Music: Enrique Rodríguez – Lyrics: Enrique Cadícamo

Enrique Rodriguez was a skillful bandoneon player, a talented composer and innovative band leader who followed Donato and D’Arienzo’s traditional rhythmical style. At the same time, his style was a breakthrough: he played all music genres, introduced new instruments to tango and his repertoire consisted only of merry or romantic tunes. Dancers liked his style and the variety he brought to the dance floor, and his orchestra enjoyed a great popularity in the 40’s and 50’s.

Argentine tango London | In love spacer_small

Llorar por una mujer (to cry for a woman), with lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo is a fine example of Rodriguez’s talent as a composer.

With love being one of the most prevalent tango themes, it’s fair to say it’s been envisaged from every possible angle! Most tango songs either express the emotions of a heartbroken man: sadness, denial, anger, or try and explain why their lover left.

LLorar por una mujer is a little different in the sense that it gives a voice to a faithful friend who doesn’t focus on their friend’s love story, but rather gives advice to anyone in love. For this reason, the song feels very personal and easy to relate to: we all have been comforted by someone or have consoled a love-struck friend at some point in our lives…

Llorar por una mujer has been translated by Tanguito, Argentine Tango Academy in London. We hope you enjoy this translation. If you have any comments, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

Nathalie, Tanguito

The video and translation

You can view the video to listen to the music and read the translation at the same time or read the translation at the bottom of this page.

The lyrics

Conozco muchos que
después de criticar
se fueron a clavar en un cariño
y esos, después de reír,
los he visto sufrir
y llorar como niños…
Ahí nadie puede guapear
porque he visto aflojar
hasta el más sobrador.
Si no querés pifiar
tendrás que caminar
con cuidado en el amor.

Llorar,
llorar por una mujer
es quererla
y no tenerla.
Llorar,
Llorar por una mujer
es muy hondo padecer.
Vos, que pa’l amor
fuiste retobao,
hoy tu pena es fuerte
y te tiene arrinconcao,
y hoy que no la ves
y que la querés
se te achica el alma,
y recién sabés
lo que es:
Llorar,
llorar por una mujer.

Muchachos, ya lo ven,
al potro del amor
no hay gaucho domador que lo domine.
Cuando nos entra a tallar
una pena de amar,
el varón se define…
Ahí comprobamos lo que es
ese fiero revés
que nos hace llorar…
Conozca muchos que
después de criticar
los he ido a consolar.

 I know many who
after having their fair share of criticising
got themselves stuck in a love story
and those, after the laughing was over,
I saw suffer
and cry like children…
There, no-one can swagger,
I’ve seen turn weak
even the most conceited.
If you don’t want to mess it up,
you’ll have to tread carefully
in matters of love.

To cry,
to cry for a woman
is to love her
and not have her.
To cry,
to cry for a woman
is a suffering that hits you deep.
You, who for love,
were all cagey,
today, your pain is so strong
that it has you cornered,
and today that you don’t see her
and that you love her,
your soul shrinks
and now you know
what it is:
To cry,
to cry for a woman.

Guys, now you see,
no horse-breaking gaucho can tame
the colt of love.
When a love pain
starts to take shape,
a man shows his true self.
There, we understand what is
this cruel backhand slap
that brings us to tears…
I know many who
after they’d had their fair share of criticising,
I had to go and console.