El Choclo
Visit Tango Buenos Aires
By: Discepolo and Marambio Catán
Letra
Versión de Discepolo/Marambio Catán (1947)
Con este tango que es burlon y compadrito
se ato dos alas la ambicion de mi suburbio;
con este tango nacio el tango y como un grito
salio del sordido barrial buscando el cielo;
conjuro extraño de un amor hecho cadencia
que abrio caminos sin mas luz que la esperanza,
mezcla de rabia de dolor, de fe, de ausencia
llorando en la inocencia de un ritmo jugueton.
Por tu milagro de notas agoreras,
nacieron sin pensarlo, las paicas y las grelas,
luna en los charcos, canyengue en las caderas,
y un ansia fiera en la manera de querer...
Al evocarte...
tango querido.
siento que tiemblan las baldosas de un bailongo
y oigo el rezongo de mi pasado ...
Hoy que no tengo...
mas a mi madre...
siento que llega en punta'e pie para besarme
cuando tu canto nace al son de un bandoneon.
Carancanfunfa se hizo al mar con tu bandera
y en un 'perno'' mezclo a Paris con Puente Alsina.
Fuiste compadre del gavion y de la mina
y hasta comadre del bacan y la pebeta.
Por vos shusheta, cana, reo y mishiadura
se hicieron voces al nacer con tu destino,
misa de faldas, querosen, tajo y cuchillo,
que ardio en los conventillos y ardio en mi corazon!
Al evocarte...
tango querido.
siento que tiemblan las baldosas de un bailongo
y oigo el rezongo de mi pasado...
Lyrics
Discepolo/Marambio Catán's version (1947)
With this tango, mocking and show off,
tied two wings the ambition of my slum;
with this tango tango was born and like a shout
left the sordid bog looking for heaven;
strange spell of a love turned cadence
that opened paths with no more light than hope,
mixture of rage, pain, faith, absence
crying in the inocence of playful rhythm.
From the miracle of your ominous notes,
were born without a thought, the paicas and the grelas,
moon on the puddles, canyengue on the hips
and a fiery desire in the way to love...
Evoking you...
tango beloved.....
I feel the shaking of the tiles of a bailongo
and I hear the grumbling of my past...
Now that I don't have...
my mother anymore...
I feel her coming in tiptoes to kiss me
when your chant is born to the sound of a bandoneon.
Carancanfunfa crossed the sea with your flag
and in a Pernod mixed Paris and Puente Alsina.
You were buddy of the gavion and the mina
and even crony of the bacan and the pebeta.
Because of you, shusheta, cana, reo and mishiadura
became voices to be born with your destiny,
mass of skirts, kerosen, slash and knife,
that burned in the tenements and it burned in my heart!
Evoking you...
tango beloved.....
I feel the shaking of the tiles of a bailongo
and I hear the grumbling of my past...
On November 3, 1905, the upper class clientele of the exclusive "Restaurante Americano" gathered as ususal listen to pianist Jose Luís Roncallo and his classical orchestra play. A few days earlier, Angel Villoldo had shown to Roncallo the melody of a Tango he had just composed. It was by far the best Villoldo had written but Roncallo fretted at the idea of playing a Tango for the "creme-de-la creme" of Buenos Aires society dining at the Restaurante Americano.
Yet, the sound of the unnamed tune was so compelling that Roncallo decided to sneak it by disguised as a "danza criolla", a Creole dance. And so, he did on that balmy evening of November 3, 1905. The name had been decided by Villoldo, who named it "El choclo", (the ear of corn), because "I loved it from the very first note, and for me the ear of corn is the tastiest ingredient of the "puchero", a meat and vegetables stew ..." The "puchero" reference reflected Villoldo's hope that the success of the Tango would bring food to his table. To earn a living was commonly referred to as earning the "puchero."
An appropriate name for an undercover Tango being premiere at a restaurant.