Maui DJ Rose tells me this is one of her favorite songs. This version's for you, Rose!
Marol - Rodolfo Biagi/Alberto Amor (1946)
Marol
Lyrics: Federico Silva (René Federico Silva Iraluz)
Music: Alberto Nery (Justino Idalberto Nery)
Tango Decoder version by Michael Krugman
The
night was painted smoke black*
The
wheels of a carriage left a track.
With
smoke black I’ll rub out my laments,
With the
murky black of ancient night.
Rundown
barrio, narrow back street,
Gate and
pavement, little puddle and streetlamp,
A
street-corner Gardel, a flowered calico,
And in the
soft night, wisteria and hollyhock.
Marol...Marol...Marol,
you are of this barrio
Of this
distant barrio of yesterdays and nostalgia
Marol,
your hands and your voice have gone,
The fire
in your eyes has died out,*
But my
heart will not forget you so soon, Marol.
*Smoke black: Negro de humo (smoke black or carbon black) is a pigment produced by the incomplete combustion of wood or other materials, used in paints and printers ink. It is a
recurring image in the lyric.
*The fire
in your eyes has gone out: Se apagaron tus pupilas de carbón. Literally, “Your pupils of coal have been
extinguished.”
[Original text follows]
Marol
Letra: Federico Silva (René Federico Silva Iraluz)
Música: Alberto Nery (Justino Idalberto Nery)
Con
negro de humo se pintó la noche
Le
pusieron filos las ruedas de un coche,
Con
negro de humo borraré mis quejas
Con el
negro turbio de la noche vieja.
Barrio
trasnochado, callejuela angosta
Portón y
empedrado, charquito y farol,
Un
Gardel de esquina, un percal floreado
Y en la
noche mansa, glicina y malvón.
Marol...
Marol... Marol, tú eras de ese barrio
De ese
barrio lejano del ayer y la nostalgia,
Marol se
marcharon tus manos y tu voz,
Se apagaron
tus pupilas de carbón
Pero mi
emoción ya no te olvidará, Marol.
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