Yupanqui was born Héctor Roberto Chavero Haram in Pergamino (Buenos Aires Province), in the Argentine pampas, about 200 kilometers away from Buenos Aires. His family moved to Tucumán when he was ten. In a bow to two legendary Incan kings, he adopted the stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui, which became famous the world over.
In his early years, Yupanqui travelled extensively through the northwest of Argentina and the Altiplano studying the indigenous culture. He also became radicalized and joined the Communist Party of Argentina. In 1931, he took part in the failed uprising of the Kennedy brothers and was forced to seek refuge in Uruguay. He returned to Argentina in 1934.
In 1935, Yupanqui paid his first visit to Buenos Aires; his compositions were growing in popularity, and he was invited to perform on the radio. Shortly thereafter, he made the acquaintance of pianist Antonieta Paula Pepin Fitzpatrick, nicknamed "Nenette", who became his lifelong companion and musical collaborator under the pseudonym "Pablo Del Cerro".
Because of his Communist Party affiliation (which lasted until 1952), his work suffered from censorship during Juan Perón's presidency; he was detained and incarcerated several times. He left for Europe in 1949. Édith Piaf invited him to perform in Paris in June of that year. He subsequently toured extensively throughout Europe.
In 1952, Yupanqui returned to Buenos Aires. He broke with the Communist Party, which made it easier for him to book radio performances.
Recognition of Yupanqui's ethnographic work became widespread during the 1960s, and nueva canción artists such as Mercedes Sosa recorded his compositions and made him popular among the younger musicians, who referred to him as Don Ata.
Yupanqui alternated between houses in Buenos Aires and Cerro Colorado, Córdoba province. During 1963-1964, he toured Colombia, Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, and Italy. In 1967, he toured Spain, and settled in Paris. He returned regularly to Argentina, but these visits became less frequent when the military dictatorship of Jorge Videla came to power in 1976.
Yupanqui died in Nimes, France in 1992 at the age of 84; he was buried in the Cerro Colorado Cementery.
La Engañera
Atahualpa Yupanqui Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O es que no te comprendí
Pensé que no la quería
Y hoy veo que no es así
Tengo miedo muchas veces
Tengo miedo de aflojar
Tengo miedo que me enseñes
Ayer la he visto con otro
Alegre la vi pasar
Ganas tuve de gritarle
Engañera pa'ande vas
The song "La Engañera" by Atahualpa Yupanqui is a heart-wrenching ode to the pain of betrayal. In the first verse, the singer accuses his heart of deceiving him or failing to communicate the nature of his true feelings towards a lover. He had believed that he did not love this person, but now realizes that this was not the case, leading to feelings of confusion and self-doubt. The theme of uncertainty continues in the second verse as the singer admits to being afraid of showing weakness or vulnerability, as well as the possibility of forgiving and being hurt again.
The final verse is a moment of catharsis, as the singer sees his lover with someone else, presumably confirmed in his suspicion of her deceit. He feels a strong urge to confront her, to call her out as a deceiver, but ultimately realizes that he cannot change the past and must simply let her go. The song's mournful melody and Yupanqui's poignant lyrics capture the raw emotions of betrayal and heartbreak, inviting listeners to empathize with the pain of lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Corazón tu me engañaste
Heart, you deceived me
O es que no te comprendí
Or did I not understand you?
Pensé que no la quería
I thought I didn't love her
Y hoy veo que no es así
And now I see that isn't so
Tengo miedo muchas veces
I'm often afraid
Tengo miedo de aflojar
I'm afraid of slowing down
Tengo miedo que me enseñes
I'm afraid you'll teach me
Corazón a perdonar
Heart, to forgive
Ayer la he visto con otro
Yesterday I saw her with another
Alegre la vi pasar
I saw her passing by happily
Ganas tuve de gritarle
I felt like yelling at her
Engañera pa'ande vas
Deceitful one, where are you going?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
eric olivo martinez
canciones del inigualable maestro atahualpa yupanqui
Juan Martinez
Corazón, tú me engañaste
o es que no te comprendí,
pensé que no la quería y hoy veo que no es así
pensé que no la quería y hoy veo que no es así
tengo miedo muchas veces,
tengo miedo de aflojar,
tengo miedo que me enseñes corazón a perdonar,
tengo miedo que me enseñes corazón aperdonar.
Ayer la he visto con otro
alegre la vi pasar
ganas tuve de gritarle:
engañera pa´onde vas?
ganas tuve de gritarle:
engañera pa´onde vas?.
Cristina Garcia
Quien puede decir que el maestro no es gran parte de nuestra argentinidad. Orgulloso que semejante poeta haya recorrido muchos de los caminos tucumanos que tambien los recorri yo.
Martin Alza
El hombre