Music: Manuel Jovés 1923
Lyrics: Manuel Romero
Translation: Derrick Del Pilar
Recorded by Aníbal Troilo with Francisco Fiorentino in 1942
Music: Manuel Jovés 1923
Lyrics: Manuel Romero
Translation: Derrick Del Pilar
Recorded by Aníbal Troilo with Francisco Fiorentino in 1942
Buenos Aires, la Reina del Plata,
Buenos Aires mi tierra querida,
escuchá mi canción—
que con ella va mi vida:
En mis horas de fiebre y orgía,
harto ya de placer y locura,
en ti pienso, patria mía,
para calmar mi amargura.
Noches porteñas, bajo tu manto
dichas y llanto muy juntos van.
Risas y besos, farra corrida—
todo se olvida con el champán.
Y a la salida de la milonga
llora una nena pidiendo pan—
por algo es que en el gotán
siempre solloza una pena.
(Instrumental)
Buenos Aires, cual a una querida
si estás lejos, mejor hay que amarte,
y decir toda la vida
“antes morir que olvidarte.”
y decir toda la vida
“antes morir que olvidarte.”
(Unsung Part)
Y al compás rezongón de los fuelles
un bacán a la mina la embrolla,
y el llorar del violín va
pintando el alma criolla.
Buenos Aires, the Queen of the Plata,
Buenos Aires, my beloved land,
listen now to my song—
my whole life has gone into it.
In my most orgiastic, fevered hours,
spent from pleasure and insanity,
I think of you, my homeland,
and my bitterness gets some relief.
Under the blanket of your porteño nights
tears and joys go hand in hand.
Laughter and kisses, played out parties—
all can be forgotten with a sip of champagne.
And outside the doors of the milonga
a little girl cries, begging for bread—
there’s a reason why the tango
always sobs with some sorrow.
(Instrumental)
Buenos Aires, like any lover
the more distant you are, the more I must love you—
my whole life I will repeat:
“I’ll die before I forget you.”
my whole life I will repeat:
“I’ll die before I forget you.”
(Unsung Part)
And to the grumbling beat of the fuelles
a swell puts the moves on a girl,
and the violins cry out,
painting the soul of old Argentina.
Note: This song was written for a movie