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.
La Cumparsita
Cacho Castaña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Este tango... este tango habla por mi
Y mi voz entre sus sones dirá
Dirá porque canto así
Porque cuando pibe...
Porque cuando pibe me acunaba en tango
La canción materna paÂ' llamar el sueño
Bajo el emparrado de mi patio viejo
Porque vi el desfile de las inclemencias
Con mis pobres ojos llorosos y abiertos
Y en la triste pieza de mis buenos viejos
Canto la pobreza su canción de invierno
Y yo me hice en tangos
Me fui modelando en barro, en miseria
En las amarguras que da la pobreza
En llantos de madre
En la rebeldía del que es fuerte
Y tiene que cruzar los brazos
Cuando el hambre viene
Y yo me hice en tango porque...
Porque el tango es macho
Porque el tango es fuerte
Tiene olor a vida
Tiene gusto a muerte
Porque quise mucho
Y porque me engañaron
Y pasé la vida masticando sueños
Porque soy un árbol que nunca dio frutos
Porque soy un perro que no tiene dueño
Porque tengo odios que nunca los digo
Porque cuando quiero
Porque cuando quiero me desangro en besos
Porque quise mucho
Y no me han querido
Por eso canto tan triste
Por eso...
In Cacho Castaña's song "La Cumparsita," the singer asks permission to speak about the emotions and experiences that the tango music expresses in him. He explains that as a child, he was lulled to sleep by tango music, and he heard the powerful sound of the bandoneones beneath the vines in his old patio. The suffering he saw during his childhood is reflected in the sadness of his voice when he sings. He was shaped by poverty, misery, and the struggles of a strong person who must cross his arms when hunger comes. He turned to tango music as a way to express his emotions, how angry he was, and the pain he endured because tango music is strong, romantic, and masculine, and it reflects life and death. He sings in a sad tone because he loved someone who betrayed him, he has lived his life chewing dreams, he is a tree that never bore fruit, and he is like an ownerless dog.
Line by Line Meaning
Pido permiso señores
Asking for permission to express oneself through the tango.
Este tango... este tango habla por mi
The tango speaks for the artist and embodies their story and experiences.
Y mi voz entre sus sones dirá
The artist's voice will be heard among the sounds of the tango.
Dirá porque canto así
The artist's voice will tell why they sing in this way.
Porque cuando pibe...
Because when I was a child...
Porque cuando pibe me acunaba en tango
The tango was a lullaby for the artist in their childhood.
La canción materna paÂ' llamar el sueño
The tango was like a mother's song to help the artist fall asleep.
Y escuché el resongo de los bandoneones
The artist heard the deep sound of the bandoneons, a central instrument in the tango.
Bajo el emparrado de mi patio viejo
Under the grapevine in the artist's old patio.
Porque vi el desfile de las inclemencias
Because the artist witnessed the parade of hardships in life.
Con mis pobres ojos llorosos y abiertos
With their poor, teary, and open eyes.
Y en la triste pieza de mis buenos viejos
And in the sad room of the artist's beloved elders.
Canto la pobreza su canción de invierno
The artist sings the song of winter poverty.
Y yo me hice en tangos
And through the tango, the artist was made.
Me fui modelando en barro, en miseria
The artist was formed in clay and misery.
En las amarguras que da la pobreza
Through the bitterness that poverty brings.
En llantos de madre
Through a mother's tears for her child.
En la rebeldía del que es fuerte
Through the strength found in rebellion.
Y tiene que cruzar los brazos
When one has to cross their arms and give up.
Cuando el hambre viene
When hunger strikes.
Y yo me hice en tango porque...
And the artist became a tango musician because...
Porque el tango es macho
Because the tango is strong and masculine.
Porque el tango es fuerte
Because the tango is powerful and intense.
Tiene olor a vida
It smells like life.
Tiene gusto a muerte
It tastes like death.
Porque quise mucho
Because the artist loved deeply.
Y porque me engañaron
And because they were deceived.
Y pasé la vida masticando sueños
They spent their life chewing on dreams.
Porque soy un árbol que nunca dio frutos
Because the artist is a tree that never bore fruit.
Porque soy un perro que no tiene dueño
Because the artist is a dog without an owner.
Porque tengo odios que nunca los digo
Because the artist has hidden hates that are never spoken.
Porque cuando quiero
Because when they want...
Porque cuando quiero me desangro en besos
When they want, they bleed themselves dry in kisses.
Porque quise mucho
Because the artist loved deeply.
Y no me han querido
And they were not loved in return.
Por eso canto tan triste
Because of all these reasons, the artist sings so sadly.
Por eso...
That's why...
Writer(s): PASCUAL CONTURSI, ENRIQUE PEDRO MARONI, GERARDO HERNAN MATOS RODRIGUEZ
Contributed by Callie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sentirpoeticoymusical
Que pieza de canción, por favor. He venido escuchando el tango desde hace apenas unos meses por una gran amiga que lo canta aquí en Venezuela y que se que pronto va al estrellato.
@RINCONDELDHANO
Que buenoo!! 😃
@Pachi4026
Tube una adolecencia sufrida y oscura. Vi a mis viejos sufrir, y con mi hermana sufrimos con ellos....esta cancion me retuerce el alma, pero no puedo dejar de escucharla.
@pedrovaldesleal7691
Versos de Enrique Castel "se la llamó Mister Cumparsita " por un tiempo después de 50 años lo oigo por Cacho a quién disfrutamos tan poco .Que gran compositor y genuino intérprete fue Cacho Castaña....esto va para el cielo Cacho.
@andresroggero8346
Excelente!! Sólo esta versión la había oído por Julio Sosa.
La otra versión se titula: Porque canto así.
@pabloadriangonzalez7021
Magistral!
@daianayacoy3289
Voz totalmente inconfundible, se cierran los ojos y se siente lo que dice. Siempre inolvidable
@darkingstom
Simplemente excelente recorde viejas canciones que escuchaba mi papá ^^ que hermosas eran y son, y cuanto significado tienen ahora para mí
@carmenamedina7317
Saludos esta es la primera vez que atraves de facebook me encontre conesta maravilla.
Diciembre 5 2014 9:38 PM Puerto Rico Isla del encanto.
@claudiodanieltobares4102
+CARMEN A MEDINA es nuestro cacho de buenos aires.