MADAME YVONNE

Madam Yvonne (1933)

LYRICS by: Enrique Cadicamo

MUSIC by: Eduardo Pereyra

TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz

Last updated on: 2/15/12

Return to Index

Sing along with JULIO SOSA with LEOPOLDO FEDERICO

Julio Sosa’s rendition of Madam Yvonne is the best to my taste. The late Uruguayan singer wrote the recited verses that serve as an introduction to the tango. The word “mamuasel” is a phonetic replication in Argentine jargon of the original “madmoiselle.” He substituted “Les Quatre Arts” for “aquel boulevard” (that boulevard). Also, in the 7th verse he sings “Until one day an Argentine man arrived”.

CASTELLANO

ENGLISH

RECITADO Ivonne, yo te conocí allá en el viejo Montmartre, cuando el cascabel de plata de tu risa era un refugio para nuestra bohemia y tu cansancio y tu anemia no se dibujaban aun detrás de tus ojeras violetas. Yo te conocí cuando el amor te iluminaba por dentro y te adoré de lejos, sin que lo supieras y sin pensar que confesándote este amor podría haberte salvado. Te conocí cuando era yo un estudiante de bolsillo flacos y el París nocturno de entonces danzaba al espacio en una cascada de luces el efímero reinado de un nombre, Mademoiselle Ivonne… FIN RECITADO Mamuasel Ivonne era una pebeta que en el barrio posta de viejo Montmartre, con su pinta brava de alegre griseta animó la fiesta de Les Quatre Arts. Era la papusa del barrio latino que supo a los puntos del verso inspirar… Pero fue que un día llego un argentino y a la francesita la hizo suspirar. Madame Ivonne, la Cruz del Sur fue como el sino, Madame Ivonne, fue como el sino de tu suerte… Alondra gris, tu dolor me conmueve, tu pena es de nieve… Madame Ivonne… Han pasado diez años que zarpó de Francia, Mamuasel Ivonne hoy solo es Madam… La que va a ver que todo quedó en la distancia con ojos muy tristes bebe su champán. Ya no es la papusa del Barrio Latino, ya no es la mistonga florcita de lis, ya nada le queda… Ni aquel argentino que entre tango y mate la alzó de París

RECITED Yvonne I met you back in the old Montmartre, when the silver bell of your laughter was a haven for our Bohemia and your tiredness and your anemia were not drawn behind your dark circles violets yet. I knew you when love lit you from inside and I worshiped you from afar, without you knowing and without thinking that confessing this love I could have saved you. I knew you when I was a student of lean pockets and the Paris night back then danced into space in a cascade of lights the brief reign of a name, Mademoiselle Yvonne … END RECITED Yvonne was a young girl that in the choice district of old Montmartre, with her blustery elegance of happy streetwalker animated the partying at Les Quatre Arts. She was the pretty thing of the Latin quarter who used to inspire the verse writers… But it was that one day, an Argentine man arrived and to the little French girl he made her sigh. Madame Ivonne, the Southern Cross was like the destiny, Madame Ivonne, was as the destiny of your luck … Skylark gray Your pain moves me, Your sorrow is of snow … Madame Ivonne … It has been ten years since she sailed from France, Mamuasel Ivonne today is only Madam … Who sees everything long way away at a distance with very sad eyes she drinks her champagne. She is no longer the pretty thing of the Latin Quarter, she no longer is the humble lily flower, She has nothing is left … Nor even that Argentine man who between tango and green tea lifted her from Paris

---

Copyright (c) Planet Tango 1998-2012 All Rights Reserved

LOS MAREADOS

The doped ones (1920/1942)

LYRICS by: Enrique Cadicamo

MUSIC by: Juan Carlos Cobian

TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz

Last updated on: 2/7/12

Return to Index

Sing along with RAUL LAVIE

The music was composed in 1920 but the lyrics were created in 1942.

