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.
La Cumparsita
Francisco Canaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
que este tango... este tango habla por mi
y mi voz entre sus sones dira
dira por qué canto asi
porque cuando pibe
porque cuando pibe me acunaba en tango la canción materna
pa' llamar el sueño
y escuche el rezongo de los bandoneones
porque vi el desfile de las inclemencias
con mis pobres ojos llorosos y abiertos
y en la triste pieza de mis bueos 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 rebeldia del que es fuerte y tiene que cruzar los brazos
cuando el hambre viene
y yo me hice en tangos 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 pase la vida masticando sueños
porque soy un arbol 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 Francisco Canaro's song "La cumparsita," the singer requests permission to express himself through the tango, stating that the tango speaks for him. He explains that he grew up surrounded by tango, hearing the sound of the bandoneones (a type of accordion used in tango music) under the grapevine-covered area of his old patio. He saw the difficulties of life through his own young eyes and experienced poverty and the struggles that came with it. He molded himself and his experiences into the music of the tango, as it can convey the emotions of the strong and resilient, who have had to endure and cross their arms in the face of hunger and hardship. He sings of unfulfilled dreams, the bitterness of deception, the hatred that he keeps inside, and the love that he gives but never receives. All these elements have shaped him and made him who he is, leading him to sing such a mournful tune.
The lyrics of "La cumparsita" illustrate how tango music can express the emotions of the people who have suffered and struggled in their lives. The singer's experiences and hardships have imbued the tango music with an authentic and raw energy, as it speaks to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The tango's connection to hardship, struggle, and the working-class has made it an iconic symbol of Argentine culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Pido permiso señores
I ask for permission, sirs
que este tango... este tango habla por mi
This tango... this tango speaks for me
y mi voz entre sus sones dira
And my voice, among its sounds, will say
dira por qué canto asi
It will tell why I sing like this
porque cuando pibe
Because when I was a boy
porque cuando pibe me acunaba en tango la canción materna
Because when I was a boy, my mother sang me tango lullabies
pa' llamar el sueño
To call sleep
y escuche el rezongo de los bandoneones
And I listened to the groaning of the bandoneones
bajo el emparrado de mi patio viejo
Under the grapevine of my old patio
porque vi el desfile de las inclemencias
Because I saw the parade of inclemencies
con mis pobres ojos llorosos y abiertos
With my poor, tearful eyes open
y en la triste pieza de mis bueos viejos
And in the sad room of my old cattle
canto la pobreza su canción de invierno
I sing poverty's winter song
y yo me hice en tangos
And I became tangos
me fui modelando en barro, en miseria
I molded myself in mud, in poverty
en las amarguras que da la pobreza
In the bitterness that poverty brings
en llantos de madre
In a mother's tears
en la rebeldia del que es fuerte y tiene que cruzar los brazos
In the rebellion of the strong who have to cross their arms
cuando el hambre viene
When hunger comes
y yo me hice en tangos porque...!porque el tango es macho!
And I became tangos because...because tango is macho!
!porque el tango es fuerte!
Because tango is strong!
tiene olor a vida
It smells of life
tiene gusto... a muerte
It tastes...of death
porque quise mucho, y porque me engañaron
Because I loved a lot, and because I was betrayed
y pase la vida masticando sueños
And I spent my life chewing on dreams
porque soy un arbol que nunca dio frutos
Because I am a tree that never bore fruit
porque soy un perro que no tiene dueño
Because I am a dog without an owner
porque tengo odios que nunca los digo
Because I have hatreds that I never express
porque cuando quiero, porque cuando quiero me desangro en besos
Because when I love, I bleed kisses
porque quise mucho, y no me han querido
Because I loved a lot, and was not loved in return
por eso, canto, tan triste...
That's why I sing, so sad...
!por eso!
That's why!
Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@oscarivanherreraerazo1375
Nadie se hace famoso por un País, los genios lo son donde estén, donde los pongan y a donde vayan. Viva Canaro, una de las mejores orquestas de todos los tiempos.
@mstellateixeira
Apesar de ser brasileira, o tango é a melodia favorita.Adoro, me emociono.
@chimbotanos1937
Muy independienmente de donde sea su origen Uruguay o Argentina.. Solo una palabra define al tango... HERMOSO...
Saludos desde Lima Perú
@fntavora
Uma interpretação fabulosa da famosa Orquestra de Tangos de Francisco Canaro, de um célebre e inolvidável tango: "La Cumparsita" (da autoria de Rodriguez), também conhecido por "tango uruguaio" . É sempre muito agradáve escutarem-se interpretações de excelente música, por conjuntos musicais ou vozes de grande qualidade, como as que existiam há décadas atrás!
@moguey30
que melodia que musica te llena el alma
@lavicheta79
La mejor versión sin dudas !!
@leonmileris85
El Rey del tango! Inolvidable!
@emiliaverdugo.6913
Una de las mejores versiones de la Cumparsita, para mí son; La de Francisco Canaro, Julio Sosa, Natalio Tursi, Gardel y Floreal Ruiz.
@prepaidcardbr
Excelente! musica de qualidade
@elbagalarce5636
Hermosos recuerdos!!!