Letra de Cátulo Castillo
Música de Aníbal Carmelo Troilo
Compuesto en 1951
Fueron años Those were years
de cercos y glicinas, of fences and glicynes (1)
de la vida en orsai of a life out of a game (2)
y el tiempo loco. and nonsense times
Tu frente triste your sad forehead
de pensar la vida because of thinking of life
tiraba madrugadas was throwing away dawns
por los ojos. through your eyes
Y estaba el terraplén and the embankment
y todo el cielo, and all the sky
la esquina del zanjón, the corner of the big ditch
la casa azul… the blue house
Todo se fue all is gone
trepando su misterio climbing its mistery
por los repechos by the uphills
de tu barrio sur. of your southern neighborhood
Vamos, Let’s go
veni de nuevo a las doce, come back again at 12 o’clock
vamos, let’go
que esta esperando Barquina, because Barquina is waiting
vamos, let’s go
no ves que Pepe esta noche, can’t you see that Pepe tonight
no ves que el Viejo esta noche can’t you see that the old man tonight
no va a faltar a la cita. will not break his appointment
Vamos, let’s go
total, al fin, nada es cierto who cares, nothing is true
y estas, hermano, despierto and brother, you are awake
juntito a Discepolin. next to Discepolin (3)
Ya punteaba At the guitar it pnayed
la muerte su milonga. the ghost of death her milonga
Tu voz callo el adiós your voice muted the goodby
que nos dolia. that was painful to us
De tanto andar for walking so much
sobrandole a las cosas Knowing the intention of things
prendido en el final imprisoned at the end (4)
fallo la vida. the life failed
Ya se que no vendrás I already know you will not come
pero, aunque cursi, but even (if you are) pretentious
te esperara lo mismo will be waiting for you
el paredón the big wall
y el tres y dos and the three and two
de la parada inutil, of the useless ostentation
y el fraternal rincón and the frindly corner
de nuestro amor. of our love.
NOTES:
1. Glicina is a flower
2. Orsai is an Anglicism meaning disqualified
3. Discepolín is Enrique Santos Discépolo, famous tango composer
4. Prender could also mean to grasp, seize, pin, capture, couple,
copulate, adorn, take root, take fire.