the answer, because records do not
exist. Those who knew were the kind of people who never bother to write
History. When they died, they took the secret to the grave.
From the 1880's to 1913: The formative years of Tango
The oldest musical forms that could be considered as the immediate
ancestors of Tango were very alive among the mariners who frequented
the portuary streets of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, as well as among
the communities of European immigrants who made those cities grow into
fine capitals.
The Milonga already was part of the life and love of those people,
Italian most of them, and it is known that the 'bandoneón' (a small
harmonium, a double keyed wind instrument with bellows) was introduced
about 1900 by German immigrants, becoming an instrument for ever
associated with Tango.
The German unification as one of the results of the Franco-Prussian
War (1870-1871), the Kulturkampf of Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck, the
Italian unification with the Camicie Rossi of Giuseppe Garibaldi, and
other European events, combined with the growing resources in South
America and the need of labour, encouraged many thousands of Italians,
an important number of Germans, and smaller but significant numbers of
other Europeans, to migrate to the Plata.
Tango was a very direct consequence of this encounter of Europeans in
the South American continent.
The list below shows German, Italian, French, Spanish and Russian
names. It is a compilation, by no means complete, of artists who
contributed to Tango as interpreters, composers, orchestra conductors,
or in other rôles:
Linda Thelma (1884-1939)
From 1913 to 1935: Tango provokes a craze in fashionable Europe
After the year 1913 Charles Romuald Gardel, an Uruguayo-Argentinian
singer of French origin who changed his name to Carlos Gardel, carried
his fine Tango singing to Paris. In very few years, Tango became the
fashionable dance in every elegant hall from Paris to Berlin to Warsaw,
from Lisboa to Stockholm to Helsingfors, from Dublin to London to Roma
and to Athens.
In every European capital and in every city of some importance, the
privileged élite sang, danced, played, or otherwise enjoyed Tango.
It is important to note that, until that time, Tango WAS NOT the music
of the upper class in Argentine or in Uruguay. On the contrary, Tango
was seen as the music of the 'malevaje', the music of the poor, the
music of those who were at odds with the Order and the Law. In its new
rôle as the music of the intellectualité and the jet set, Tango had to
suffer some changes.
The lyrics of Tango changed from portraying the hard life of the poor,
to the elegant bon vivantism of the bourgeoisie, from the miserable
slums Porteños, to the pristine purity and romantism of wealthy love.
The language abandoned the popular slang of the Lunfardo Bonaerense
and adopted correct linguistic forms, acceptable to cultivated ears.
The music evolved from the rhapsodic rattling of the arrabales, to the
refined syncopation of saloon orchestras of classic musical background.
The dance became far less 'provoking' than it had been. Elegant and
still sensual, but not piquant to the point of bad taste and offence.
Being perfectly fluent in French (the international language at that
time), as well as an accomplished singer with a unique voice, Carlos
Gardel became a sort of cultural ambassador of the Argentinian nation
in the Old Europe.
He was always elegant, of fine language, refined manners, agreeable
and sympathetic to every one who knew him. The perfect image of the
ideal Argentinian Gentleman par excellence. The years of 'Los Felices
Veinte', 'La Belle Epoque', 'The Roaring Twenties', were dominated in
North America mainly by Dixieland Jazz, but in Europe Jazz had to
compete with Tango. Because Monsieur Gardel was an artistic giant as
there have been few in the whole History of Music. He, and he alone,
gave his personal mark to a whole era.
It is not exaggerated to say that, for most Europeans, Monsieur Gardel
was THE image and voice of Argentine. Until today the average European
probably does not know much about Argentine, but he surely associates
Argentine with Tango, and if being a little more aware, he associates
Tango with Carlos Gardel.
Unfortunately, good times cannot be preserved for ever. Dark clouds
were beginning to appear on the horizon of History.
The terrible 'Black Friday' of October 1929 (the Financial Crisis at
the Stock Exchange of Wall Street, New York), of tragic international
consequences, did not spare Tango in Europe or elsewhere. Elegant
halls became empty from night to morning.
In Argentine itself, the end of President Hipólito Yrigoyen in 1930
marked the end of Argentinian supremacy among the so-called Latin
American nations. Until that time, Argentine had been the richest
nation among the whole of independent nations in Latin America, far
richer than Mexico or Brazil.
After that time Argentine fell prey to a succession of political
turmoils, economic instability, or sometimes downright incompetent
governments. The inefficiency of government has nefarious consequences
for the life of the nation. Plenty of historical examples bear witness
to the fact of this historical truth. Like with many other things,
Tango was not completely immune to the hard times that suddenly hit
the World, and Argentine as part of it.
Finally, the tragic death of Monsieur Gardel in aeronautical accident,
on 24th June 1935, although it made of him a worshipped idol and an
everlasting myth in Argentine, it also put an end to the First Golden
Age of Tango. There was a Second Golden Age of Tango, coincidental
with the Golden Age of Argentinian Cinematography, which we shall see
in the following lines.
From 1935 to 1955: Tango and the end of Peronism
To be fair, the original Tango of the portuary slums had not
disappeared. It had been kept very alive in the Plata region.
While Monsieur Gardel was in Europe giving an image of refined and
elegant Tango, other artists continued with more genuine Tango
performances in the cabarets of Buenos Aires or Montevideo.
Their form of Tango, a continuation of the original, survived the
temporary fall of elegant Tango.
But elegant Tango had not disappeared either. It saw a resurgence,
mainly during the Golden Age of Argentinian Cinematography (roughly
from the mid 1930's to the late 1950's), with immortal names of film
stars such as Hugo del Carril, Nelly Meden, Libertad Lamarque, or
Imperio Argentina.
The two currents of Tango were well represented in the cinematographic
reels. Tita Merello with her songs 'Arrabalera' in the film of that
name (1950) and 'Se Dice de Mí' in the film 'Mercado de Abasto' (1955)
embodied the image and voice of the authentic Old Tango, while Libertad
Lamarque with her song 'Fumando Espero' in the film 'Madreselva' (1938)
brilliantly personified the image and voice of a more cinematographic
Tango. The two lines had legions of loyal enthusiasts, albeit different
audiences, from the different social classes in Argentine and Uruguay.
