Gardel possessed a baritone voice deployed with unerring musicality and dramatic phrasing, creating miniature masterpieces among the hundreds of three-minute tangos which he recorded during his lifetime. Together with his long-term collaborator, lyricist Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel also wrote several classic tangos, notably 'Mi Buenos Aires querido', 'Amores de Estudiante', 'Soledad', 'Volver', 'Por una cabeza' and 'El día que me quieras'.
Gardel was born to unmarried 25-year-old laundress Berthe Gardes, the baby registered under the name Charles Romuald Gardes in Toulouse, France, on 11 December 1890. The father of the baby boy was listed on his birth certificate as "unknown"; eleven days later Berthe Gardes signed a statement establishing the baby's father as Paul Laserre, a married man who left Toulouse a few months before the baby was born. Berthe Gardes left Toulouse a few years later, likely to escape the social stigma of having a child born out of wedlock. In early 1893 in Bordeaux, France, mother and son boarded the ship SS Don Pedro and sailed to Buenos Aires, arriving on 11 March 1893. Berthe Gardes had her passport recorded; she told immigration authorities that she was a widow. The two-year-old boy was recorded as Charles Gardes.
Gardel grew up going by Carlos, the Spanish version of his French name, and often by the familiar diminutive form Carlitos. He lived in the Abasto neighborhood of Buenos Aires. He attended Pio IX Industrial high-school located in the Almagro neighborhood of Buenos Aires. His mother worked pressing clothes in the French style.
Gardel began his career singing in bars and at private parties, and in 1911 formed a duet with Francisco Martino, and after with José Razzano (which would last until 1925), singing a wide repertory. Gardel made the music his own by inventing the tango-canción in 1917 with 'Mi Noche Triste', a theme by Pascual Contursi and Samuel Castriota, which sold 100,000 copies and was a hit throughout Latin America. Gardel went on to tour Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia and made appearances in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and New York. He sold 70,000 records in the first three months of a 1928 visit to Paris. As his popularity grew, he made a number of films for the Paramount in France and the USA, which were essentially vehicles for his singing and matinée-idol looks.
When Gardel and his collaborator Le Pera were killed in an airplane crash in Medellín, Colombia in 1935, millions of his fans throughout Latin America went into mourning. Hordes of people thronged to pay their respects as the singer's body travelled via Colombia, New York and Rio de Janeiro to its final resting place in La Chacarita cemetery in Buenos Aires.
Gardel is still revered from Buenos Aires to Tokyo, where people like to say that "he sings better every day." His fans still like to place a lit cigarette in the fingers of the life-sized statue which adorns his tomb. One of Gardel's favourite phrases, 'Veinte años no es nada' (Twenty years is nothing) became a famous saying across Latin America.
Buenos Aires
Carlos Gardel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Canción de Tito Guizar dedicada a su amigo,
Carlos Gardel
(1935)
Letra: Nenette Noriega
Música: Tito Guizar
(autor y cantante mexicano, 1908-1999)
Siga el corso" compañero,
"Mano a mano" hemos quedado
"Cuesta abajo" en mi camino
"Tomo y obligo" pagando.
Esto fue lo que cantaba,
Era así lo que sentía
Y la fama que ganaba
Con modestia recibía.
"Canto por no llorar"
Hizo a Gardel triunfar
Era su canto dulce al amor
Era su llanto triste y al dolor
Carlos Gardel triunfó
Pero jamás olvidó
Su madrecita del alma
Su Buenos Aires querido
Supo ser siempre un amigo
Hasta su triste final.
Silencio en la noche
Ya está en calma
El artista duerme
Descansa su alma.
Recitado
Vos vivirás cual eco sonoro
Y repetirás con tus matices de oro
Madrecita del alma
Buenos Aires querido
Qué cruel me arrastra el destino
Hasta su triste final.
The lyrics to Carlos Gardel's song Buenos Aires are a tribute to the city and the people who shaped Gardel's life and career. The song begins with a reference to "compañero," a word that implies a close relationship. This is followed by a series of song titles, which serve as metaphors for Gardel's life. "Siga el corso" suggests a joyous celebration, while "Mano a mano" refers to the intimacy and trust between two individuals. "Cuesta abajo" suggests a difficult journey, while "Tomo y obligo" implies a sense of obligation and responsibility.
Throughout the song, Gardel's emotions are conveyed through his music, which is characterized by its sweet, sad melodies. He sings "por no llorar" - for not crying - a phrase that speaks to the depth of his emotions and the pain he experienced in life. Yet despite his sadness, Gardel never forgot his roots or the people who helped him along the way. He remained loyal to his mother and to Buenos Aires, his beloved city.
The final lines of the song suggest that Gardel's legacy will live on, and that his music will continue to resonate with audiences long after his death. The phrase "Vos vivirás cual eco sonoro" -- You will live like a sound echo -- suggests that Gardel's memory will continue to resound through the city, just as his songs continue to inspire and move people around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Siga el corso "compañero,
Let's follow the parade, my friend,
"Mano a mano" hemos quedado
We're left all alone,
"Cuesta abajo" en mi camino
I'm going downhill on my path,
"Tomo y obligo" pagando.
