Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
Style
Orchestra
Singer
Author
Composer
Date
These Tangos, Valses, and Milongas were recorded around the same time. Take a look to discover what else this orchestra—or others—may have recorded during the same week or even on the exact same day.
Andrajos is a Tango written by Alberto Laureano Martínez and composed by Enrique Santos Discépolo.
“Andrajos,” translating to “Rags” in English, is a poignant reflection on the feelings of heartbreak and abandonment. Alberto Laureano Martínez delves into the emotional depths of solitude and the harsh consequences of a love that has turned cruel. The lyricist uses the imagery of rags to symbolically represent the remains of a once vibrant love, now reduced to fragments or scraps. The central narrative revolves around the painful acceptance that the past will never return and the resolve not to succumb to false charity from the loved one who inflicted the pain.
The use of the word “andrajos” or “rags” is highly symbolic, representing the emotional tatters left behind by a failed romance. Each line is saturated with the sorrow of realizing that the warmth of the past will not come back and the self-respect in rejecting pity from the one who caused the heartache. Phrases like “Duele ver que el pasado no vuelve jamás” (It hurts to see that the past will never return) and “Refugiada en mi amor” (Sheltered in my love) emphasize the juxtaposition of pain with a lingering, unreciprocated affection. The reference to refusing the “ofensa de tu caridad” (offense of your charity) strongly conveys a sense of dignity despite the emotional ruin.
Written and recorded in Argentina in 1961, “Andrajos” emerges during a period of significant political and social transition in the country. This era was marked by a return to constitutional rule following years of political upheaval, including the Revolución Libertadora which ousted Juan Domingo Perón. Such a backdrop of turmoil and change might reflect in the song’s themes of loss and the disillusionment with promises, paralleling the broader societal sentiments. Lyrics like “Niégame el destino que me obligue / A mendigarte / Pan de tu amor” (Deny me the fate that forces me / to beg you / for the bread of your love) can be interpreted as a critique of dependence and a call for self-respect and autonomy which were prominent societal issues at that time.
Alberto Laureano Martínez was a notable lyricist in the Argentine tango scene, whose work often captured the emotional and societal intricacies of his era.