EL CHOCLO |
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The ear of corn (1903) | |
LYRICS by: Juan Carlos Marambio Catan (1930) and Enrique Santos Discepolo (1946 |
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MUSIC by: Angel Villoldo |
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TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz |
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Last updated on: 3/27/12 | |
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On November 3, 1905, the upper class clientele of the exclusive Restaurante Americano gathered as ususal listen to pianist Jose Luis 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.Juan Carlos Marambio Catan wrote the 1930 lyrics at the request of Villoldo’s sister and heir Irene Villoldo de Corona.Enrique Santos Disceopolo wrote a new set of lyrics in 1946 at the request of Libertad Lamarque who wished to sing the tango in the movie Gran Casino directed by Luis Buñuel. In order to do so, Discepolo had to reach a laborious agreement with Marambio Catan.In his version, Discepolo makes excellent use of lunfardo lexicon.Bailongo: lunfardo for a place where people dance, i.e. a milonga Bacan: lunfardo for a wealthy man or one who pretends to be wealthy. A man who keeps a woman. A pimp who owns a woman. A concubine of a prostitute. Cana: lunfardo for the police, a policeman or the jail. Canyengue: lunfardo word with several meanings. It refers to somebody or something from the slums, i.e. low class. It also describes a gathering where people from the slums dance. Finally, it is a rhytmic effect created by Leopoldo Thompson by hitting the string of the contrabass with the hand or the arch of the bow. Carancanfunfa: in the lingo of the compadritos, the dance of tango with interruptions (cortes) and also those who dance it that way in a very skillful manner. Gavion: lunfardo for a libertine man who seduces women. A Don Juan that charms the women. A seducer, a mocker. Grelas: lunfardo for woman. Mishiadura: lunfardo for poverty. Mina: lunfardo for woman. Paicas: a lunfardo word for girl. Pebeta: lunfardo for young woman or girl. Reo: lunfardo for hobo, unemployed, given to partying and reticent to work. Typical of people of lower class status. Also, it is used as humble, poor. Shusheta: lunfardo for a person who takes excessive care of his posture and attire. Also it is used to describe a police informant, a person who accuses in secret, a snitch. A fop, a dandy. |
CASTELLANO
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ENGLISH
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VERSION DE DISCEPOLO DE 1946
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1946 DISCEPOLO’S VERSION
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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, Carancanfunfa se hizo al mar con tu bandera |
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, Carancanfunfa crossed the sea with your flag |
VERSION DE MARAMBIO CATAN DE 1930
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1930 MARAMBIO CATAN’S VERSION
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Vieja milonga que en mi horas de tristeza,
traes a mi mente tu recuerdo cariñoso y, encadenandome a tus notas dulcemente, siento que el alma se me encoje poco a poco; recuerdo triste de un pasado que en mi vida dejo una pagina de sangre escrita a mano y que se he llevado como cruz de mi martirio aunque mi carga infame me llene de dolor. Hoy que los años han blanqueado ya mis sienes, |
Old milonga that on my hours of sadness
brings to my mind an affectionate reminiscence and chaining me to your notes sweetly, I feel my soul shrinking little by little. sad memory of a past that in my life I leave a page of handwritten blood and that I have carried my cross of martyrdom as but my burden infamous fill me with pain. Now that the years have whitened and my temples, |
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