Music: Carlos Di Sarli – Lyrics: Enrique Carrera Sotelo
 |  | A milonguero is a tango dancer, however, the word “milonguero” is much more than this. It is imbued with so many different associations – the spirit and tradition of the dance, the particular social setting, an identifiable period in the history of tango. Milonguero refers to someone who, beyonds dancing tango, lives and breathes for tango. |
The story
This song, written around 1927-28, was actually dedicated to Osvaldo Fresedo, which Di Sarli greatly admired.
| Y en los tangos del Pibe de La Paternal sos el alma criolla que llora de amor. | And in the tangos of the the ‘Pibe de la Paternal’ You are the native soul that weeps for love. |
The ‘Pibe de la Paternal’ was Osvaldo Fresedo’s nickname, la Paternal being a Buenos Aires neighbourhood.
There is a lot of ‘vibrating’ imagery in this song, from the voice that quivers in the first stanza, the bellows of the bandoneon in the second, the shuddering voice and the heart that vibrates and trembles. It is as if the stirring of sounds become emotion personified.
Viejo milonguero has been translated by Tanguito, Argentine Tango Academy in London, with the help of a fantastic milonguera friend. If you have any comment or have other interpretations of the lyrics, please feel free to share your opinion, we’d love to hear what you think. 🙂
The music
The lyrics
| Viejo milonguero El barrio duerme y sueña | Old milonguero The neighbourhood slumbers and dreams |
| Linda pebeta de mis sueños, en este tango llorón mi amor mistongo va cantando su milonga de dolor, y entre el rezongo de los fuelles y el canyengue de mi voz, ilusionado y tembloroso vibra humilde el corazón. | Lovely lass of my dreams, in this tear-filled tango, my wretched love sings its aching milonga and in-between the soughing of the bellows , and the shuddering of my voice, enchanted and trembling, my heart humbly pitter-patters. |
| Sos la paica más linda del pobre arrabal, sos la musa maleva de mi inspiración; y en los tangos del Pibe de La Paternal sos el alma criolla que llora de amor. Sin berretines mi musa mistonguera chamuya en verso su dolor; tu almita loca, sencilla y milonguera ha enloquecido mi pobre corazón. | You’re the loveliest doll of these tin-pan alleys, You are my wayward muse; And in the tangos of the ‘Pibe de la Paternal’ You are the native soul that weeps for love. My desolate, disenchanted muse Warbles her pain into rhyme; Your silly soul, artless and dancing Drives this poor heart of mine to madness. |
| El barrio duerme y sueña al arrullo del triste tango llorón; en el silencio tiembla la voz milonguera del mozo cantor; la última esperanza flota en su canción, en su canción maleva y el viento que pasa lleva toda la dulzura de su corazón. | The neighbourhood slumbers and dreams to the crooning of a tear-filled tango; The milonguero voice of the young singer quivers in the silence. A last-ditch hope drifts through his song, his wayward song and the wind that blows Blows away all the sweetness of his heart. |
