Cacho Castaña developed an interest in music during his early years, and by age fourteen, he was a piano teacher. Raised in modest circumstances in the Flores neighborhood, he worked with his father, a shoe cobbler, until age 16. He began his career in music in his teens as a pianist in Oscar Espósito's orquesta típica, one of numerous such groups that performed tango music at the time, and also performed in the Chamamé folk genre.
Castaña became famous as a bolero singer during the 1970s, performing on Argentine television programs such as Tiempo Final and Un Cortado, among others. He authored numerous hits, including Me gusta, me gusta ("I like it, I like it"), Lo llaman el matador ("He's Nicknamed the Killer") and Hay que encontrar al ladrón ("The Thief Must be Found"), and his signature bolero: Para vivir un gran amor ("To Live a Great Love"). His lyrics became known for their extemporaneous and often autobiographical style, which he described as "writing as I would speak."
He is much better known, however, for his contributions to tango music: some of his compositions are considered classics by his fans, including Qué tango hay que cantar ("What Tango Must One Sing", with Rubén Juárez), Garganta con Arena ("Throat full of sand", an homage to Roberto Goyeneche, his mentor), "Tita de Buenos Aires", (Tita de Buenos Aires, dedicated to Tita Merello), A dónde vas? Quedate en Buenos Aires ("Where are you going? Stay in Buenos Aires"), and his ode to the Flores neighborhood: Café la Humedad. Castaña composed around 2,500 songs, of which 500 have been recorded. He produced 44 records, of which fifteen became gold records (over 20,000 sold, per CAPIF ratings), and ten, platinum (over 40,000 sold).
Castaña also starred in thirteen Argentine films, including two for which he wrote the score, El mundo que inventamos ("The World We Created", 1973) and Los hijos de López ("López's Sons", 1980); numerous picaresque comedies; and in Felicidades (2000). A confirmed bachelor for much of his life, his numerous relationships included one with Susana Giménez during the 1970s (Giménez would later become a top-rated talk show hostess in Argentina). He ultimately married Andrea Sblano, the 27-year-old daughter of a close friend, in 2006; among his other close friends was former President Carlos Menem. His television appearances in later years included a cameo on the popular Argentine telenovela, Los Roldán. He earned a Konex Award in 2005 for his work as songwriter, and his tango album released that year, Espalda con espalda ("Shoulder to Shoulder") earned a Gardel Prize.He was invited to perform "with all the other monsters" in Leopoldo Federico's series, Selección Nacional de Tango Argentino (an event he considered "the happiest day of my life"), and was inducted into the National Academy of Tango in 2007.
Castaña's career declined during the 1990s, but rebounded after 2003, and he became active in Argentina's stage and festival circuit. He headlined numerous Corrientes Avenue shows, and was a regular performer in the National Peña Festival, in Villa María. A heavy smoker, he developed emphysema in later years, and was twice hospitalized as he prepared to appear in shows. He and his wife opened a children's clothing boutique, Las Castañitas.[8] Their marriage suffered, however, and they separated in 2011. He was again hospitalized following the separation, and made a speedy recovery.
After two weeks hospitalized, Cacho Castaña died on October 15, 2019.
Bombo
Cacho Castaña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No lo toca cualquiera, hay que saber tocar
Se toca con orgullo de ser argentino
Mi pueblo toca el bombo para festejar
Le canto a mis mujeres, mi tierra, mi vino
Y al bombo que nunca pudieron callar
Porque hace mucho tiempo que el pueblo no canta
Porque después de mayo todo va a cambiar
Mi pueblo en la mirada ya tiene otro brillo
Y un nuevo caudillo lo viene a salvar
Que saquen las guitarras todos los cantores
Mi pueblo está de fiesta, vamos a cantar
Revienta en las gargantas que si no hay censura
También es cultura lo más popular
In the song "Bombo" by Cacho Castaña, the lyrics speak of a different way of playing the bombo, a traditional Argentine drum. The singer sings about how it is not just any drum, but one that must be played with skill and pride, in a way that is uniquely Argentine. The lyrics emphasize the importance of the drum in the celebration of their culture and how it has never been silenced, despite attempts to do so.
The song also speaks to the theme of hope and change, with the singer expressing that the people's eyes have a new brightness and that a new leader is coming to save them. The mention of guitars and singers joining in the festivities, along with the reference to the freedom to sing without censorship, reinforces the idea of celebrating through the expression of music and culture.
Overall, "Bombo" portrays the significance of the drum, the spirit of Argentine culture, and the power of music to unite and express hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi pueblo toca el bombo pero de otra manera
My town plays the drum in a unique way
No lo toca cualquiera, hay que saber tocar
Not everyone can play it, one needs to know how
Se toca con orgullo de ser argentino
It's played with pride of being Argentine
Mi pueblo toca el bombo para festejar
My town plays the drum to celebrate
Le canto a mis mujeres, mi tierra, mi vino
I sing to my women, my land, my wine
Y al bombo que nunca pudieron callar
And to the drum that they could never silence
Porque hace mucho tiempo que el pueblo no canta
Because it has been a long time since the people sang
Porque después de mayo todo va a cambiar
Because everything will change after May (a reference to Argentinian history)
Mi pueblo en la mirada ya tiene otro brillo
My town's eyes have a new sparkle
Y un nuevo caudillo lo viene a salvar
And a new leader will come to save it
Que saquen las guitarras todos los cantores
Let all the singers bring out their guitars
Mi pueblo está de fiesta, vamos a cantar
My town is celebrating, let's sing
Revienta en las gargantas que si no hay censura
Let it burst out of our throats, because there's no censorship
También es cultura lo más popular
The most popular is also culture
Contributed by Jasmine I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.