Known as "Pirincho" Canaro, he had a career that spanned many decades, and his orchestra was one of the most recorded. Much of his recorded music is in the classic salon style of the 1940s, but he is also considered a member of the old guard, and some of his later recordings contributed to the transition to concert tango. For many contemporary dancers and listeners, his early golden age recordings are the best.
Canaro composed the music for the 1915 Argentine classic, Nobleza gaucha.
De Puro Guapo
Francisco Canaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Protestadores en sus gemidos,
Se están luciendo con sus quebradas
Los compadrones en el lugar
Y las chirusas, endomingadas,
En sus miradas tienen el brillo
De la alegría que ha derramado
En medio del conventillo
Se ha parado un compadrito
Que contempla de hito en hito,
La alegre gente en su excitación
No le importa que se baile,
Él a bailar no ha venido;
Busca a aquella que lo ha herido
En medio del corazón.
Y cuando encuentra a la traicionera,
A la ladrona de su ilusión
La mano crispa con ansia fiera
Sobre la masa de su facón
Y, como un tigre, sobre su presa,
Salta ligero y asesta un tajo
Que roja marca deja sangrando
Y el tango muere en el bandoneón.
Y luego, sin darse prisa,
Apartando a los curiosos
Se retira receloso
Entre el murmullo de admiración
Pero apenas dio algunos pasos
Se volvió y con arrebato
Les gritó: de puro guapo
Me he cobrado su traición.
In Francisco Canaro's song De Puro Guapo, the lyrics describe the world of tango during its golden age in Buenos Aires when tango halls and clubs were abundant. The first stanza describes the musicians playing their bandoneón (a type of accordion), the dancers moving sensually to the music, and the well-dressed ladies in attendance. The second stanza describes a quiet but dangerous man who has come to the tango hall not to dance, but to seek revenge on a woman who has betrayed him. The man takes out his facón (a large knife) and approaches the woman, striking her with a fatal blow. The final stanza describes the man's daring act of violence and brags of his bravery and toughness to the surprised onlookers.
The song is rich in imagery and captures the essence of the tango culture in Buenos Aires during the early 20th century. The lyrics portray both the passion and the violence that were part of the tango lifestyle. The song, through its descriptions of the music, the dancing, and the violence, reflects a time when tango was more than just a dance; it was a way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
A los conciertos que dan los fuelles,
At the concerts where the bandoneons play,
Protestadores en sus gemidos,
Lamenting protesters are heard in the melodies,
Se están luciendo con sus quebradas
The tricky dancers are showing off their moves,
Los compadrones en el lugar
The tough guys are present too,
Y las chirusas, endomingadas,
And the well-dressed women, called chirusas,
En sus miradas tienen el brillo
Have a twinkle in their eyes
De la alegría que ha derramado
From the joy spilled
El tango rante y sentimental.
By the lively and sentimental tango.
En medio del conventillo
Amidst the tenement buildings,
Se ha parado un compadrito
A tough guy has stopped,
Que contempla de hito en hito,
And is staring fixedly,
La alegre gente en su excitación
At the lively people in their excitement.
No le importa que se baile,
He doesn't care that people are dancing,
Él a bailar no ha venido;
He has not come to dance.
Busca a aquella que lo ha herido
He is searching for the one who hurt him
En medio del corazón.
In the depths of his heart.
Y cuando encuentra a la traicionera,
And when he finds the traitor,
A la ladrona de su ilusión
The thief of his dream,
La mano crispa con ansia fiera
His hand clenches with ferocious eagerness
Sobre la masa de su facón
On the handle of his knife.
Y, como un tigre, sobre su presa,
And, like a tiger, pounces on his prey,
Salta ligero y asesta un tajo
Jumps lightly and strikes a cut,
Que roja marca deja sangrando
Leaving a bloody wound,
Y el tango muere en el bandoneón.
And the tango dies on the bandoneon.
Y luego, sin darse prisa,
And later, without hurrying,
Apartando a los curiosos
Pushing aside the curious,
Se retira receloso
He retreats cautiously,
Entre el murmullo de admiración
Amidst the murmur of admiration.
Pero apenas dio algunos pasos
But after a few steps,
Se volvió y con arrebato
He turned back with a burst of emotion
Les gritó: de puro guapo
And shouted at them: just to be tough
Me he cobrado su traición.
I have avenged her betrayal.
Writer(s): Pedro Laurenz, Manuel Meanos
Contributed by Caleb O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Artemio Catinari
QUE MARAVILLOSA ES NUESTRA MUSICA TIPICA!!!
Jose Pedro Lamagna
gran tango gran interpretacion gran todo.
Enrique Bruker
❤
hector guilermo Wierna
En el tango "De puro Guapo". sólo se canta una parte de la letra, y en la versión de Pedro Laurenz también ocurre lo mismo.
hector guilermo Wierna
Tango de Rafael Iriarte la música y Juan Carlos Fernández Díaz los versos.
hector guilermo Wierna
Estoy aludiendo al tango "De puro Guapo".
Jorge Rada
El tango De Puro Guapo tiene Música original de Pedro Laurenz y letra de Manuel Andrés Meaños. Hay versiones de varias orquestas: Francisco Canaro, Pedro Laurenz, OSWALDO Pugliese y Aníbal Troilo.
Guillermo Wierna
Tango de Pedro Laurenz y Manuel Meaños, música y letra respectivamente.
Guillermo Wierna
El otro tango con el mismo título es de Rafael Iriarte, este es de Pedro Laurenz y Manuel Meaños.
Alma Gaucha
QUE TANGASO QUE LO PARIO