CASTELLANO

ENGLISH

Rara, como encendida, te halle bebiendo, linda y fatal; bebias, y en el fragor del champan loca reias, por no llorar… Pena me dio encontrarte pues al mirarte yo vi brillar tus ojos con un electrico ardor, tus bellos ojos que tanto adore. Esta noche, amiga mia, con alcohol nos embriagamos; que me importa que se rian y nos llamen los mareados. Cada cual tiene sus penas y nosotros las tenemos. Esta noche beberemos porque ya no volveremos a vernos mas… Hoy vas a entrar en mi pasado, en el pasado de mi vida. Tres cosas lleva mi alma herida: Amor, Pesar, Dolor. Hoy vas a entrar en mi pasado, hoy nuevas sendas tomaremos. Que grande ha sido nuestro amor y, sin embargo, ay, mira lo que quedo!

Rare, as if on fire, I found you drinking, cute and fatal; You drank, and in the din of champagne crazy you laughed, rather than cry… Pity I felt at finding you because looking at you I saw your eyes shine with an electric fire, your beautiful eyes that I so adored. Tonight, my friend, with alcohol we’re getting drunk; I don’t care if they laugh and call us “the doped ones.” Everyone has their sorrows and we have ours. Tonight we will drink because we won’t ever see each other again… Today you’re gonna enter in my past, in the past of my life. Three things bears my wounded soul: Love, Regret, Pain. Today you”re gonna my past, today we’ll follow new paths. How great has been our love and, yet, alas, look what’s left!

---

Copyright (c) Planet Tango 1998-2012 All Rights Reserved

ANCLAO EN PARIS

Anchored in Paris (1931)

LYRICS by: Enrique Cadicamo

MUSIC by: Guillermo Barbieri

TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz

Last updated on: 10/15/11

Return to Index

Sing along with CARLOS GARDEL

Written by Cadicamo en Barcelona, Spain and sent to Gardel who was in France at the time.

CASTELLANO

ENGLISH

Tirao por la vida de errante bohemio estoy, Buenos Aires, anclao en Paris; curtido de males, bandeado de apremios, te evoco desde este lejano pais. Contemplo la nieve que cae blandamente desde mi ventana que da al bulevar. Las luces rojizas con tonos murientes, parecen pupilas de extraño mirar. Lejano Buenos Aires, !que lindo que has de estar! Ya van para diez años que me viste zarpar. Aqui, en este Montmartre, faubourg sentimental, yo siento que el recuerdo me clava su puñal. !Como habra cambiado tu calle Corrientes! !Suipacha, Esmeralda, tu mismo arrabal! Alguien me ha contado que estas floreciente y un juego de calles se da en diagonal. !No sabes las ganas que tengo de verte! Aqui estoy parado, sin plata y sin fe. !Quien sabe una noche me encane la muerte y… chau, Buenos Aires, no te vuelva a ver!

Pulled by the life of a nomadic Bohemian I am, Buenos Aires, anchored in Paris; hardened by evils, chased by pressures, I evoke you from this distant country. I contemplate the snow that falls softly from my window that faces the boulevard. The reddish lights with dimming tones, seem like pupils of strange gaze. Distant Buenos Aires, how pretty you must be! It’s going on ten years since you saw me weigh anchor. Here, in this Montmartre, sentimental district, I feel that the memory digs its dagger in me. How must have changed your Corrientes Street! Suipacha, Esmeralda, your very own suburb! Somebody has told me that you’re flourishing and a set of streets run in diagonal. You don’t know the desire I have to see you! Here I am stopped, without money or faith. Who knows, one night death takes me away and… so long, Buenos Aires, I don’t return to see you!

Copyright (c) Planet Tango 1998-2011 All Rights Reserved

TRES ESQUINAS

Three corners (1940)

LYRICS by: Enrique Cadicamo

MUSIC by: Angel D’Agostino-Alfredo Attadia

TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz

Last updated on: 10/30/12

Return to Index

Sing along with ANGEL VARGAS with ANGEL D’AGOSTINO

Arrabal is a poetic representation of the suburbs, or the fringe territory outside the center of the city. According to Jose Gobello, “Tres esquinas” alludes to the crossing of Montes de Oca and Osvaldo Cruz Streets in the neighborhood of Barracas, and to the café called “Tres esquinas”, later “Cabo Fels”, located in that place. The lyric was written by Cadícamo in 1940 for a music previously composed by Ángel D’Agostino (for an unpublished tango entitled “Pobre piba”). It was premiered that year by Ángel Vargas who was the vocalist of the D’Agostino Orchestra. We are grateful to Richard Norris who contributed valuable corrections and modifications both in style and accuracy. He sought the help of Daniel Korman, director of a language school in Bs.As., as some of the words used by Cadicamo are part of the jargon of the city and not found in the dictionary.