Some other films were: Tango (1933, first Argentinian sound film),
Noches de Buenos Aires (1935), Así es el Tango (1937),
La História del Tango (1949).
Adding to those main currents of Tango, other currents appeared that,
in time, would become important in the panorama of Tango Music.
The Hungarian mezzo soprano Gitta Alpar interpreted a line of Tango
very influenced by Classic Music, mainly Baroque and Opera. Meanwhile,
Astor Piazolla with his 'Nuevo Tango' led a line in which elements of
Dixieland Jazz, Swing Jazz and Classic Music were closely intertwined
with Tango itself. This mixed Tango was not very accepted by purists
in Argentine, while the orchestras of Anibal Troilo, Juan de Arienzo
or Oswaldo Pugliese were further examples of more or less fortunate
combinations of Tango with other musical roots.
But the coup de grace for Tango in Argentine was the end of President
Juan Domingo Perón, in 1955. General Perón had been one of the very
few leaders in Latin America who knew how to keep the integrity of his
country without falling into the yoke of the United States of America,
as for example had fallen Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, and most other Latin
American nations. Under Perón, Argentine was neutral in the Second
World War. One of the very few neutral nations in Latin America.
The end of Peronism provoked an upheaval of gigantic proportions in
Argentine. With almost daily conflicts, escape of capital, under very
rigorous economic conditions and finally controlled by Draconian Laws,
Argentine became a shadow of the powerful nation that it had been.
Tango was not to remain untouched in those new dark ages.
Tango giants of the importance of Tita Merello were suspected of
Peronism and had to abandon Argentine for some years. She went to
Mexico, where she stayed until the situation became calmer and she
could return to Argentine.
Tango was seen by the new authorities, more or less correctly, as one
more manifestation of Peronism. Therefore, Tango was not encouraged,
though it was not directly prosecuted either. But Tango saw continued
enjoyment in other South American nations, Europe, North America, and
even Japan. Not with the tremendous craze that Tango had aroused in
the 1920's, but from New York to Tokyo, from Santiago de Chile to Rio
de Janeiro and to Ciudad de México and all over West Europe, Tango was
kept alive by élites who appreciated the legendary music from the
distant shores of the Plata.
With live performances by exiled artists, and with a market of
gramophone records and a network of wireless radio stations that
offered Tango with more or less frequency, in general broadcast or
in special programmes, the voices of the arrabales Porteños continued
to be heard in the World.
Thus, we had arrived to the peculiar situation in which Tango enjoyed
more momentum outside Argentine, than in Argentine itself. Paradoxes
of History.
After 1982: The disaster of the Falklands and the revival of Tango
In 1982 Argentine embarked into a war that Argentine could not win.
The South Atlantic Îles (Isles) Malouines had been discovered by Spanish
ships, but as it seems, the Spaniards never colonised the islands. The
islands had first been colonised by Bretons from Saint Maló (Peninsula
Armoricana), who spoke Brittonic Celtic and perhaps French. The first
British occupation in 1765 was contested by Spain. The British withdrew
in 1774, but returned in 1833.
Great Britain asserted sovereignty over the islands (which renamed as
Falkland Islands) in 1841, and over other archipelagoes nearby: South
Georgia, South Sandwich, South Orcades, South Shetland and other islets.
Some of those islands had been discovered by British explorer James
Cook in 1775, they were claimed by Britain in 1819, and British control
was established in 1908 and 1917 over what were called the Falkland
Islands Dependencies until 1962.
Spain or Argentine had NEVER been in possession of those archipelagoes,
but nevertheless, Argentine stood with an old claim over what Argentine
called 'Islas Malvinas', over the South Georgia, South Sandwich, South
Orcades, South Shetland and other islets, even to the South of the 60th
Parallel of Latitude, under protection of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959.
With growing internal problems in Argentine, General Leopoldo Galtieri
had the unfortunate idea of focusing enthusiastic Argentinian efforts
on an international war, perhaps with the illusion that an external
conflict would eliminate the internal divisions amongst Argentinians.
The General sent troops that occupied Port Stanley, displayed the Blue
and White Flag, and renamed the capital town as 'Puerto Argentino'.
The nations of the World remained officially neutral in the conflict,
in spite of open sympathies or hidden sympathies for one side or for
the opposite side.
The tiny population of the islands, although majoritarily pro-British,
could not win against the huge number of Argentinian soldiers that
suddenly appeared.
But the Royal Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines immediately reacted.
There were combats involving surface ships, submersibles, aeroplanes,
missiles, mines, and land forces with their full military equipment.
In few weeks Great Britain had retaken the islands, with heavy loss of
men and matériel de guerre on both sides. Argentinian General Menendez
surrendered in Puerto Argentino with his last men. Once again, the
town was named Port Stanley and the Union Jack was displayed.
With this unprecedented disaster the Argentinian regime of course
collapsed, and Argentine submerged into chaos.
Paradoxically, amid all the disorder prevailing in Argentine, Tango
saw a revival. Perhaps because, as Don Miguel de Cervantes once said,
"Quien canta, sus males espanta..."
The remarkable Argentinian nation deserves better luck than it has had
so far. Argentine is a fully European nation implanted at the extremity
of South America. There are almost no niggers in Argentine, fortunately.
For being honest, it is also fair to say that the Argentinian low class
is composed of what in North America we generally know as 'White Trash'.
Uncivilised, ignorant people, but at least, WHITE people.
This is in contrast to for example Brazil, where the proportion of
niggers and mongrels is repugnant. To say the truth Brazil also has
an upper class that is almost entirely of European origin, but
Argentine is on the whole more European than Brazil, by huge racial
and cultural difference.
Important notes about the translations
The colourful language of Tango presents peculiar challenges to my work
of translation. In particular, the Lunfardo Porteño of Tita Merello is
a murderously difficult feat for translation. She heavily uses figures
of speech for which we do not possess an exactly equivalent expression
in English. After due thought on the problem, and considering the level
of our audience, I have decided to take the following approach.
I provide first my own transcription from voice to text. Thus, those
of our readers who know Spanish can follow the words almost exactly.
In a few cases I have kept the original lyrics, or I have corrected
what seemed to me obvious mistakes in grammar or pronunciation.
