They performed mostly in gauchos customs. They recorded countless hits throughout the years, the most notable ones are:
Yo vendo unos ojos negros
Zamba de mi esperanza
La lopez pereyra
etc.
They recorded traditional tunes as well as tunes by the most outclaimed writers of the Argentinian folklore like: Atahualpa Yupanqui.
They recorded countless records including:
Otra vez!!
Tierra Querida
Adentro!
Alma Salteña
En esta zamba ausente and much much more
Sapo Cancionero
Los Chalchaleros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que vives soñando junto a tu laguna.
Tenor de los charcos, grotesco trovero, ]bis
Estás embrujado de amor por la luna. ]bis
Yo sé de tu vida sin gloria ninguna;
Sé de la tragedia de tu alma inquieta.
Y esa tu locura de adorar la luna ]bis
Es locura eterna de todo poeta ]bis
Sapo cancionero:
Canta tu canción,
Que la vida es triste, ]bis
Si no la vivimos con una ilusión ]bis
Tú te sabes feo, feo y contrahecho;
Por eso de día tu fealdad ocultas
Y de noche cantas tu melancolía ]bis
Y suena tu canto como letanía. ]bis
Repican tus voces en franca porfía;
Tus coplas son vanas como son tan bellas
¿no sabes, acaso, que la luna es fría,
Porque dió su sangre para las estrellas? ]bis
Sapo cancionero:
Canta tu canción,
Que la vida es triste, ]bis
Si no la vivimos con una ilusión ]bis
The lyrics of Los Chalchaleros' song "Sapo Cancionero" is a tribute to the toad or "sapo" who is known to croak in the night. The song describes the toad as a dreamer who lives by the lagoon and is in love with the moon. The toad is referred to as a "grotesque trovero" which means a strange troubadour or poet who is under the spell of love for the moon. Despite the toad's lack of glory, the song acknowledges the tragedy of its restless soul and its eternal madness of adoring the moon, which is a common trait of poets.
The lyrics further illustrate the toad's adherence to the beauty of the moon, which is a common theme in poetry. The toad is presented as a unique creature who is aware of its ugliness during the day and uses its beautiful voice to sing melancholic songs at night. The chorus reminds us that life is sad if we don't live it with hope and illusion. The song ends with a beautiful metaphor that says, "the moon is cold because it gave its blood for the stars."
Overall, the song "Sapo Cancionero" is a beautiful tribute to poetry and the poets who are misunderstood and underappreciated in society. The toad represents the plight of the poets who are often seen as strange outsiders but are incredibly talented artists whose beauty lies in their unique quirks.
Line by Line Meaning
Sapo de la noche, sapo cancionero,
Oh night frog, singing frog,
Que vives soñando junto a tu laguna.
who lives dreaming by your lagoon.
Tenor de los charcos, grotesco trovero, ]bis
Tenor of the puddles, grotesque troubadour,
Estás embrujado de amor por la luna. ]bis
You are bewitched in love with the moon.
Yo sé de tu vida sin gloria ninguna;
I know of your life without any glory;
Sé de la tragedia de tu alma inquieta.
I know of the tragedy of your restless soul.
Y esa tu locura de adorar la luna ]bis
And your madness of worshiping the moon
Es locura eterna de todo poeta ]bis
Is the eternal madness of every poet.
Sapo cancionero:
Singing frog:
Canta tu canción,
Sing your song,
Que la vida es triste, ]bis
Because life is sad,
Si no la vivimos con una ilusión ]bis
If we don't live it with an illusion.
Tú te sabes feo, feo y contrahecho;
You know yourself ugly and deformed;
Por eso de día tu fealdad ocultas
That's why you hide your ugliness during the day
Y de noche cantas tu melancolía ]bis
And at night you sing your melancholy.
Y suena tu canto como letanía. ]bis
And your song sounds like a litany.
Repican tus voces en franca porfía;
Your voices resonate in open rivalry;
Tus coplas son vanas como son tan bellas
Your coplas are vain, though they are so beautiful
¿no sabes, acaso, que la luna es fría,
Do you not know that the moon is cold,
Porque dió su sangre para las estrellas? ]bis
Because it gave its blood for the stars?
Sapo cancionero:
Singing frog:
Canta tu canción,
Sing your song,
Que la vida es triste, ]bis
Because life is sad,
Si no la vivimos con una ilusión ]bis
If we don't live it with an illusion.
Contributed by Adam P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.