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.
Milonga Del Peon De Campo
Atahualpa Yupanqui Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Siempre en montao en ajeno
Tuve un zaino que, de bueno
Ni pisaba la gramilla
Vivo una vida sencilla
Como es la del pobre pión
Madrugón tras madrugón
A veces, me duelen fiero
Los hígados y el riñón
Soy peón de La Estancia Vieja
Partido de Magdalena
Y aunque no valga la pena
Anoten, que no son quejas
Un portón lleno de rejas
Y allá, en el fondo, un chalé
Lo recibirá un valet
Que anda siempre disfrazao
Más no se asuste, cuñao
Y por mí pregúntele
Ni se le ocurra decir
Que viene pa´ visitarme
Diga que viene a cobrarme
Y lo han de dejar pasar
Allá le van a indicar
Que siga los ucalitos
Al final, está un ranchito
Que han levantao estas manos
Esa es su casa, paisano
Ahí puede pegar el grito
Allá le voy a mostrar
Mi mancarrón, mis dos perros
Unas espuelas de fierro
Y un montón de cosas más
Si es entendido, verá
Un poncho de fina trama
Y el retrato de mi Mama
Que es ande rezo pensando
Mientras lo voy adornando
Con florcitas de retama
¿ Qué puede ofertarle un pión
Que no sean sus pobrezas
A veces me entra tristeza
Y otras veces, rebelión
En más de alguna ocasión
Quisiera hacerme perdiz
Para ver de ser feliz
En algún pago lejano
Pero a la verdad, paisano
Me gusta el aire de aquí
The Milonga del Peon de Campo is a song by Atahualpa Yupanqui, a famous Argentine folk musician. The song reflects the life of a rural worker or ‘peon’, who has had a simple existence without much wealth or luxury. The singer states that he has never had a large group of horses, and had to ride horses that didn't feed themselves on the grass. He talks about his routine of waking up early in the morning, no matter the harsh weather condition to go and work at La Estancia Vieja, in the district of Magdalena. This shows his dedication and commitment to his job, even though it is a difficult one. He also implies that he has a rich neighbour who lives in a chateau behind the high gates which are guarded by servants.
The singer of the song takes pride in his humble home and possessions, which include his old horse, two loyal dogs, and a finely woven poncho. These are his prized possessions, and he is happy to show them to anyone who is interested in seeing them. He reveals that he thinks about his mother a lot and spends his free time decorating her picture with retama flowers. The song is a commentary on the simple yet fulfilling aspects of a life that many would not consider desirable. Atahualpa Yupanqui's song has an important message - it offers an empathetic glimpse into the hard and honest life of rural people who works tirelessly under challenging conditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo nunca tuve tropilla
I never had a group of horses
Siempre en montao en ajeno
Always riding someone else's horse
Tuve un zaino que, de bueno
I had a brown horse that, even though he was good
Ni pisaba la gramilla
He would not step on the grass
Vivo una vida sencilla
I live a simple life
Como es la del pobre pión
Like that of a poor laborer
Madrugón tras madrugón
Early morning after early morning
Con lluvia, escarcha o pampero
With rain, frost, or pampero wind
A veces, me duelen fiero
Sometimes, my liver and kidney hurt me badly
Los hígados y el riñón
The liver and kidney
Soy peón de La Estancia Vieja
I am a farm worker at La Estancia Vieja
Partido de Magdalena
Located in the region of Magdalena
Y aunque no valga la pena
And although it may not be worth mentioning
Anoten, que no son quejas
Write it down, they are not complaints
Un portón lleno de rejas
A gate full of bars
Y allá, en el fondo, un chalé
And there, in the back, a chalet
Lo recibirá un valet
It will be received by a valet
Que anda siempre disfrazao
Who is always pretending
Más no se asuste, cuñao
But don't be afraid, friend
Y por mí pregúntele
And ask him about me
Ni se le ocurra decir
Don't even think of saying
Que viene pa´ visitarme
That you are coming to visit me
Diga que viene a cobrarme
Say that you are coming to collect payment from me
Y lo han de dejar pasar
And they will let you in
Allá le van a indicar
They will show you
Que siga los ucalitos
To follow the small paths
Al final, está un ranchito
At the end, there is a small ranch
Que han levantao estas manos
That these hands built
Esa es su casa, paisano
That's my home, friend
Ahí puede pegar el grito
You can shout there
Allá le voy a mostrar
I will show you
Mi mancarrón, mis dos perros
My mule, my two dogs
Unas espuelas de fierro
Some iron spurs
Y un montón de cosas más
And a bunch of other things
Si es entendido, verá
If you know about it, you will see
Un poncho de fina trama
A fine poncho
Y el retrato de mi Mama
And a portrait of my mother
Que es ande rezo pensando
Where I pray and think
Mientras lo voy adornando
As I decorate it
Con florcitas de retama
With small flowers of broom
¿ Qué puede ofertarle un pión
What can a worker offer you
Que no sean sus pobrezas
Other than his poverty
A veces me entra tristeza
Sometimes sadness comes over me
Y otras veces, rebelión
And other times, rebellion
En más de alguna ocasión
On more than one occasion
Quisiera hacerme perdiz
I wish I could become a partridge
Para ver de ser feliz
To try to be happy
En algún pago lejano
In some faraway place
Pero a la verdad, paisano
But, to tell you the truth, friend
Me gusta el aire de aquí
I like the air here
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HECTOR ROBERTO CHAVERO, JOSE RAZZANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Renato Ferreira
Que hermosa canción. Don Atahualpa mi ídolo por siempre. Desde Chile un reconocimiento al más grande de los Argentinos.