A couple of months ago, Tango Decoder featured a 1945 ad for the "Surcos del Disco" milonga with the headline "QUE ME QUITEN LO BAILAO," which means literally, "let them take away what I've danced," and figuratively, "they can't take away the dances/fun I've had." At the time, one of TD's commenters suggested I translate the song by the same name. I never got around to it.
Yesterday a friend of mine, a composer, had one of those big-number birthdays yesterday, and his friends threw a grand garden party for him. I wanted to do something nice to honor him, and I happened to think again of the song, which turned out to be nearly perfect for him. He's not a drinker and a gambler like the narrator, but he's definitely taken some risks in his life, he's an avid milonguero. I did a quick adaptation of the lyrics and bingo, I had the perfect tanguero's tribute, which I read aloud for all assembled. It was a hit! "Que me quiten lo bailao!"
Here's my English version of the lyric followed by the original Spanish as given by TodoTango.com. There are a bunch of vids down there, too--Tanturi's version of the song with Castillo; Canaro's with Carlos Roldán; and D'Arienzo's with Laborde; and Leopoldo Federico's with Julio Sosa. The lyrics are sightly different in each one. Canaro's version was recorded first, in '42, and the lyrics are quite close to the text. Tanturi's was recorded on 29 April 1943, and its lyrics differ considerably. They may have been affected in advance by the Law of Good Speech that came into force with the military coup of 4 June. It seems that quite a few orchestras self-censored in anticipation of the new rules which were circulated in advance of the decree. If anyone is interested in compiling the precise differences between the various versions, let me know. Maybe we can collaborate!
QUE ME QUITEN LO BAILAO
(They can't take away the fun I've had)
Tango, 1942
Words and music by Miguel Bucino
TD's English-language version dedicated to Nadama Novak.
Generous to men, affectionate with women,
I’ve got two wild passions: gambling and champagne.
Obsession with the milonga, fierce love of pleasure,
sometimes I’m a big shot and other times I’m broke.
What am I to do, brother? If it’s the gift of destiny!
If my eagerness to get rich has never been my strong suit!*
Bubbles and women’s eyes have driven me wild
ever since those sweet days of my youth.
But I don’t regret
letting go of all that dough
that I wasted in life.*
I had everything I wanted...
and even enjoyed a few things
that I prefer not to discuss.
My behavior was always calm,
I was lavish with praise
and shrunk from blame.
I was a tycoon and a vagabond
and now I leave so much to the world
that I can make a joke about it.*
If some refused my hand, others were more cordial,
some lips were sweet, others tasted of gall,
but I always had the guts to weather the storm
and like a wolf among the foxes, I left my mark.
What am I to do, brother, if I was born to die broke,
with a tango on my lips and a handful of lousy cards?
I play, I sing, I drink, I laugh...
and though I haven’t got a penny to my name,
when the bell tolls the final hour... They can't take away what I've danced!
They can’t take away the fun I've had!
NOTES:
* my eagerness to get rich: el afán de hacer el paco. None of the recorded versions include the lunfardism, el paco, meaning "silver" and by extension, "money."
* letting go of all that dough that I wasted in life: haber dado curso al vento
que en la vida derroché. All the recorded versions of the song give this line as aquellos lindos momentos que en la vida disfruté, "those beautiful moments that I enjoyed in my life."
* I leave so much to the world that I can make a joke about it: The narrator is being ruefully ironic.
Mano abierta con los hombres, querendón con las mujeres,
tengo dos pasiones bravas: el tapete y el champán...
Berretín con la milonga, metejón con los placeres,
unas veces ando pato y otras veces soy bacán.
¿Qué querés que le haga, hermano? ¡Si es regalo del destino!
¡Si el afán de hacer el paco nunca ha sido mi virtud!
Me electrizan las burbujas y los ojos femeninos
¡desde aquellos dulces días de mi alegre juventud!
Pero yo no me arrepiento
de haber dado curso al vento
que en la vida derroché.
Tuve todo lo que quise...
y hasta lo que yo no quiero
la cuestión que disfruté.
Mi conducta fue serena,
yo fui pródigo en la buena
y en la mala me encogí.
Fui magnate y vagabundo
y hoy lo sobré tanto al mundo
que le puedo dar changüí.
Si unas manos me fallaron, otras fueron más cordiales,
unos labios fueron dulces, otras veces como hiel,
pero siempre tuve agallas pa' capear los temporales
y de lobo, entre los zorros, al pasar hice cartel.
Qué querés que le haga, hermano, si nací pa' morir pobre,
con un tango entre los labios y en un tute entreverao.
Juego, canto, bebo, río...
y aunque no me quede un cobre,
al sonar la última hora... ¡que me quiten lo bailao!
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