I give then an APPROXIMATE translation into English, figurative rather
than literal. The original language of Tango only makes sense inside a
Río Platense cultural milieu. It is fully understandable to those who
know Argentinian History and Culture, but not to others. Not even to
other Spanish speakers.
This is because, unsurprisingly, the Porteño dialect is influenced by
immigrant languages, mainly by Italian. Many expressions that are
common currency in Buenos Aires are unknown in other parts of the
hispanophonic world. A typical Spaniard or a typical Mexican WILL NOT
understand most of those expressions, unless being well acquainted
with Argentinian Culture.
Phonetically, the diphthongation that is so characteristic of
Castillian tends to disappear in Lunfardo. Thus, 'Vos sois' becomes
'Vos sós' (verb 'ser', present indicative, second person plural).
The 'c' sound of very strong pronunciation as 'z' in most of Spain,
becomes 's' in Lunfardo (as it is also in the South of Spain).
The 'r' is always thrilled, as in Spanish or in Italian, not guttural
as in French or in dialects of Portuguese.
The 's' becomes 'kh' in the middle of words, or disappears at the end,
as it is the case in the South of Spain or among illiterate Spaniards.
Following this tendency, Tita Merello pronounces for instance 'bukh-ado'
instead of the correct 'buscado'.
The 'b' is in Lunfardo more differentiated from the 'v' than it is by
most speakers in Spain. Only refined Spaniards of high cultural level
pronounce 'vaca' (cow) as different from 'baca' (baggage carrier).
The 'lle' or 'ye', pronounced as 'lhe' in Portuguese and in parts of
Spain, and as consonantal 'ie' in most of Spain, becomes markedly
linguo-palatar in Lunfardo, again by Italian influence.
Thus, 'calle' (street) becomes something like 'kazhe'. This 'zh' sound
would be more clear if written in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
Those of our readers who are not linguists may find boring my detailed
explanation of the Uruguayo-Argentinian dialectal form. They are free
to skip these lines. Other readers may find it interesting, and it is
to them that my efforts are directed. A song is inseparable from the
language in which it is sung. A 'version' to another language is only
an adaptation, it is NEVER like the original song.
And in the case of the Río Platense dialect the full musical sonority
of Italian has been preserved. It can be said that Lunfardo is 'Spanish
pronounced as Italian'. It is mainly Spanish in grammar and vocabulary,
partly Italian in grammar, much more so in vocabulary, and fully
Italian in phonetics, and in its very musical sound.
Grammatically, the double negation is a common pleonasm in Lunfardo as
it is in Spain: 'no hay ninguna', instead of the correct 'ninguna hay'.
There is in Lunfardo a wrong concordance between the second singular
personal pronouns 'tú' (nominative case), 'tí' (accusative case),
their direct complement 'te', their possessives 'tu', 'tus', 'tuyo',
'tuya', 'tuyos', tuyas', and the verb, which is erroneously conjugated
in the second person PLURAL, even with pronoun in the singular. A
proof that Lunfardo originated among illiterate people whose original
language was not Spanish.
That error of verbal concordance does not happen in Spain, even among
the illiterate. Castillian Spanish uses either 'tú eres' (thou art,
singular), or 'Vosotros sois' (You are, plural). Although historically
correct, very rarely is heard 'Vos sois' in the Castillian of Spain
(pronounced as 'Vos sós' in Lunfardo). 'Vos' is more common in Catalan.
Formal Spanish uses 'Usted es' (singular common gender), 'el Señor es'
(singular masculine), 'la Señora es' (singular feminine), 'Ustedes son'
(plural common gender), 'los Señores son' (plural masculine), 'las Señoras
son' (plural feminine), with verb conjugated in third person singular or
plural. Participles of verbs also have different forms for masculine or
feminine, singular or plural, as in these examples for 'Are You tired ?':
The word 'Usted' is an abbreviation of 'Vuestra Merced', and 'Ustedes' of
'Vuestras Mercedes'. The full forms 'Vuestra Merced' (or 'Su Merced') and
'Vuestras Mercedes' (or 'Sus Mercedes') are VERY uncommon in Spain, but
they are the strictly correct ones, and still used in parts of Latin
America (mainly in the region of Bucaramanga, Colombia).
And by me, when I try to write in that language. I always use literary
forms.
In verbal conjugation, Lunfardo tends to use the simple past (such as
in: 'hoy murió') in situations where in Spain the perfect tense is
normally preferable (as in: 'hoy ha muerto'). The immigrants from whom
Lunfardo originated did not bother themselves with the study of the
complex verbal apparatus of correct Spanish.
Common error in Lunfardo, as in Spain, is the 'laísmo' of the third
person feminine direct complement. But the 'loísmo', so common in
Mexico, is relatively rare in Argentine and does not exist in Spain.
The regular suffix for the past participle masculine, singular or
plural, which is respectively '-ado' or '-ados' in correct Spanish,
is converted to '-ao' or '-aos' in Lunfardo, as it is also in Spain
among the illiterate. Thus, 'limpiado' becomes 'limpiao' and
'limpiados' becomes 'limpiaos'.
Note to our readers who know Portuguese: that '-ao' given above IS NOT
a nasal sound. It is not like the nasal Portuguese 'ão' in the word
'pão' (bread). Spanish and Italian lack the nasal vowels that are so
characteristic of Portuguese and French.
Regarding the vocabulary of Lunfardo, most of it is Spanish, but there
are words taken from Italian dialects, or from other languages, that
are unknown in Spain or in Mexico. Nevertheless, I am preserving the
words of Tango artists as they sang them.
Many expressions would be condemned by the Royal Academy of Spanish
Language, but if I correct every linguistic error of the Porteño Río
Platense to the cultivated Standard prescribed by the Spanish Royal
Academy, then it would not be Porteño anymore. After the transcription
from voice to text I am providing a FIGURATIVE translation to British
Standard. Readers with good knowledge of English and Spanish will
figure out the meaning of Lunfardo expressions, even without any
previous knowledge of Lunfardo.
This solution is probably the best compromise between two extremes,
which would be on one hand giving only Lunfardo without any translation
at all, and on the other hand inventing a free translation that would
distort the original meaning.
Lunfardo is inseparable from Tango. Attempts to correct the language to
more cultivated forms have been done (compare for instance Tita Merello
to Carlos Gardel), but going too far in that correction would distort
the flavour of the original speech, becoming flat and artificial.