Drinking and betting, paying my debts.
Esto fue lo que cantaba,
This is what he sang,
Era así lo que sentía
This is what he felt,
Y la fama que ganaba
And the fame he gained,
Con modestia recibía.
He received it with modesty.
"Canto por no llorar"
"I sing so as not to cry,"
Hizo a Gardel triunfar
This made Gardel succeed,
Era su canto dulce al amor
His sweet songs were about love,
Era su llanto triste y al dolor
His tears were for sorrow and pain,
Carlos Gardel triunfó
Carlos Gardel succeeded,
Pero jamás olvidó
But he never forgot,
Su madrecita del alma
His dear Mother,
Su Buenos Aires querido
His beloved Buenos Aires,
Supo ser siempre un amigo
He knew how to be a true friend,
Hasta su triste final.
Until his sad end.
Silencio en la noche
Silence in the night,
Ya está en calma
Everything is calm now,
El artista duerme
The artist sleeps,
Descansa su alma.
Resting his soul.
Vos vivirás cual eco sonoro
You will live like a resounding echo,
Y repetirás con tus matices de oro
And you will repeat, in your golden tone,
Madrecita del alma
Dear Mother,
Buenos Aires querido
Beloved Buenos Aires,
Qué cruel me arrastra el destino
How cruel destiny drags me,
Hasta su triste final.
Until my sad end.
Writer(s): M. Romero, M. Joves, Carlos Gardel, Alfredo le Pera Copyright: Warner Chappell Music Argentina, Sadaic Latin Copyrights Inc.
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maurosimon5839
Mi Buenos Aires querido
Cuando yo te vuelva a ver
No habrá más penas ni olvido
El farolito de la calle en que nací
Fue el centinela de mis promesas de amor
Bajo su quieta lucecita yo la vi
A mi pebeta, luminosa como un sol
Hoy, que la suerte quiere que te vuelva a ver
Ciudad porteña de mi único querer
Oigo la queja de un bandoneón
Dentro mi pecho pide rienda al corazón
Mi Buenos Aires, tierra florida
Donde mi vida terminaré
Bajo tu amparo no hay desengaño
Vuelan los años, se olvida el dolor
En caravana los recuerdos pasan
Por una estela dulce de emoción
Quiero que sepas que al evocarte
Se van las penas del corazón
La ventanita de mi calle de arrabal
Donde sonríe una muchachita en flor
Quiero de nuevo yo volver a contemplar
Aquellos ojos que acarician al mirar
En la cortada más maleva, una canción
Dice su ruego de coraje y de pasión
Una promesa y un suspirar
Borró una lágrima de pena aquel cantar
Mi Buenos Aires querido
Cuando yo te vuelva a ver
No habrá más penas ni olvido
@gabrivalen5435
Mi Buenos Aires querido,
cuando yo te vuelva a ver,
no habra más penas ni olvido.
El farolito de la calle en que naci
fue el centinela de mis promesas de amor,
bajo su inquieta lucecita yo la vi
a mi pebeta luminosa como un sol.
Hoy que la suerte quiere que te vuelva a ver,
ciudad porteña de mi unico querer,
oigo la queja de un bandoneón,
dentro del pecho pide rienda el corazón.
Mi Buenos Aires, tierra florida
donde mi vida terminare.
Bajo tu amparo no hay desengaños,
vuelan los años, se olvida el dolor.
En caravana los recuerdos pasan
como una estela dulce de emoción,
quiero que sepas que al evocarte
se van las penas del corazón.
Las ventanitas de mis calles de arrabal,
donde sonrie una muchachita en flor;
quiero de nuevo yo volver a contemplar
aquellos ojos que acarician al mirar.
En la cortada más maleva una canción,
dice su ruego de coraje why de pasion;
una promesa why un suspirar
borro una lagrima de pena aquel cantar.
Mi Buenos Aires querido...
cuando yo te vuelva a ver...
no habra más penas ni olvido...
@abelantoniovilla9646
Soy Colombiana pero me gusta mucho Argentina, me parece muy hermoso su acento, su cultura, y todo el talento que tienen 😍 Soy fan! Besos desde Colombia espero poder visitar Buenos Aires en un futuro cercano ❤🇨🇴
@fax17videosrandom21
Recontra bienvenida, abrazo gigante ❤🇦🇷🇨🇴
@kamenpavlov7771
Soy búlgaro y quiero a Gardel, el Papa Francisco, a Diego, a mi Buenos Aires querido y a todos mis amigos en mi querida ARGENTINA!
@stefan9478
El papa no, ese es un maldito.
@kamenpavlov7771
@@stefan9478 porque?
@OhannBach
@@stefan9478 Que decís? Yo no soy religioso, pero creo que el papa es un ser humano y es mucho mas humano que cualquiera.
@danielestiven460
Ojalá los argentinos se traigan la copa mundial ❤️🎉 .. saludos desde Medellín Colombia
@davidluna2211
Y la trajimos nomás !! Gracias !!
@diegobomber1
Vos algo sabías !!!!
@danielestiven460
@@diegobomber1 jajajaja.. casualmente.hice ése comentario...que alegría... saludos desde Medellín Colombia 🎉🙏