Largá las penas
(Cast off your sorrows)
Milonga, 1935
Letra: Manuel Romero
Música: Alberto Soifer (Abraham Moisés Soifer)
[An earlier version of this translation appeared on Facebook.]
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.
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.*]
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