There are artists in Spain, Switzerland, Finland and Turkey who try to
sing Tango in a language other than Lunfardo. The most important of
these non-Rio Platense Tango singers is probably Antonio Bartrina
'El Gorila' and his Malevaje Band, in Spain, which counts with the
excellent Argentinian harmonicist Oswaldo Larrea.
Their music is undoubtedly Tango, and of good quality. The singing of
Mister Bartrina is well done. He imitates Porteño slang and sings almost
with the original lyrics, though avoiding Lunfardo expressions that would
not be understood in Spain. He is also a remarkable man. I met him in
person when I was in Spain, in the cafés near Plaza de Santa Ana (the
Bohemian quarter in Madrid), and in other places. I visited his home
(near Plaza de Jacinto Benavente). I sang some of my songs to him, and
he sang to me his beloved Tango. We both liked each other's singing.
Unfortunately, his spoken accent reminds more of Castizo Madrilenian
than of Porteño Bonaerense. For this reason, and for his avoidance of
genuine Lunfardo expressions, Antonio Bartrina has not been included
in this Tango sample, in spite of his high quality as a singer.
Some people have said of him that he sings 'Madrilenian Tango', but
Mister Bartrina himself declares that he does not know what is such
a thing. He sees his art as just Tango, pure et simple. His model is
Gardel, but he also interprets songs of Merello, Goyeneche, and other
historical singers, besides creating his own lyrics. However,
confirming what I have said, he announces his Tango singing as
'Tango sin Lunfardo'.
I do not believe that Tango could be simply taken out of the Río
Platense cultural milieu, transplanted to another environment, sung
in another language, and still continue being authentic Tango. It
becomes an imitation of Tango, a succedaneum. It becomes chicory,
rather than the real coffee. Lunfardo is as essential to Tango as
water is to the fish, and so it must be kept.
Tita Merello, energetic Lady as she was, would have wanted to kill me
if I try to metamorphose her genuine Porteño speech to the orthodox
Castillian of Burgos or Salamanca. It is better to leave alone her
insuperable Lunfardo drawl, exactly as she sang it, with the sweet
aroma and delicate fragrance of the old shores of Río de la Plata.
CSS Dixieland wishes to express gratitude to the Internet Archive:
...to the Wikimedia Foundation:
...and to other persons or institutions who have generously made
available old Tango records now in the Public Domain, or extensive
information about the history and evolution of Tango Music. Our work
would have hardly been possible without access to those sources.
To all of them, DEEP THANKS !!!
Records of Tango Music
Representative examples of different lines of Tango
Annexed, sound samples of each line, with lyrics and translation.
Some of these records are taken from old gramophone shellac discs of
78 revolutions per minute (I am acquaintanced with certain political
discontents who would like that idea of 78 'REVOLUTIONS' per minute,
they still dream with the Bolshevik Revolution).
The sound has been extracted using a truncated conical stylus of 3.8
millimetres. There is no perfect continuity in the old disc, there
are one or two jumps that will be noticed by sound engineers and by
trained musicians, but probably not by most people.
The scratch of the stylus on the groove is of course unavoidable, and
it was heard with the original gramophone as well, therefore not only
it would be absurd to try a re-masterisation, it would also change
much of the original sound as it existed when the shellac disc was
first played.
There are other artists who have a deserved place in the fascinating
History of Tango, but if we have a closer look at them, then this
introduction to Tango would become a book. In fact, books about every
aspect of Tango are available in various languages. Readers seriously
interested in Rio Platense Culture will have no difficulty in finding
plenty of material for reading or for listening, as Tango has been for
over a hundred years of international scope, studied by specialists of
different nationalities.
Special mention deserves Oswaldo Pugliese (1905-1995), composer and
orchestra conductor of renown. A musician of classical background,
he introduced syncopation and counter point in instrumental Tango
compositions heavily influenced by Dixieland Jazz and Swing Jazz.
His formal performances set the model for other orchestras that
elevated Tango to a cultivated art form for serious audiences (and
therefore, less appealing in the popular environments where Tango
originated). His music has no lyrics, thus it has not been included.
The Old Tango of the Arrabales Porteños: Tita Merello (1904-2002)
Arrabalera
Main theme of the film 'Arrabalera' (Argentine 1950). The characters
interpreted by Tita Merello in her films were a recreation of her own humble
origins in real life, and a reflection of her strong personality. It can be
said that Tita Merello was the champion of the pure Old Tango, unadulterated
by adaptations to international markets. Therefore she is not so well known
in the World as for example Carlos Gardel, but in the Plata, Tita Merello is
seen as an icon of Tango. For those reasons, four of her songs are given here.
Arrabalera, interpreted by Tita Merello accompanied by her Typical Orchestra
Mi casa fué un corralón de arrabal, bien proletario
papel de diario el pañal del cajón en que me crié
para mostrar mi Blasón, pedigree modesto y sano
-¡ Oiga, ché ! ¡ Presente me ! ¡ Soy Felisa Roderano !
-¡ Tanto gusto !
-¡ No hay de qué !
Arrabalera, como flor de enredadera que creció en el callejón
Arrabalera, yo soy propia hermana entera de Chiclana y con padrón
si me gano el morfe diario, qué me importa el diccionário ?
ni el hablar con distinción...
llevo Sello de Nobleza, soy Porteña de una pieza, tengo voz de bandoneón
si se le dá la ocasión de bailar un Tango arruete
encrespe su corazón de varón sentimental
y al revolear mi percal, marque me Su pirulete
que en el brete musical se conoce a la gran siete mi prosapia de arrabal
Arrabalera, como flor de enredadera que creció en el callejón
Arrabalera, yo soy propia hermana entera de Chiclana y con padrón
si me gano el morfe diario, que me importa el diccionário ?
ni el hablar con distinción...
llevo Sello de Nobleza, soy Porteña de una pieza, tengo voz de bandoneón
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
Created by Félix Canaro and Ivo Pelay. At the end of Peronism, Argentine lived
very hard times. The title and the lyrics of the song '¿ Dónde hay un mango ?'
(Where is the money ?) reflect the serious difficulties of the years that saw
the end of the regime led by General Juan Domingo Perón.
