I hope you'll enjoy Luís Rubistein's 1933 tango Cuatro Palabras (Four Words) by Adolfo Carabelli and his Orquesta Típica with vical by Charlo and the great Elvin Vardaro on violin. Vardaro has a gorgeous solo on this track.
The song was penned by Luis Rubistein (that's him in the pic), a prolific and highly regarded Russian-Jewish-Argentine tango composer whose many titles include Charlemos, Ya sale el tren, Cadenas, Nada más, Tarde gris, and Marión. There's an extensive bio of Rubinstein at TodoTango.com. Worth a read.
After dancing to this song many times and understanding that the title meant "Four Words," I found myself wondering, "What are the four words?" So of course I had to find out! My version of the lyrics--and the four words--is below.
CUATRO PALABRAS (1933)
Words and music: Luis Rubinstein
| Que te vaya bien me dijiste colgandome el tubo de tu telefon Que te vaya bien murmuremos tu llanto entre dientes una maldición. Que te vaya bien significa que nunca en la vida volverás a ser mia otra vez. Cuatro palabras que sintetizan mi amargura Cuatro palabras que me robaron tu ternura Pero sin embargo fuiste mala porque yo te quise como a Dios No solo te quise, aún te quiero así mala y todo como sos. |
“I wish you well,” you said to me, as you hung up the phone. “I wish you well,” we both muttered, your tears an unspoken curse. “I wish you well,” means never in this life will you be mine again. Four words that summarize my bitterness. Four words that rob me of your tenderness. But even so, you were wrong, because I worshipped you like God. Not only did I love you, I love you still, wrong and all that you are. |
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