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Balada para un loco

Balada para un loco is a Tango written by Astor Piazzolla and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1970. Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Balada para un loco as an instrumental Tango.
“Balada para un loco,” or “Ballad for a Madman,” evokes the haunting beauty of a soul lost in the whirl of passion and madness. It narrates an untamed dance between reality and fantasy, where the streets become a stage for dreams. In this tango, the madman’s heart beats with a fervor that defies the mundane, creating a symphony of love and longing.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Horacio Ferrer

Author

Astor Piazzolla

Composer

1970/5/1

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Balada para un loco recorded by other Orchestras

Balada para un loco recorded by other Orchestras

Letra del Tango Balada para un loco

Las tardecitas de Buenos Aires tienen ese qué sé yo, ¿viste? Salís de tu casa, por Arenales. Lo de siempre: en la calle y en vos. . . Cuando, de repente, de atrás de un árbol, me aparezco yo. Mezcla rara de penúltimo linyera y de primer polizón en el viaje a Venus: medio melón en la cabeza, las rayas de la camisa pintadas en la piel, dos medias suelas clavadas en los pies, y una banderita de taxi libre levantada en cada mano. ¡Te reís!… Pero sólo vos me ves: porque los maniquíes me guiñan; los semáforos me dan tres luces celestes, y las naranjas del frutero de la esquina me tiran azahares. ¡Vení!, que así, medio bailando y medio volando, me saco el melón para saludarte, te regalo una banderita, y te digo…

Ya sé que estoy piantao, piantao, piantao…
No ves que va la luna rodando por Callao;
que un corso de astronautas y niños, con un vals,
me baila alrededor… ¡Bailá! ¡Vení! ¡Volá!

Ya sé que estoy piantao, piantao, piantao…
Yo miro a Buenos Aires del nido de un gorrión;
y a vos te vi tan triste… ¡Vení! ¡Volá! ¡Sentí!…
el loco berretín que tengo para vos:

¡Loco! ¡Loco! ¡Loco!
Cuando anochezca en tu porteña soledad,
por la ribera de tu sábana vendré
con un poema y un trombón
a desvelarte el corazón.

¡Loco! ¡Loco! ¡Loco!
Como un acróbata demente saltaré,
sobre el abismo de tu escote hasta sentir
que enloquecí tu corazón de libertad…
¡Ya vas a ver!

Salgamos a volar, querida mía;
subite a mi ilusión super-sport,
y vamos a correr por las cornisas
¡con una golondrina en el motor!

De Vieytes nos aplauden: ‘¡Viva! ¡Viva!’,
los locos que inventaron el Amor;
y un ángel y un soldado y una niña
nos dan un valsecito bailador.

Nos sale a saludar la gente linda…
Y loco, pero tuyo, ¡qué sé yo!:
provoco campanarios con la risa,
y al fin, te miro, y canto a media voz:

Quereme así, piantao, piantao, piantao…
Trepate a esta ternura de locos que hay en mí,
ponete esta peluca de alondras, ¡y volá!
¡Volá conmigo ya! ¡Vení, volá, vení!

Quereme así, piantao, piantao, piantao…
Abrite los amores que vamos a intentar
la mágica locura total de revivir…
¡Vení, volá, vení! ¡Trai-lai-la-larará!

¡Viva! ¡Viva! ¡Viva!
Loca ella y loco yo…
¡Locos! ¡Locos! ¡Locos!
¡Loca ella y loco yo!

English lyrics of the Tango "Balada para un loco"

The little evenings of Buenos Aires have that something, you know, right? You leave your home, through Arenales. Just the usual: on the street and in you… When, suddenly, from behind a tree, there I appear. A weird mix of almost-the-last vagrant and first stowaway on a trip to Venus: half a melon on my head, the stripes of the shirt painted on my skin, two half soles nailed to my feet, and a small taxi flag raised in each hand. You laugh!… But only you see me: because the mannequins wink at me; the traffic lights give me three blue lights, and the oranges from the corner fruit stand throw orange blossoms at me. Come on!, like this, half dancing and half flying, I take off the melon to greet you, I give you a little flag, and I tell you…

I know I am crazy, crazy, crazy…
Don’t you see that the moon rolls by Callao;
that a parade of astronauts and children, with a waltz,
dance around me… Dance! Come! Fly!

I know I am crazy, crazy, crazy…
I look at Buenos Aires from a sparrow’s nest;
and I saw you so sad… Come! Fly! Feel!…
the mad impulse I have for you:

Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
When night falls in your porteña solitude,
along the edge of your sheet I will come
with a poem and a trombone
to awaken your heart.

Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Like a mad acrobat I will jump,
over the abyss of your neckline until I feel
that I drove your heart of freedom mad…
You’ll see!

Let’s go fly, my dear;
climb onto my super-sport illusion,
and let’s run along the cornices
with a swallow in the engine!

From Vieytes they applaud us: ‘Hooray! Hooray!’,
the madmen who invented Love;
and an angel, a soldier, and a girl
give us a little dancing waltz.

The nice people come out to greet us…
And crazy, but yours, what do I know:
I cause bell towers to ring with laughter,
and finally, I look at you, and I sing in a whisper:

Love me like this, crazy, crazy, crazy…
Climb onto this madness of craziness that’s in me,
put on this wig of larks, and fly!
Fly with me now! Come, fly, come!

Love me like this, crazy, crazy, crazy…
Open up to the loves that we are going to try
the magical total madness of reviving…
Come, fly, come! Trai-lai-la-larará!

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Crazy she and crazy I…
Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Crazy she and crazy I!

Balada para un loco by Horacio Ferrer

Balada para un loco is a Tango written by Horacio Ferrer and composed by Astor Piazzolla.



Story behind the Tango Balada para un loco

The tango tells the story of a man perceived as mad by society, wandering through Buenos Aires. He engages with the world around him in what seems to be absurd or sanity-defying manners, reflecting a deep disconnect or disinterest in societal norms. Yet, through the poetic narrative, it becomes evident that his madness is a metaphor for the boldness to love and live freely, unfettered by conventional expectations.



Symbolism of Balada para un loco

“Balada para un loco” employs vibrant imagery and symbols that enhance the theme of eccentricity as freedom. The peculiar items like “medio melón en la cabeza” (half a melon on the head) or “banderita de taxi libre” (a little flag of a free taxi) symbolize non-conformity and whimsical creativity. The phrase “Ya sé que estoy piantao, piantao, piantao…” (“I already know that I am crazy, crazy, crazy…”) is repeated as a defiant embrace of his own unique perspective of the world, challenging the listener to accept eccentricity as a form of personal truth.



Balada para un loco in historic Context

Written in 1970 in Argentina, “Balada para un loco” emerged during a period marked by political tension and societal changes. This year is significant as Argentina was amidst substantial social and political upheaval. Under such circumstances, the tango may be interpreted as a celebration of individualism and emotional freedom at a time when such expressions were both a defiance and a necessity.



Horacio Ferrer

Horacio Ferrer was an Argentine poet and tango lyricist renowned for his collaboration with composer Astor Piazzolla, together transforming traditional tango into a more contemporary and expressive art form.