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?, interpreted by Tita Merello accompanied by her Typical Orchestra
Viejo Gómez, Vos que estais de mafeo doctoral
y que un mango descubrís aunque lo hayan enterrado
definid me si podeis esta contra que se ha dado
que por mas que me arremango, no descubro un mango ni por equivocación
que por mas que la pateo, un Peso no veo en circulación
¿ Dónde hay un mango, Viejo Gómez ?
los han limpiado con piedra pómez
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que sólo he buscado con lupa y linterna, y estoy ya quebrado
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
para darle la caña, si es que se le deja dar
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que si no se entrega, lo podamos allanar
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que los financistas, ni los periodistas, ni perros ni gatos
notícia ni dato de su paradero no me saben dar
Viejo Gómez, Vos que sois el de alzarlo del domán
concretad me si podeis, los billetes, ¿ dónde están ?
nadie sabe dar razón, y de El Seco hasta El Batán
todos en plena palmera llevan la cartera con cartel de defunción
y jugando a la escondida, con manda me, ya ve la situación
¿ Dónde hay un mango, Viejo Gómez ?
los han limpiado con piedra pómez
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que sólo he buscado con lupa y linterna, y estoy ya quebrado
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
para darle la caña si es que se le deja dar
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que si no se entrega, lo podamos allanar
¿ Dónde hay un mango ?
que los financistas, ni los periodistas, ni perros ni gatos
notícia ni dato de su paradero no me saben dar
concretad me si sabeis, los billetes, ¿ dónde están ?
Niño bien
Lyrics by Roberto Fontaina and Víctor Soliño. Music by Juan Collazo. This song
was first performed in 1928. Those were the happy years of 'The Roaring
Twenties', 'La Belle Epoque', 'Los Felices Veinte', in Argentine and in other
nations. Unfortunately, the horrible crisis of October 1929 threw many nations,
Argentine included, into the catastrophic Depression Era of the 1930's.
Niño bien, interpreted by Tita Merello accompanied by her Typical Orchestra
Niño bien, pretensioso y engrupido (1)
que teneis berretín de figurar (2)
niño bien que llevais dos apellidos (3)
y que usais de escritorio el Rhythm Bar (4)
vanidoso, las dais de distinguido (5)
y siempre hablais de la estancia de papá (6)
mientras tu viejo, para ganarse el puchero (7)
todos los dias sale a vender fainá (8)
Vos te creeis que porque hablais de tí
fumais tabaco inglés, usais guantes de aquí (9)
y te cortais las patillas a lo Rodolfo, sois un fifí (10)
porque usais la corbata carmín
y allá en el Chanteclair (11)
las dais de bailarín
y te mandais la biaba de gomina (12)
te creeis que sois un rana, y sois un pobre gil (13)
Niño bien que saliste del suburbio
de un boulín alumbrado a keroseno (14)
que teneis pedigree bastante turbio
y decís que sois de familia 'biann' (15)
¿ no manyais que estais mostrando la hilacha ? (16)
y al caminar con tu aire triunfador
se ve bien claro que teneis mucha clase
para lucirle detras de un mostrador
Vos te creeis que porque hablais de tí
fumais tabaco inglés, usais guantes de aquí (9)
y te cortais las patillas a lo Rodolfo, sois un fifí (10)
porque usais la corbata carmín
y allá en el Chanteclair (11)
las dais de bailarín
y te mandais la biaba de gomina (12)
te creeis que sois un rana, y sois un pobre gil (13)
Translation notes
(1) Engrupido: conceited, arrogant, full of vanity, empty head.
(2) Berretín, from Italian 'berretto': whim, extravagance.
(3) In Spain a person takes the first family name from the father,
then the first from the mother, in that order. In Portugal it is
exactly the opposite: he takes the first name from the mother,
then the first from the father. From the point of view of a poor
Italian immigrant, someone with two family names must be a member
of the Spanish or Portuguese Nobility.
(4) Rhythm Bar: a music hall of Buenos Aires in those years.
(5) Merello did not sing 'vanidoso' in the original lyrics, she sang
'pelandrún', from Genovese 'pelandrone': lazy, good for nothing.
(6) Estancia: a country estate, a ranch, used for breeding horses
or for recreational purposes of the rich land lord and his guests.
(7) Viejo: old man. Father. Ganarse el puchero: to earn the daily meal.
(8) Fainá: cake made of massed chick-pea, salted and baked.
One of the typical foods of the Argentinian low class.
(9) Merello did not sing 'usais guantes de aquí' in the original
lyrics, she sang 'paseaís por Sarandí': a place of fashion for the
Bonaerense elegant society.
(10) Reference to Rodolfo Gugliemi Valentino (1895-1926), famous
Italian cinematographic actor. Fifí, from French 'fils': sons of the
bourgeoisie. Child of daddy. Follower of fashion, dandy. Effeminate.
(11) Chanteclair: a night hall of Buenos Aires in those years.
(12) Mandar la biaba de gomina: to cover the hair with lots of grease.
(13) Rana: skillful. Astute, trickster. Gil, from the slang of Spain:
one who is not part of the 'malevaje'. Stupid, fool.
(14) Boulín, from French: a temporary bird's nest.
By extension, any temporary dwelling.
(15) Merello pronounces 'bien' in French, model of elegant language.
(16) Manyar: to perceive, to realise. Mostrar la hilacha:
to show the rags, to reveal the limitations or defects of oneself.
¿ Que vachaché ?
Lyrics and music by Enrique Santos Discépolo. Another song portraying the tight
situation of Argentine, which literally forced many people to go hungry. The
lyrics refer to a Lady who cannot resist without food any longer, and she
peremptorily tells her Gentleman to feed her, or else 'to throw himself to the
river', this is, to go out and never return.
¿ Que vachaché ?, interpreted by Tita Merello accompanied by her Typical Orchestra
¡ Plantad de aquí, no vuelvas en tu vida !
ya me teneis bien requete amurada
no puedo mas pasarla sin comida
ni oirte así decir tanta fabada
¿ no te das cuenta que sois un engrupido ?
te creeis que el Mundo lo vais a arreglar Vos
si aquí ni dios rescata lo perdido
¿ que quereis Vos ? ¡ Haced favor !
