Music: Aníbal Troilo – Lyrics: Enrique Cadícamo
Anibal Troilo was an Argentine bandoneon player, arranger and bandleader, whose work still keeps us dancing at milongas around the world. He also was an inspired composer, creator of pieces made to last forever. Pa’ que bailen los muchachos, To make the lads dance is one of his masterpieces. |
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos draws numerous analogies between milonga and life, between tango and love. As the chorus puts it: ¡La vida es una milonga!, life is a milonga. Pa’ que bailen los muchachos tells the story of a man who plays the bandoneon, so that all his friends can dance all night, loosing themselves in the tango embrace and beat.
He also plays to forget that his love is now taken with someone else. He refuses to give in to jealousy and still plays, knowing that by doing so, he’ll give her a chance to dance with her new lover. The sentence: “those who suffer from jealousy show how much they care” shows his dilemma.
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos 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.
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
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos vi’a’ tocarte, bandoneón. ¡La vida es una milonga! Bailen todos, compañeros, porque el baile es un abrazo: Bailen todos, compañeros, que este tango lleva el paso. Entre el lento ir y venir del tango va la frase dulce. Y ella baila en otros brazos, prendida, rendida, por otro amor. No te quejes, bandoneón, No te quejes, bandoneón, Ella fue como una madre, que hoy la lloro como un niño… Quién la va a saber querer Pa’ que bailen los muchachos | To make the lads dance, I’m gonna play you, bandoneon. Life is a milonga! Come on, dance, friends, because the dance is an embrace: Come on, dance, friends, step on the beat of this tango. Between the slow coming and going of tango goes the sweet phrase. And she dances in other arms, hooked, captivated, by another love. Don’t complain, bandoneon, Don’t complain, bandoneon, She was like a mother, Who will know how to love her To make the lads dance, |