Subtitled Tango #17: LARGA LAS PENAS (Milonga - Canaro/Maida 1935)

LARGÁ LAS PENAS
(Dump your sorrows)
Words: Manuel Romero
Music: Alberto Soifer (Abraham Moisés Soifer)

Recorded 1935-06-11 by Orquesta Típica Francisco Canaro, vocal Roberto Maida.

Nací para ser milonga Así por la vida voy, Donde un bandoneón rezonga Yo prendida siempre estoy. Milonga, nací milonga Y he de morir como soy. No sé lo que es el cariño Ni sé lo que es el sufrir, Ningún metejón profundo A mí me ha de corregir. Milonga yo vine al mundo Y milonga he de morir. Ayer amor me pediste Pero ya estamos en hoy, Y no duró nunca tanto El amor que a un hombre (que siempre) doy. Y hoy digo: basta, y me planto Como milonga que soy. [Yo quiero vivir mi vida Como el pájaro cantor, No me atan ni con cadenas A la cincha del amor. Milonga, largá las penas Que así se vive mejor.] [Afirman que si está suelto Lo más bien se lame el buey, No admito que se me oponga Dueño, ni patrón, ni rey. Milonga, nací milonga Y he de morir en mi ley.*]

English lyrics text I was born to be Milonga  and so through life I go, wherever a bandoneon growls that’s where I do grow. Milonga, I was born Milonga, and I have to die as I am. I don’t know what love is and suffering never stays, there’s not a passion so deep as to make me mend my ways. Milonga I came into the world and Milonga I will die. Yesterday love called to me, but now it is today, and the love I give a man* never long does stay. And now I say: enough, I’m gone, like Milonga that I am. I want to live my life like a bird that sings;  the chains and reins of love  will never bind my wings. Milonga, cast off your sorrows, that better you may live. The ox that's loose, licks best they say;*  no boss, no master, no king will ever stand in my way. Milonga, I was born Milonga, and I must die by my law.*

 

NOTES:

* the love that I give to a man: The text says El amor que a un hombre doy, the love that I give to a man. On the recording, Maida sings, el amor que siempre doy, the love that I always give.

*by my law: en mi ley, possibly a reference to Chronicles 6:16. ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’

*ox...yoke: Variant of the popular saying, “El buey solo bien se lame,” literally, a free ox licks itself well. An ox takes pleasure in licking itself (!), but it can’t lick when it’s in the yoke. When it’s free of the yoke, it licks itself all over--very pleasurable. In other words, Milonga will be happy only when it is free of authority and social control (master, boss, or king).

English-language version Copyright © 2014 by Michael Krugman and Tango Decoder.