Lo que hace falta es empacar mucha moneda
vender el alma, rifar el corazón
tirar la poca decencia que te queda
¡ plata, mucha plata ! ¡ Yo quiero vivir !
así es posible que morfeis todos los días
tengais amigos, casa, nombre, y lo que querais Vos
el verdadero amor se ahogó en la sopa
la panza es reina, y el dinero es dios
¿ Pero no veis, filito embanderado,
que a la razón le tienen de majita ?
que la honradez le venden al contado
y a la moral le dan por monedita
que no hay ninguna verdad que se resista
frente a los mangos, moneda nacional
Vos resultais, haciendo el moralista,
un disfrazado sin carnaval
¡ Tiradte al río, no embromeis con tu conciencia !
sois un secante que no hace ní reir
¡ dadme puchero, guardadte la decencia !
¡ plata, mucha plata ! ¡ Yo quiero vivir !
¿ Que culpa tengo si has pisado la vida en serio ?
pasais de otario, morfais aire, y no teneis colchón
¿ que vachaché ? Hoy ya murió el criterio
vale que sois lo mismo que el ladrón
The Elegant Tango of The Roaring Twenties: Carlos Gardel (1890-1935)
Volver
Carlos Gardel was the symbol that best represented the romantism of elegant
Tango, always with a touch of nostalgic feelings for the distant love or for
the remembered Past that returns, like a ghost, to haunt the memories of the
living. This song perfectly portrays the deepest soul of Tango Music.
Volver, interpreted by Carlos Gardel
Ya adivino el parpadeo de las luces que a lo lejos van marcando mi retorno
son las mismas que alumbraron con sus pálidos reflejos hondas horas de dolor
y aunque no quise el regreso, siempre se vuelve al primer amor
la vieja calle donde me cobijo, tuya es tu vida, tuyo es tu querer
bajo el burlón mirar de las estrellas que con indiferencia hoy me ven volver
Volver con la frente marchita, las nieves del Tiempo platearon mi sien
sentir que es un soplo la vida, que veinte años es nada
que febril la mirada, errante en las sombras se busca y se nombra
vivir con el alma aferrada a un dulce recuerdo que lloro otra vez
Tengo miedo del encuentro con el Pasado que vuelve a enfrentarse con mi vida
tengo miedo de las noches que pobladas de recuerdos encadenen mi soñar
pero el viajero que huye, tarde o temprano detiene su andar
y aunque el olvido que todo destruye ha rebajado mi vieja ilusión
guardo escondida una esperanza humilde de toda la fortuna de mi corazón
Volver con la frente marchita, las nieves del Tiempo platearon mi sien
sentir que es un soplo la vida, que veinte años es nada
que febril la mirada, errante en las sombras se busca y se nombra
vivir con el alma aferrada a un dulce recuerdo que lloro otra vez...
The Cinematographic Tango of Film Stars: Libertad Lamarque (1908-2000)
Fumando espero
Lyrics by Félix Garzo. Music by Juan Viladomat. Main theme of the film
'Madreselva' (1938). Some other female singers have also had fascinating
voices for Tango, as much as Libertad Lamarque had, but in the case of
Libertad Lamarque, her perfect voice was accompanied by her hypnotising
beauty and her irresistible charm. With good reason she was the favourite
feminine star of Tango films.
Fumando espero, interpreted by Libertad Lamarque accompanied by the orchestra conducted by Victor Buchino
Fumar es un placer, genial, sensual
fumando espero al hombre a quien yo quiero
tras los cristales de alegres ventanales
y mientras fumo mi vida no consumo
porque mirando el humo me siento adormecer
de tí tener si sólo fumar y amar
ver a mi amado solicito y galante
sentir sus lábios besar con besos suaves
del devaneo sentir con mas deseo
cuando sus ojos veo sedientos de ilusión
por eso es tanto mi bien
es mi fumar un edén
dame el humo de tu boca
anda, que así me vuelves loca
corre, que quiero enloquecer de placer
sintiendo ese calor del humo embriagador
que acaba por prender la llama ardiente del amor
Fumar es un placer, genial, sensual
fumando espero al hombre a quien yo quiero
tras los cristales de alegres ventanales
y mientras fumo mi vida no consumo
porque mirando el humo me siento adormecer
dame el humo de tu boca
anda, que así me vuelves loca
corre, que quiero enloquecer de placer
sintiendo ese calor del humo embriagador
que acaba por prender la llama ardiente del amor
The Classic Tango inspired on Baroque and Opera: Gitta Alpar (1900-1991)
El día que me quieras
Lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera. Music by Carlos Gardel. Main theme of the film 'El
día que me quieras' (Argentine 1935). Gitta Alpar was a remarkable polyglot
singer of Hungarian origin, able to interpret lyrics in various languages.
Linguists, or native Spanish speakers, will note that her pronunciation shows
an influence of German, particularly in her sounding of the 'r'. Her singing
is nonetheless supreme, one of the most cultivated voices in the History of Tango.
It is difficult to sing in a language other than one's own, and perhaps
unrealistic to sound like a native, but Tango is so charming a music, that
native Hungarian, German, Swiss, Finnish, Turkish and Japanese singers have
tried their hand at it. Or, we should rather say, they have tried their voice
at it. Often with good results.
El día que me quieras, interpreted by Gitta Alpar accompanied by the Columbia Concert Orchestra conducted by Frieder Weissmann
Acaricia mi sueño el suave murmullo de tu suspirar (1)
como ríe la vida si tus ojos verdes me quieren mirar
y si es mío el amparo de tu risa leve que es como un cantar
ella aquieta mi herida, todo, todo se olvida
el día que me quieras, la rosa que engalana (2)
se vestirá de fiesta con su mejor color
al viento las campanas dirán que ya eres mía
y locas las fontanas se cantarán su amor
la noche que me quieras desde el azul del cielo
las estrellas celosas nos mirarán pasar
y un rayo misterioso hará nido en tu pelo
luciérnagas curiosas que verán que eres mi consuelo
el día que me quieras no habrá más que armonía
será clara la aurora y alegre el manantial
traerá quieta la brisa rumor de melodía
y nos darán las fuentes su canto de cristal
la noche que me quieras desde el azul del cielo
las estrellas celosas nos mirarán pasar
y un rayo misterioso hará nido en tu pelo
luciérnagas curiosas que verán que eres mi consuelo
el día que me quieras endulzará sus cuerdas el pájaro cantor
florecerá la vida, no existirá el dolor...
