Transcription: Warren Edwardes (c) 2018-01-07
Translation: Warren Edwardes (c) 2018-01-08
"Shusheta" (El Aristócrata)
Orquesta Ángel D'Agostino c. Ángel Vargas
Recorded on 1945-04-05.
Music: Juan Carlos Cobián.
Lyrics: Enrique Cadícamo.
Toda la calle Florida lo vio
con sus polainas, galera y bastón
Dicen que fue, allá por su juventud,
un gran Don Juan del Buenos Aires de ayer.
Engalanó la puerta del Jockey Club
y en el ojal siempre llevaba un clavel.
Toda la calle Florida lo vio
con sus polainas, galera y bastón.
Apellido distinguido,
gran señor en las reuniones,
por las damas suspiraba
y conquistaba
sus corazones.
Y en las tardes de Palermo
en su coche se paseaba
y en procura de un ensueño
iba el porteño
conquistador.
Toda la calle Florida lo vio
con sus polainas, galera y bastón.
All Florida Street saw him
with his gaiters, top hat and cane
They say he was, back in his youth,
a great Don Juan from Buenos Aires of yesteryear.
He adorned the door of the Jockey Club
and in his buttonhole he always wore a carnation.
All Florida Street saw him
with his gaiters, top hat and cane
Distinguished surname,
renowned gentlemen in meetings,
for the ladies he sighed
and conquered
their hearts.
And in the afternoons of Palermo
in his car he cruised
and in search of a dream
went the Buenos Aires
conqueror.
All Florida Street saw him
with his gaiters, top hat and cane
Shusheta is a Lunfardo / Cocoliche term coming apparently from the Salentino-Lecchese term Sciuscettu: figlioccio battezzato. [Godson] . Salentino-Lecchese is a dialect of Sicilian.
[Thanks to Gabriele De Chiara]
A difficulty is the use of a female term Shusheta rather than the masculine Shusheta. But in those days they would not have had difficulty in using a female term as a form of abuse for an over dressed man implying that he is not a real man.
Lunfardo terms were discouraged at one point in Argentina by the authorities so the song was renamed as El Aristócrata or The Aristocrat.