He went on to study classical music in Madrid, Rome and Vienna, from 1950 to 1954. On returning to Argentina, he collected over 400 folk songs and popular songs and founded the Compañía de Folklore Ariel Ramírez.
In 1964, Ramírez' composition Misa Criolla marked the beginning of a period of high musical productivity which also saw the composition of Navidad Nuestra (1964), La Peregrinación (1964); Los caudillos (1965); Mujeres Argentinas (1969), and Alfonsina y el Mar (1969), all written together with poet Félix Luna.
Today, Ariel Ramírez is president of the Society of Authors and Composers of the Republic of Argentina (SADAIC).
Los Reyes Magos Takirari
Ariel Ramirez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Melchor, Gaspar y el negro Baltasar.
Arrope y miel, le llevarán,
y un poncho blanco de alpaca real.
Llegaron ya los reyes y eran tres
Melchor, Gaspar y el negro Baltasar.
Arrope y miel, le llevarán,
Changos y chinitas duerman sen
que ya Melchor Gaspar y Baltasar,
todos los regalos traerán
para jugar mañana al despertar.
El niño Dios muy bien lo agradeció
comió la miel y el poncho, lo abrigó
y fue despues, que sonrió,
y a media noche el sol relumbró
Llegaron ya los reyes y eran tres
Melchor, Gaspar y el negro Baltasar.
Arrope y miel, le llevarán,
y un poncho blanco de alpaca real.
Llegaron ya los reyes y eran tres
Melchor, Gaspar y el negro Baltasar.
Changos y chinitas duerman sen
que ya Melchor Gaspar y Baltasar,
todos los regalos traerán
para jugar mañana al despertar.
El niño Dios muy bien lo agradeció
comió la miel y el poncho, lo abrigó
y fue después, que sonrió,
y a media noche el sol relumbró.
Arrope y miel, le llevarán,
y un poncho blanco de alpaca real.
The first verse of Ariel Ramirez's song, "Los Reyes Magos Takirari," describes the arrival of the three Wise Men - Melchior, Gaspar, and the black-skinned Balthazar. They bring with them gifts of honey and arrope, a sweet syrup made from fruit, as well as a white poncho made from alpaca wool. The repetition of this verse emphasizes the arrival of the Wise Men and the importance of their presence.
The second verse urges the children to go to sleep, promising that the Wise Men will bring gifts for them to play with in the morning. The children are referred to as "changos y chinitas", which translates to "little monkeys and little Chinese girls." This is a common expression used in the Andean region of South America to refer to children. The repetition of this verse creates a lullaby-like melody.
The third verse describes how the baby Jesus received and appreciated the gifts brought by the Wise Men. He eats the honey and wears the alpaca poncho to keep warm. The final line of the verse describes how the sun shone brightly at midnight, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the light and joy that the arrival of the Wise Men brought.
Overall, "Los Reyes Magos Takirari" is a joyful celebration of the arrival of the Wise Men and the gifts they bring. The use of repetition creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, while the references to traditional Andean clothing and food give the song a sense of cultural authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
Llegaron ya los reyes y eran tres
The three kings have arrived
Melchor, Gaspar y el negro Baltasar.
Their names are Melchor, Gaspar, and the black Baltasar
Arrope y miel, le llevarán,
They will bring syrup and honey
y un poncho blanco de alpaca real.
And a white poncho made of royal alpaca.
Changos y chinitas duerman sen
Little boys and girls, sleep now
que ya Melchor Gaspar y Baltasar,
For Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar
todos los regalos traerán
Will bring all the gifts
para jugar mañana al despertar.
To play with tomorrow upon waking up.
El niño Dios muy bien lo agradeció
The baby Jesus was very grateful
comió la miel y el poncho, lo abrigó
He ate the honey, put on the poncho and was kept warm.
y fue después, que sonrió,
And it was then he smiled
y a media noche el sol relumbró
And at midnight the sun shone brightly.
Writer(s): Felix Cesar Luna, Ariel Ramirez
Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.