Translation notes
(1) The original lyrics use the personal pronoun 'tú' (nominative
case), 'tí' (accusative case), and their corresponding possessives
'tu', 'tus', 'tuyo', 'tuya', 'tuyos', 'tuyas'. Those forms correspond
in English to 'thou', 'thee', 'thy', 'thine', noting that possessives
agree with the possessor in Germanic languages, but with the thing
possessed in Romanic languages.
(2) The original lyrics use the conjunctive verbal mood, thus the
English indicative mood 'thou lovest' becomes the conjunctive mood
'when thou love'.
With this introduction to Tango, CSS Dixieland hopes to have aroused
the curiosity of music lovers. If having raught that goal, then our
mission has been accomplished.
Robot or human visitors to CSS Dixieland are recorded in raw access log. This
is a passive register purely for statistical purposes, no cookies are stored
in the client computer.
Go to top of this page
Go to page with index, history, exchange policy, contact CSS Dixieland:
Start
Hosted by Neocities:
https://konqueror.org/
History and records of Río Platense Music
Immortal Legends of Tango: The Origins of a Myth from Río de la Plata
Libertad Lamarque
Records of Tango Music
Carlos Gardel
José Razzano (1887-1960)
Carlos Gardel (1890-1935)
Ignacio Corsini (1891-1967)
Rosita Quiroga (1896-1984)
Gerardo Matos Rodriguez (1897-1948)
Agustin Magaldi (1898-1938)
Pyotr Leshchenko (1898-1954)
Gitta Alpar (1900-1991)
Azucena Maizani (1902-1970)
Roberto Fugazot (1902-1971)
Sofía Bozán (1904-1958)
Angel Vargas (1904-1959)
Alberto Gómez (1904-1973)
Mercedes Simone (1904-1990)
Tita Merello (1904-2002)
Francesco Fiorentino (1905-1955)
Oswaldo Pugliese (1905-1995)
Ada Falcón (1905-2002)
Francisco Amor (1906-1972)
Carlos Dante (1906-1985)
Ernesto Famá (1908-1984)
Roberto Maida (1908-1993)
Libertad Lamarque (1908-2000)
Imperio Argentina (1910-2003)
Edmundo Rivero (1911-1986)
Amanda Ledesma (1911-2000)
Nelly Omar (1911-2013)
Hugo del Carril (1912-1989)
Roberto Chanel (1914-1972)
Anibal Troilo (1914-1975)
Carlos Acuña (1914-1999)
Alberto Castillo (1914-2002)
Olavi Virta (1915-1972)
Floreal Ruiz (1916-1978)
Héctor Mauré (1920-1976)
Raúl Berón (1920-1982)
Alberto Marino (1920-1989)
Astor Piazolla (1921-1992)
Miguel Montero (1922-1975)
Oscar Larroca (1922-1976)
Alberto Morán (1922-1997)
Roberto Rufino (1922-1999)
Jorge Vidal (1924-2010)
Alberto Podestá (1924-2015)
Nina Miranda (1925-2012)
Julio Sosa (1926-1964)
Roberto 'Polaco' Goyeneche (1926-1994)
Virginia Luque (1927-2014)
Argentino Ledesma (1928-2004)
Eladia Blázquez (1931-2005)
Oswaldo Pugliese
¿ Está el Señor cansado ?, ¿ Está la Señora cansada ?, ¿ Están los Señores
cansados ?, ¿ Están las Señoras cansadas ?
http://www.archive.org/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
Tita Merello
Recorded at Odeon Studios, Buenos Aires
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 136 seconds. Storage size: 3.7 Megabytes. Video format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Four
tango-tita_merello-arrabalera.mp4
My home was a barn in the suburbs, very proletarian
newspaper was the filling of the box where I grew
for showing my Coat of Arms, modest and healthy pedigree
-I say, listen ! Introduce me ! I am Felisa Roderano !
-Nice to meet !
-Don't mention it !
Lady of the suburbs, like flower of creeping plant growing in the lane
Lady of the suburbs, I am fully of Chiclana and with good record
if I earn my daily meal, what do I care about the dictionary ?
nor about speaking with elegance...
I carry Seal of Nobility, I am fully Porteña, I have voice of harmonium
if You have the chance of dancing a lovely Tango
rise Your heart of sentimental man
and while dancing with me, show me Your style
because in music it is known at once my origin in the suburbs
Lady of the suburbs, like flower of creeping plant growing in the lane
Lady of the suburbs, I am fully of Chiclana and with good record
if I earn my daily meal, what do I care about the dictionary ?
nor about speaking with elegance...
I carry Seal of Nobility, I am fully Porteña, I have voice of harmonium
Recorded at Odeon Studios, Buenos Aires
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 154 seconds. Storage size: 3.8 Megabytes. Audio format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Three
tango-tita_merello-donde_hay_un_mango.mp3
Old Gómez, You who are of good feeding
and who can find money though it might be buried
explain to me if possible this difficulty that we face
because no matter how much I look for it, I do not find money at all
because in spite of all my efforts, I cannot see a Peso in circulation
Where is the money, Old Gómez ?
all of it has been erased with abrasive stone
Where is the money ?
because I have looked with magnifying glass and lamp, and I am broke
Where is the money ?
for giving good account of it, if at all possible
Where is the money ?
that if not surrendering, we might overpower it
Where is the money ?
because neither financers, nor journalists, neither dogs nor cats
news or data of its whereabouts they cannot give to me
Old Gómez, You who are apt to raise resources
make it clear if possible, the bank notes, where are they ?
no one can explain, and from El Seco to El Batán
every one in full day carries the wallet with notice of funeral
and playing hide and seek, with intent, You see the situation
Where is the money, Old Gómez ?
all of it has been erased with abrasive stone
Where is the money ?
because I have looked with magnifying glass and lamp, and I am broke
Where is the money ?
for giving good account of it, if at all possible
Where is the money ?
that if not surrendering, we might overpower it
Where is the money ?
because neither financers, nor journalists, neither dogs nor cats
news or data of its whereabouts they cannot give to me
explain to me if You know, the bank notes, where are they ?
