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.
Cacho De Bs As
Cacho Castaña Lyrics
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de andar haciéndome el vivo,
el que se las sabe todas
y todas las ha vivido.
El que tuvo mil amores
llorando sobre su almohada.
¡Por esa puta costumbre
al final no tengo nada!
Por esa puta costumbre
de regalar carcajadas,
para mostrarle a la gente
que nunca lloro por nada.
Inventando mil historias
para deslumbrar amigos.
¡Por esa puta costumbre
cuantas cosas he perdido!
Soy Cacho de Buenos Aires
y no hay farol que me alumbre.
¡Mi gran amor lo perdí
por esa puta costumbre!
¡Soy cacho de Buenos Aires
y tengo un sueño escondido,
cantar igual que Gardel!
Por esa puta costumbre
de hacerme el galán de moda,
tomando whisky sin hielo,
saber, saber que es mala la droga.
Cantor que canta al amor,
de tanto amor se confunde,
y se queda sin amor,
¡por esa puta costumbre!
Soy Cacho de Buenos Aires
y no hay farol que me alumbre.
¡Mi gran amor lo perdí
por esa puta costumbre!
¡Soy cacho de Buenos Aires
y tengo un sueño escondido,
cantar igual que Gardel!
¡Mi Buenos Aires querido,
antes del amanecer,
voy a entoldarte las calles
por si volviera Gardel!
In Cacho Castaña's song "Cacho de Buenos Aires," the lyrics speak to the consequences of a certain habit or custom that the singer has. He references this habit as a "puta costumbre", which means a 'bloody habit.' The habit seems to be the act of pretending to be someone he is not. The lyrics suggest that he takes pleasure in showing off in front of his friends and society, pretending to be a ladies' man or a tough guy who has experienced it all. However, this habit ultimately leads to his loss of true love and a sense of emptiness in his life. He regrets the "puta costumbre" that has made him lose everything that is valuable in his life, including love, friendship, and a sense of self-satisfaction.
The lyrics also include the singer's dream of becoming a famous singer like Carlos Gardel, the famous Argentine tango singer, who was known as "El Zorzal Criollo" (The Creole Thrush). This dream could be the life he wished he had lived but never did, which makes him more remorseful about the "puta costumbre" since he could have valued love and life over pretense. At the end of the song, he expresses his love for Buenos Aires and his desire to honour its traditions, including its legendary singers like Carlos Gardel.
Overall, Cacho Castaña's song "Cacho de Buenos Aires" highlights the importance of being true to oneself and how a compulsive need to show off can have severe consequences, leading to lost opportunities and self-doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
Por esa puta costumbre de andar haciéndome el vivo, el que se las sabe todas y todas las ha vivido.
Because of that damn habit of pretending to know everything and have experienced it all.
El que tuvo mil amores llorando sobre su almohada.
The one who had a thousand loves crying on his pillow.
¡Por esa puta costumbre al final no tengo nada!
Because of that damn habit, in the end, I have nothing!
Por esa puta costumbre de regalar carcajadas, para mostrarle a la gente que nunca lloro por nada.
Because of that damn habit of giving away forced laughs to show people I don't cry for anything.
Inventando mil historias para deslumbrar amigos.
Inventing a thousand stories to impress my friends.
¡Por esa puta costumbre cuantas cosas he perdido!
Because of that damn habit, I have lost so many things!
Soy Cacho de Buenos Aires y no hay farol que me alumbre.
I am Cacho from Buenos Aires, and no streetlight can light my way.
¡Mi gran amor lo perdí por esa puta costumbre!
I lost my great love because of that damn habit!
¡Soy cacho de Buenos Aires y tengo un sueño escondido, cantar igual que Gardel!
I am Cacho from Buenos Aires, and I have a hidden dream of singing like Gardel!
Por esa puta costumbre de hacerme el galán de moda, tomando whisky sin hielo, saber, saber que es mala la droga.
Because of that damn habit of trying to be the coolest guy in town, drinking whiskey straight and pretending to know that drugs are bad.
Cantor que canta al amor, de tanto amor se confunde, y se queda sin amor, ¡por esa puta costumbre!
As a singer who sings about love, he gets lost in love so much that he ends up without love, because of that damn habit!
¡Mi Buenos Aires querido, antes del amanecer, voy a entoldarte las calles por si volviera Gardel!
My dear Buenos Aires, before dawn, I will cover your streets in awnings if Gardel was to return!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HUMBERTO VICENTE CASTAGNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind