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This is a page for experimenting with a format for listing Tango song titles followed by their English translation.
TANGO SONG TITLE TRANSLATION [ edit ]
The purpose of this page is to provide English translations to Tango song titles.The history of Tango music is well documented [ 1] . While the music is compelling enough, song titles must be remembered in order to discuss a particular song. Understanding the English translation helps non Spanish speaking persons connect to the music and increases their understanding of Spanish. Most, if not all, Tango song titles are in Castilian Spanish[ 2] and/or a Lunfardo dialect[ 3] . A Lunfardo dictionary[ 4] is of great help in translating Tango song titles. Authenticity of Tango song tiles should be verifiable. Cite as may references as possible.
Most of the composers have long since passed away, leaving us to make a best estimate of the composers' intent when they named the song. Some song titles can translate literally to English, others not so easily, and a few might be nearly impossible. We can only try. Song titles without translations herein are considered requests for a translation. Will this database someday encompass all the known Tango songs ever recorded? Maybe! As an example of how Tango song title names might be fully explored see Mi Noche Triste.
Several themes start to emerge from the translations of the song titles. They are: girls, boys, friends, lonely, love, love lost, dreaming, flowers, dance clubs, streets, horse racing, pimps, prostitutes, crying, colors, eyes, kissing, local people, family members, and the home land to name a few.
Note: Since the list is about work titles and not the works themselves, the link by title https://tango.info/work.a_oscuras is better than the link by code https://tango.info/T0370170958 .
There can be several works with the same title, but translation for them should in general be constant, e.g. https://tango.info/work.la_cumparsita .
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
C.T.V (se te ve)
Is visible (from you)
Your slip is showing
https://tango.info/work.c_t_v
Cada Vez Que Me Recuerdes
Each Time You Remember Me
Cafetin de Buenos Aires
Small tavern - cafe in BsAs
Calavera
A skull; a wild person
Calla bandoneon
Be quite
Cambalache
The store where one sells stolen goods
Pawnshop
Caminito
Little path
Famous street of the Italian part of BsAs - La Boca
Canaval de mi barrio
Canaval in my neighborhood
Canción de rango
Song of high standing
Canción deseperada
Desperate song
Cantando
Singing
Cantor de mi barrio
Singer of my neighborhood
Cara sucia
Dirty face
Caricias
Caresses
Carnavalera
Woman that likes carnival (mardi gras)
Carrillón de La Merced
La Merced Church Carillon (in Chile)
Casas Viejas
Old Houses
Cascabelito
Little jing-a-ling
Charlemos
Let's chat
Chau Pinela
Bye Pinela
Ché Bandoneón
Hey Bandoneón
Chin-Chin
Clink-Clink
Italian expression for the clinking of glasses as in making a toast
Chiquilin de Bachin
Little guy at Bachin's
Cité Tango
Tango city
Clavelito En Flor
Comme Il Faut
As it Should Be
Como dos extraños
Like two strangers
Como Se Pianta La Vida
How life slips away
Como Te Quiero
How I love you
Con Alma y Vida
With soul and life
Con Permiso Señorita
With your permission Señorita
Conexión portená
Buenos Aires connection
Copas
Corazón de oro
Golden Heart
Cordon de oro
Golden Cord
Corrientes Y Esmeralda
Corrientes Y Esmeralda
The corner of Corrientes and Esmeralda intersecting streets in Buenos Aires
Criollita de Mis Suenos
Young girl of my dreams
Criollita - young girl born in BsAs
Criollo Viejo
Buenos Aires man of old (long ago)
Cuando El Amor Muere
Cuando El Corazón
When the heart .....
Cuando esta enamora
When she makes me love her
Cuerpo de alambre
Guy with a wiry build
Cuesta abajo
Downhill
Cuidado con los 50
Beware of the 1950's ?
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Dejame, No Quiero Verte Mas
Leave me, I don't wanna see you again
From the lyrics see: http://www.planet-tango.com/lyrics/dejame.htm
https://tango.info/work.dejame_no_quiero_verte_mas
Danza De La Moza Donosa
Dance Of The Graceful Girl
De Contrapunto
De Mi Barrio
From My Neighborhood
De punta a punta
of front to back?
De pura cepa
The genuine article
Dejame Amarte Anunque
Let me love you
Dejame Amarte Aunque Sea Un Dia
Let Me Love You Even for Just a Day
Derecho viejo
Old Right
Desconsuelo
Grief
Desde el alma
From the soul
Desde Otros Tiempos
From another time
Di mi flor
From the flower of my youth
Didi
Didi
A persons name ??????
Don Juan
Don Juan
A guy that goes out with many women - a lover of all women
Donde?
Where?
Dos corazones
Two hearts
Duelo criollo
Dagger duel
Dulce Perdón
Sweet Pardón
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
El Aeroplano
The airplane
El Alma de un tango
The soul of a Tango
El alma que canta
The soul that sings
El Amanecer
The Sunrise
El Amanecer
The Dawn
El amor no sirve para nada
Our love is useless
no sirve para nada - to be useless
El Apronte
Getting ready
El Arranque
The beginning
El Cachafaz
Nickname
a nickname given to Bentio Bianquet (1885-1942) as a guy that does not care about making a good impression when dancing
El Calabozo
The Jail
El Cencerro
The Cowbell
El choclo
Corn cob
refers to the golden (corn cob) hair color of a pimp
El ciruja
The bum
El ciruja
The surgeon
El dia que mi quieras
The day when you will love me
El Embrollo
the mess
El Encopao
a man who takes too many cups… a drunk
El Espiante
El entrerriano
The man from between the rivers
El esquinazo
Being stood up
El estagiario
The Intern
El firulete
The show off
El Flete
slang for a fast racehorse
El hipo
The hiccup
El jagüel
The Country Cistern
El jinete
The Horseman
El lengue
Man scarf
El Mago Del Bandoneon
The Wizard of the Bandoneon
El Moro
jail guard
El motivo
The reason
El Once
The eleven (to amuse itself)
El Opio
The bore
El Porteno
A guy from the port of Buenos Aires
a person born in Buenos Aires
El Punalada
The stabbing
El purrete
The kid
El Quinteto Real
El Ramate
the auction
El Rapido
The fast
El Rodeo
the rodeo
El Taita
The tough guy
El Talento
The talent
El tamango
The boot
El Tío Soltero
The single uncle
El Torito
the little bull
El Trovero
El Ultimo Adios
The Last Good-bye
El vals soñador
The dreaming vals
El Vitroleros
The tango DJ
El Yacare
a jockey called “Yacare"
Ella
She
Ella es asi
That's how she is
El Rey
The King
En Carne Propia
In the flesh?
En esta tarde gris
This darkened afternoon
Entre Copa y Copa
between drinks
Envidia
Envy
Esas chicas se Quieren Casar
all those girls love to marry
Esquinas Portenas
dockside street-corners
Esta noche
It's tonight
Esta noche me emborracho
I'm going to get me drunk tonight
Esta nohe en Buenos Aires
Tonight in Buenos Aires
Expression Campera
country expression
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Farol
Streetlamp
The sheetmusic shows a man leaning on a streetlamp
Firulete
Adornments
Flor de Fango
Mud-Flower
Flor de lino
Linenseed oil
Flores del Alma
Flowers from the soul
Flores Negra
Black Flowers
Fuegos Articiales
Fireworks
Fueye
Bellows
slang for the bandoneon
Fuimos
We were
Fumando Espero
Waiting Smoking
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Gallo Ciego
Blind Rooster
blinded in a cock fight
Garganta con arena
Throat of sand
Referring to a singers throat
Gloria
Glory
Guapeando
Hanging tough
Guardia Vieja
Old Style
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Historia Maleva
Delinquent Story
Honda Tristeza
Deep Sadness
Horizontes
Horizons
Hotel Victoria
Victory hotel
Humillacion
Shame
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Ilusion De Me Vida
illusion gives me life
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Joaquina
A woman's name
José ‘El Cuchiyero’
Joe the fighter (always carryng knives)
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Madame Yvonne
a women named Yvonne
Madreselva
Honeysuckle
Mala Junta
Bad crowd
Bad company
Mala Suerte
Bad luck
Malandraca
Little rascal refering to
Pugliese's daughter Beba Pugliese
Malena
Malena
Womens name
Mañana zarpa un barco
Tomorrow a ship weighs anchor
Mano a mano
Working together
Marrón y azul
Maroon and blue
Mascarón de Proa
Figurehead
Mendocina
A girl from Mendoza
Mentias
you lied
Mi Muñequita
My little doll
Mi noche alegre
My happy night
Mi Noche Triste
My Sad Night
The story goes that sometime in 1917 Gardel was approached in Montevideo by a street poet who had a penchant for writing risky lyrics to existing tango music. Gardel loved what Pascual Contursi had written for a tango named Lita composed by Samuel Castriota. In private gatherings he was amused at Contursi's clever use of lunfardo expressions to describe the sappy tale of a pimp in love who laid awake at night hoping for the return of his former whore.
It began with, "Percanta que me amuraste, en lo mejor de mi vida..." (Woman who left me at the best moment of my life) and ended with,
"Porque tu luz no ha querido, mi noche triste alumbrar..." Because your light (talking to a lamp in the room) has not wanted to illuminate my sad night." And those three last words, MI NOCHE TRISTE, became the title of the first and foremost tango lyrics, setting the stage for a rich chapter in the glorious book of tango history. From :http://www.planet-tango.com/firulete.htm
https://tango.info/work.mi_noche_triste
Mi taza de café
My cup of black coffee
Michelangelo 70
A San Telmo nightclub in the 1970's
Milagro
Miracle
Milonga casi candombe
Milonga that's almost candombe
Milonga Compadre
Friendly dance
Milonga de la noche
Nighttime Milonga
Milonga de mis amores
Dance of my many loves
Milonga Del 900
Dance of the nine hundreds (1900's)
Milonga del ángel
Angel's dance
Milonga del diablo
Dance of the devil
Milonga del mayoral
Dance of the foreman
Milonga del recuerdo
Dance of remembrance
Milonga del tiempo heroico
Dance of heroic times
Milonga del traspie
Stumbling step dance
Milonga del trovador
Troubador Dane
Milonga fina
Fine dance hall with women
Milonga Orillera
Dance from the edge of BsAs
Milonga para una niña
Dance for one little girl
Milonga querida
Sweetheart dance
Milonga Triste
A sad dance
Milonga
A dance
Milongueando en el 40
A milonguero hanging out in the 1940's
Milonguero Viejo
Older man interested in Tango dance
Misterio!
Mystery
Motivio de Vals
waltz reason
Mujer Sola
Lonely Woman
Mundo para dos
For two worlds ???
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Naná
Nothing
Naranjo en flor
The orange tree in bloom
Negracha
Women of color
Ni El Dinero Ni Nadie
Neither Money or Anyone
Nido Gaucho
home of the gaucho (nest)
Niebla Del Riachuelo
Fog of the Riachuelo harbor
Nieve de Amor
Snow of Love
No Cantes Victoria
Don't claim victory
No Me Extrana
It Doesn't Surprise Me
No Te Aguanto Mas
I can't stand you anymore
No vuelvas Maria
Don't come back Maria
Noche Calurosa
Hot night
Noche De Estrellas
Night of stars
Nochero Soy
I'm a night person
Noches De Buenos Aires
Nights in Buenos Aires
Noches De Frío
cold nights
NP
No Place (horse racing)
win,show,place No Place, this horse is a nag
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Oigo tu voz
I hear your voice
Ojos Negros Que Fascinan
Black eyes that begulle
black eyes that fascinate
Ojos Negros que Fascinan
Fascinating Dark Eyes
Ojos Tristes
Sad Eyes
Ondas Sonoras
Organito De La Tarde
an old music instrument
Otra Luna
Other Moon ?
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Pabellón De Las Rosas
Pavilion of the roses
Paciencia
Have patience
Pajaro ciego
Blind bird
Palabras de Horacio Cabarcos
words of Horacio Cabarcos
Paloma querida
Paloma my dear
Palomita Blanca
little white dove
Pampa
pampa (no translation)
A women from the pampas highlands of Bs
Pampero
person that lives in the argentine pampas
Pato
Poor
the literal translation of this Tango title is Duck (fowl), but the song title is most likely lunfardo slang for poor. see http://www.elportaldeltango.com/english/dicciona.htm
https://tango.info/work.pato
Patotero sentimental
Sentimental gangster
Payadora
Itinerant singer
Pedacito De Cielo
little piece of heaven
Pelele
Pena mulata
The pain of a mulatto (black) women
Pensalo bien
Think it over well
Pero Yo Se
But I know
Pirincho
A bird with a tuft
Poema
Poem
Porque?
Why?
Porteno y Bailarin
A local BsAs man and a dancer
Prepárense
Get ready for it
Pues Quien Lo Tiene
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Que Es Lo Que Tiene La Fulana
What's the matter with the tart?
Que Lejos Que Estoy
How far away I am!
Que Me Pasara
lit: what to me comes to pass, slang: your passing me
https://tango.info/00743216333721-1-15
Que te importa que te llore
What is it to you that I'm crying
Quien Te Ve
who sees you
Quiero Verte Una Vez Mas
I want to see you once again
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Ra Fa Si
re fa si
musical notes
https://tango.info/work.re_fa_si
Rawson
a Buenos Aires neighborhood
Recien
Only now
Recuerdo
Fond memory
Recuerdos De Paris
Memories of Paris
Refugio De Amor
You Are My Home
Reliquias porteñas
Things left over from old Buenos Aires
Remembranza
Remembrance
Remolino
Whirlwind
Retintín
Risa loca
Crazed laughter
Rodriguez Pena
name of a dance hall
A street in Buenos Aires
Romance de barrio
Neighborhood romamce
Rosas De Otono
Autumn Roses
Rubias de New York
New York Blondes
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Sábado
Saturday
https://tango.info/work.sabado
Sábado Inglés
English Saturday
Sacale Punta
Sharpen it
Point taken ??
Salind Dinero y Amor
Se dice de mi
It's said about me
Se Pianta La Vida
How Life Slips Away
Señora Princesa
Mrs. Princess
Sentimiento Gaucho
gaucho feeling (gaucho is the cowboy of the pampas)
Shusheta
a dandy, a dude, a fop
Lunfardo term see: http://www.todotango.com/english/biblioteca/cronicas/shusheta.asp
https://tango.info/work.shusheta
Siempre Siempre
Always
Siempre Te Recuerdo
Remember Always
Silueta Porteña
Silhouette of a Porteña girl
Sin palabras
Words seem unnecessary - without a word
Soledad
Loneliness
Sollozos
to cry small cries in a convulsive way
Sonar y Nada Mas
To do nothing but dream
Sonemos
Let's dream on
Sonsa
Stupid Girl
S.O.S
Save Our Soul
the lyrics suggest, See:
Soy El Cantor De La Orquesta
I am the singer of the Orchestra
Su majestad el tango
His majesty the tango
Sueño Azul
Blue dreams
Sueño De Muñeca
The dreaming doll
Sueño Florido
Flowery dream
Suerte Loca
Crazy Luck
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
T.B.C.
I kissed you
TBC sounds like Te besé
https://tango.info/work.t_b_c
Taconeando
Heel stomping
https://tango.info/work.taconeando
Tango Argentino
Tango Argentino
Tango del balaneco
Rocking Tango
Tango del eco
Echoing tango
Tangón
A new dance
a big tango
Tanguero de Ley
Taquito militar
Military snap - strong heel stamp
Te aconsejo que me olvides
I suggest that you forget me
Te Acordás Aquella Noche?
Te Quiero Ver Escopeta
Telón
Theater Curtian
Temblando
Trembling
Tengo miedo
I'm afraid
Tierra querida
Beloved land
Toda mi vida
The whole of my life
Tomala con soda
I drink it with soda
Tomo y Obligo
I drink and I invite
Tormenta En El Alma
Traiga otra cana
line up another shot
Trasnochando
a night watcher
Up all hours ; one who goes to bed late or not at all
Tres esperanzas
Three basic hopes
Tres esquinas
Three corners
Tres minutos con la realidad
Three minutes with Reality
Triste Payaso
Sad Clown
Tristezas de un doble A
Tristesse on a Vintage Bandoneón
Triunfal
Triumphal entry
Tu Olvido
Tus besos fueron mios
your kisses were mine
Tus ojos
Your eyes
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Un guapo del 900
A tough guy of 1900
Un Momento
One minute!
Un pasaje de mi vida
A period of my life
Un Tango Y Nada Mas
One tango and nothing else!
Un tropezón
A moment of stumbling
Una Emoción
One emotion
Una lágrima tuya
A tear from your eyes
Una noche de garufa
A night on the town
Union Civica
name of a political party
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Valsecito Criollo
small waltz (vals) born in Argentina
Vanidad
Vanity
Verdemar
Verdemar
Persons name
Via mía
My Darling
Viborita
Little serpent
Vibraciones Del Alma
Vibrations of the soul
Vida Mía
My Life
Vieja Amiga
Old Friend
Vieja Calesita
Old Carousel
see: TANGO and the art history of love, p165.
https://tango.info/work.vieja_calesita
Vieja Loca
Crazy Old Women
Vieja Luna
old moon
Volver
Return
Vuelvo al Sur
I return to the South
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Y No Pueda Ser
It couldn't be ...
Yira Yira
Crusin, Crusin
Yo No Se Llorar
I don't know how to cry
Yo No Se Porque Te Quiero
I don't know how to be loved
Yo Soy De San Telmo
I am of San Telmo
a barrio in BsAs
Yo soy el tango
I am the Tango
Yo Tambein Sóne
I have dreamed too
Yuyo brujo
Witches brew
Yuyo verde
Greener grass
Tango Song Title
English Translation
Comments
Song Information
Z Club
A dance hall club in BsAs
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