Recorded at Odeon Studios, Buenos Aires
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 129 seconds. Storage size: 2 Megabytes. Audio format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Three
tango-tita_merello-nino_bien.mp3
child of the bourgeoisie, conceited and arrogant
full of the whim for showing Yourself
bourgeois child, You display two surnames
and You use the Rhythm Bar as Your office
full of vanity, You pretend to be special
and You always boast of Your daddy's ranch
while Your father, for earning his daily meal
every day goes out to sell chick-pea cake
You fancy that because You boast of Yourself
You smoke English tobacco, You use elegant gloves
and You cut Your whiskers like Rodolfo, You are a fashionable dandy
because You wear shining red tie
and there in the Chanteclair
You pretend to be a good dancer
and You cover Your hair with lots of grease
You believe Yourself a skillful astute, but You are a poor fool
Bourgeois child out of the suburbs
out of a hut lit by kerosene
You have a rather dubious pedigree
and You say that You are of good family
don't You realise that You are showing the rags ?
and while You walk with Your triumphant airs
it can be clearly seen that You have much charism
for showing it behind the counter of a shop
You fancy that because You boast of Yourself
You smoke English tobacco, You use elegant gloves
and You cut Your whiskers like Rodolfo, You are a fashionable dandy
because You wear shining red tie
and there in the Chanteclair
You pretend to be a good dancer
and You cover Your hair with lots of grease
You believe Yourself a skillful astute, but You are a poor fool
Recorded at Odeon Studios, Buenos Aires
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 142 seconds. Storage size: 3.5 Megabytes. Audio format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Three
tango-tita_merello-que_vachache.mp3
Go out of this place, do not ever come back !
You already have me very disgusted
I cannot resist without food any longer
nor hear again Your empty words
don't You see that You are an arrogant ?
You think that You alone will change the World
here not even god will rescue what is lost
what do You want ? Please !
What is needed is accumulating much money
selling the soul, bidding for the heart
throwing away the little decency that You still have
money, much money ! I want to live !
thus You can eat every day
You can have friends, home, fame, and whatever You want
true love drowned in the soup
the belly is queen, and money is god
But don't You see, conceited arrogant,
that reason is seen as a brainless pretty girl ?
that honesty is sold to the highest bid
and moral is given as common currency
that no truth can stand untouched
against money, the national currency
You are, playing the moralist
like a disguised without carnival
Throw Yourself to the river, don't play with Your conscience !
You are a clown who is not funny
feed me, keep Your decency apart !
money, much money ! I want to live !
Why can I be blamed if You have taken life seriously ?
You are too much of a fool, You eat air, and You have no mattress
what is this ? Today my patience is finished
You are not better than the thief
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 172 seconds. Storage size: 2.5 Megabytes. Video format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Four
tango-carlos_gardel-volver.mp4
I already perceive the dim lights that in the distance announce my return
they are the same that long ago lit with their pale gloom deep hours of pain
and though I did not want the return, always our first love makes us return
the old street where I dwell, thine is thy life, thine is thy loving
under the ironic gaze of the stars that unconcerned today see my return
Returning with older forehead, the snows of Time silvered my head
feeling that life is an instant, that twenty years is nothing
what feverish the stare, wandering in the shadows searching and remembering
living with the soul attached to a sweet memory for which I weep again
I am afraid of the encounter with the Past that once again faces my life
I am afraid of the nights that full of memories will fetter my dreams
but the traveller who escapes, later or sooner stops his walking
and though the oblivion that all destroys has diminished my old illusion
I keep hidden a modest hope of all the fortune of my heart
Returning with older forehead, the snows of Time silvered my head
feeling that life is an instant, that twenty years is nothing
what feverish the stare, wandering in the shadows searching and remembering
living with the soul attached to a sweet memory for which I weep again...
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Buenos Aires
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 178 seconds. Storage size: 4.2 Megabytes. Audio format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Three
tango-libertad_lamarque-fumando_espero.mp3
Smoking is a pleasure, genial, sensual
I am smoking while I wait for the man whom I love
behind the glass of merry windows
and while I smoke my life I do not throw away
because looking at the smoke I feel sleepy
of thee I have if only smoking and loving
to see my beloved devoted and gallant
to feel his lips kissing with sweet kisses
of the flirting to feel with intense wish
when I see his eyes thirsty with illusion
that is why it is so good for me
it is my smoking a paradise
give to me the smoke of thy mouth
come on, thus thou drivest me crazy
hurry, because I want to be mad of pleasure
feeling that heat of the intoxicating smoke
which finally lits the burning flame of love
Smoking is a pleasure, genial, sensual
I am smoking while I wait for the man whom I love
behind the glass of merry windows
and while I smoke my life I do not throw away
because looking at the smoke I feel sleepy
give to me the smoke of thy mouth
come on, thus thou drivest me crazy
hurry, because I want to be mad of pleasure
feeling that heat of the intoxicating smoke
which finally lits the burning flame of love
Gitta Alpar
Recorded at Parlophone Studios, London
Translated by P. A. Stonemann, CSS Dixieland
Running time: 203 seconds. Storage size: 6 Megabytes. Audio format: Motion Picture Expert Group, Layer Three
tango-gitta_alpar-el_dia_que_me_quieras.mp3
My dream is caressed by the soft murmur of thy sighing
as life smiles if thy green eyes want to look at me
and if being mine the protection of thy light smile which is like a song
it sooths my injury, all, all is forgotten
the day when thou love me, the rose that decorates
will dress for celebration with its best colour
to the wind the bells will proclaim that thou art mine
and crazy the birds will sing their love
the night when thou love me from the blue of the sky
the jealous stars will look at our walking
and a mysterious ray will make nest in thy hair
curious fireflies who will see that thou art my consolation
the day when thou love me there will be only harmony
it will be clear the dawn and merry the spring
it will bring the calm breeze murmur of melody
and the fountains will give to us their crystal song
the night when thou love me from the blue of the sky
the jealous stars will look at our walking
and a mysterious ray will make nest in thy hair
curious fireflies who will see that thou art my consolation
the day when thou love me will sweet its vocal strings the singing bird
life will blossom, pain will not exist...
https://www.neocities.org/
