Music: Francisco J. Lomuto – Lyrics: Adolfo Herschell

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Lomuto, composed his first tango when he was 13 – “El 606”, alluding to a medicine called Salvarsán, was prescribed for the treatment of venereal diseases. It was warmly welcome, which encouraged him to compose other ones, which quickly were committed to records: El inquieto and La rezongona. But the boom was “Muñequita”, with lyrics by Adolfo Herschel, which was premiered at theater by the actress María Luisa Notar in 1918. It was also the first work of his that Gardel recorded.

 

As it is frequently the case in tango, several versions of the lyrics exist. While all talk about lost love and the pain of being abandoned, some tell the story of a woman leaving her lover behind, whilst the version below talks about a man abandoning his lover after giving her love, money and attention. This is tango giving a voice to women and was probably the version sung by María Luisa Notar.

Muñequita has been translated by Tanguito, Argentine Tango Academy in London. 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. 🙂

Nathalie, Tanguito
 
 

The music

The lyrics

Donde estará…
Mi amor, que no puedo hallarlo.
Yo no hago más que buscarlo
porque sin el ya no es vida;

probé la fruta prohibida
probé el encanto de amarlo.
Donde estará…
Mi amor, que no puedo hallarlo.

Me acuerdo, que por Florida
paseaba en su voiturette,
y siempre andaba vestido
por Paquin o por Georgette.

Hasta me tenía carruaje,
lancha en el Tigre y un Ford,
garçonnière en el Pasaje
con todo lujo y confort.

Me tenían muy mimada
por lo elegante y bonita;
por eso la muchachada
me llamaba “muñequita”.

Daba gusto ver mi mesa,
con flores, marron glace;
todo era alegría y riqueza,
y correr champagne frappe.

Todo acabo…
Para mí cuando él se fue.
Ya no voy a tomar té
en lo de Harrod’s como antes;
no uso alhajas ni brillantes
que en otro tiempo lleve.
Todo acabo…
Para mí, cuando él se fue.

Diganle de parte mía
si lo llegaran a ver
que no haga esa felonia
con una pobre mujer.
Que hasta el cachorro ovejero
no quiere probar bocado
y que ya se ha muerto el jilguero
en su jaula abandonado.

Si voy al piano a tocar
para disipar mi splin
vi mi llanto a acompañar
los “Millones de Arlequin”.

Que ya no quiero carruaje
ni lujo, lancha ni Ford,
ni pasear, ni cambiar trajes,
que solo quiero su amor.

 I wonder where is…
my love, I can’t find him.
I can’t stop looking for him,
because without him, it’s not a life anymore;
I tasted the forbidden fruit,
I tasted the spell of loving him.
I wonder where is…
my love, I can’t find him.

I remember, on Florida avenue,
he usually drove by in his small car,
always dressed
in Paquin or Georgette.

Even I had a carriage,
a small boat on the river Tigre and a Ford,
a love nest in the alleyway,
with all luxury and comfort.

I was kept very spoiled,
with all things elegant and beautiful;
and the youth
called me ‘little doll’.

It was something to see my table:
flowers, marron glaces sweets;
everything was happiness and wealth,
and champagne frappe was flowing.

Everything ended…
for me, when he left.
I don’t go anymore to have tea
in Harrod’s like before;
I don’t use the jewels and diamonds
that in other times I wore.
Everything ended…
for me, when he left.

Tell him from my part
if you manage to see him…
That he can’t commit such a felony
to a poor woman.
That even the sheepdog puppy
won’t have a bite
and that the goldfinch has died
abandoned in its cage.

If I go to the piano to play
and disperse my Spleen,
my sobbing accompanies
the ‘Thousand harlequins’*.

That I don’t want carriages any more,
or luxury, or a boat, or a Ford,
or to go for walk, or to change clothes.
That I only want his love.

* A thousand harlequins (I Milioni di Arlecchino) is a ballet written by the composer Riccardo Drigo (1846-1930)