CASTELLANO

ENGLISH

Yo soy del barrio de “Tres Esquinas”, viejo baluarte del arrabal, donde florecen como glicinas las lindas pibas de delantal. Donde en la noche, tibia y serena, su antiguo aroma vuelca el malvon y bajo el cielo de luna llena duermen las chatas del corralon. Soy de ese barrio de humilde rango, yo soy el tango sentimental, soy de ese barrio que toma mate, bajo las sombras que da el parral. En sus ochavas compadree de mozo, pele la daga por un loco amor, y vi en los ojos de una maleva la ardiente ceba de mi pasión. Nada hay más lindo ni más compadre Que mi suburbio murmurador, Con los chimentos de las comadres Y los piropos del picaflor… Vieja barriada que fue estandarte De mis arrojos de juventud, Yo soy del barrio que vive aparte En este siglo de Neo-Lux.

I’m from the neighborhood of “Tres Esquinas,” An old bastion of the arrabal, Where they bloom like wisterias The pretty factory girls in uniform. Where in the night, warm and calm, The geranium casts its old fashioned aroma And under a full moon sky Sleep the horse carriages of the warehouse. I’m from that neighborhood of humble rank, I’m the sentimental tango, I’m from that neighborhood that drinks mate, Under the shadows cast by the vine arbor. In its angled corners I blustered as a young man, I pulled the knife for a crazy love, And I saw in the eyes of a fiery woman the burning stoking of my passion. There’s nothing more beautiful or proud That my murmuring suburb, With the gossip from the godmothers And the compliments of the flirting boy… Old neighborhood that was a banner Of the bravery of my youth, I am from the neighborhood who lives apart In this age of Neo-Lux

Copyright (c) Planet Tango 1998-2012 All Rights Reserved

Updated 9/6/10

LLORAR POR UNA MUJER

To cry for a woman

LYRICS by: Enrique Cadicamo

MUSIC by: Enrique Rodriguez

TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz

Last updated on: 5/15/10

Return to Index

Sing along with Armando Moreno with Enrique Rodriguez

Comments

CASTELLANO

ENGLISH

Conozco muchos que después de criticar se fueron a clavar en un cariño y esos, después de reír, los he visto sufrir y llorar como niños… Ahí nadie puede guapear porque he visto aflojar hasta el más sobrador. Si no querés pifiar tendrás que caminar con cuidado en el amor.Llorar, llorar por una mujer es quererla y no tenerla. Llorar, Llorar por una mujer es muy hondo padecer. Vos, que pa’l amor fuiste retobao, hoy tu pena es fuerte y te tiene arrinconcao, y hoy que no la ves y que la querés se te achica el alma, y recién sabés lo que es: Llorar, llorar por una mujer. Muchachos, ya lo ven, al potro del amor no hay gaucho domador que lo domine. Cuando nos entra a tallar una pena de amar, el varón se define… Ahí comprobamos lo que es ese fiero revés que nos hace llorar… Conozco muchos que después de criticar los he ido a consolar.

I know many who after criticizing ended up stuck in an romance and them, after having laughed, I have seen them suffering and crying like children… There nobody can bluff because I have seen weakened even the most conceited. If you don’t want to fail you will have to thread with care in matters of love.To cry, to cry for a woman is to want her and not to have her. To cry, To cry for a woman is very deep suffering You, who, for love were cunning, today your heartache is strong and it has you cornered and today that you can’t see her and that you want her your soul shrinks and now you know what is like To cry, to cry for a woman. Guys, so you see, for the colt of love there is no horse breaker gaucho to dominate it. When we start being annoyed by a heartache of love, the man defines himself… There we verify what it is that fierce misfortune that makes us cry… I know many that after criticizing I have gone to console them.

Copyright (c) Planet Tango 1998-2010 All Rights Reserved