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.
Que tango hay que cantar
Cacho Castaña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
qué tango hay que cantar,
no ves que estoy muriéndome de pena.
Yo sé que en tus archivos se quedó
un tango que Gardel nunca cantó.
Permiso bandoneón,
talvez Discepolín
Yo sé que con tu aliento a soledad
mi angustia y mi dolor podes calmar.
¿Qué tango hay que cantar,
para poder seguir,
creyendo en el amor una vez más?
Y así disimular ante la gente
la pena de un amor que ya no está.
¿Qué tango hay que cantar,
decime bandoneón,
yo sé que vos también lloras de amor?
Tuviste un desengaño como el mío,
la noche en que Malena se marchó.
Hermano bandonéon
sabeme perdonar
si a todos deschavé, cuál es tu pena.
El beso que Malena no te dio
la noche en que amurado te dejó.
Querido bandoneón
prestame un tango más,
no ves que están azules mis ojeras.
Azules por el frío de un amor,
amor que entra las sombras se perdió.
¿Qué tango hay que cantar,
para poder seguir,
creyendo en el amor una vez más?
Y así disimular ante la gente
la pena de un amor que ya no está.
¿Qué tango hay que cantar,
querido bandoneón?
Busquemos ese tango entre los dos.
Tu pena con mi pena van del brazo,
qué lindo que se hicieran el amor.
The lyrics to Cacho Castaña's song Que tango hay que cantar depict a person who is heartbroken and seeking solace in the bandoneón, a musical instrument central to the tango genre. The singer implores the bandoneón to suggest a tango that can express their pain and help them believe in love once again. They reflect that even the bandoneón has experienced heartbreak, pointing to the song "Malena" as an example. The singer seeks comfort in the bandoneón's music as a way to deal with the loss of love.
The use of the bandoneón as a symbol of the tango genre is significant. The instrument is central to the sound of the tango and is associated with melancholy and nostalgia. The lyrics explore themes of heartbreak, pain, and loss, which are central to the tango genre. The singer's plea to the bandoneón underscores the idea that the tango is a communal expression of pain and sorrow.
The reference to Gardel, an iconic figure in the tango genre, adds to the song's sense of nostalgia and loss. The idea that there is a tango that Gardel never sang reflects the theme of missed opportunities and unrequited love. The use of the bandoneón as a confidant highlights the singer's sense of isolation and suggests that the tango can provide a sense of community and belonging.
Overall, the lyrics of "Que tango hay que cantar" express a longing for connection and a desire to find solace in the tango. The use of the bandoneón as a symbol of the genre and a confidant to the singer reinforces the idea that the tango is a communal expression of pain and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Decime bandoneón,
Addressing the bandoneón, a type of accordion used in tango, asking it to suggest a tango to sing.
qué tango hay que cantar,
Requesting a specific tango that will match the feeling of profound sadness.
no ves que estoy muriéndome de pena.
The singer feels he is dying of sadness and wants a tango that can express his feelings.
Yo sé que en tus archivos se quedó
The singer knows that the bandoneón has a tango that Carlos Gardel, a famous tango singer, never sang.
un tango que Gardel nunca cantó.
Implying that the unheard tango would evoke genuine emotions in the listeners.
Permiso bandoneón,
Asking for permission to use the bandoneón to create music that reflects the singer’s anguish.
talvez Discepolín
Referring to Enrique Santos Discépolo, an Argentine tango composer known for his melancholic songs.
un verso te dejo para mi pena.
Asking a favor, requesting that the composer add a verse to the song that would complement the singer's feelings.
Yo sé que con tu aliento a soledad
The singer believes that the bandoneón's sound can alleviate his sorrow.
mi angustia y mi dolor podes calmar.
The singer hopes that the music will serve as a balm for his pain.
¿Qué tango hay que cantar,
Repeating the question posed at the beginning, in search of a song that can express the pain of a love that is lost.
para poder seguir,
Asking for a song that could give him hope to believe in love once again.
creyendo en el amor una vez más?
The singer wants to regain faith in love and hide his pain from others.
Y así disimular ante la gente
Hiding his sorrow and putting up a facade to keep from being ridiculed in public.
la pena de un amor que ya no está.
A love that has already gone, which has placed an enormous burden on his heart.
quién bandoneón hay que llorar,
Asking who the bandoneón is weeping for, given that it, too, is a witness to the heartache.
decime bandoneón,
Again, asking the bandoneón to suggest a tango that would represent their mutual heartache.
yo sé que vos también lloras de amor?
Assuming that the bandoneón is melancholic because it has experienced the same heartache as he has.
Tuviste un desengaño como el mío,
The singer believes that the bandoneón suffered the same disappointment as he did in love.
la noche en que Malena se marchó.
Malena is presumably an ex-lover whose departure led to the singer's heartache.
Hermano bandoneón
Calling the bandoneón “brother” and apologizing if he offended it earlier by revealing his pain.
sabeme perdonar
Asking the bandoneón for forgiveness for his inappropriate request earlier.
si a todos deschavé, cuál es tu pena.
The singer sought advice from everyone, and he believes that the bandoneón's pain cannot be worse than his.
El beso que Malena no te dio
The singer believes that Malena did not kiss the bandoneón, hurting it as much as she hurt him.
la noche en que amurado te dejó.
Malena left him alone and heartbroken, as she did the bandoneón.
Querido bandoneón
Addressing the bandoneón with affection and asking it for another tango that could prolong their embrace.
prestame un tango más,
Begging the bandoneón to play another tango that could bring tears to his eyes.
no ves que están azules mis ojeras.
The singer's eyes are tired, and he is not sleeping well due to the pain in his heart.
Azules por el frío de un amor,
The singer's eyes reflect his deep sorrow and the cold feeling that comes from love lost.
amor que entra las sombras se perdió.
A love that once shone now disappeared into the shadows.
Busquemos ese tango entre los dos.
Working together with the bandoneón, they will search for a tango that can convey the depth of their shared heartache.
Tu pena con mi pena van del brazo,
As the singer and the bandoneón bond, they share the same pain.
qué lindo que se hicieran el amor.
It would be beautiful if they could make love harmoniously, through the beautiful music they play.
Lyrics © SADAIC LATIN COPYRIGHTS, INC.
Written by: CACHO CASTANA, RUBEN JUAREZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind