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Bandoneón arrabalero

Bandoneón arrabalero is a Tango written by Bachicha and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1967. Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Bandoneón arrabalero as an instrumental Tango.
“Bandoneón arrabalero,” or “Bandoneón of the Suburbs,” sings a tale of love and longing in every note. Its melodies weave through the narrow streets of forgotten neighborhoods, capturing the heartbeat of passion and the soul of the city. Each chord whispers stories of fleeting romances and echoes the timeless dance of life and dreams.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Pascual Contursi

Author

Bachicha

Composer

1967/9/1

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Bandoneón arrabalero recorded by other Orchestras

Bandoneón arrabalero recorded by other Orchestras

Letra del Tango Bandoneón arrabalero

Bandoneón arrabalero
viejo fueye desinflado,
te encontré como un pebete
que la madre abandonó,
en la puerta de un convento,
sin revoque en las paredes,
a la luz de un farolito
que de noche te alumbró.

Bandoneón
porque ves que estoy triste y cantar ya no puedo,
vos sabés
que yo llevo en el alma
marcao un dolor.

Te llevé para mi pieza
te acuné en mi pecho frío…
Yo también abandonado
me encontraba en el bulín…
Has querido consolarme
con tu voz enronquecida
y tus notas doloridas
aumentó mi berretín.

English lyrics of the Tango "Bandoneón arrabalero"

Bandoneon from the slums,
old deflated bellows,
I found you like a little kid
who was abandoned by his mother,
at the door of a convent,
without plaster on the walls,
by the light of a little lantern
that illuminated you at night.

Bandoneon,
because you see that I’m sad and can’t sing,
you know
that I carry in my soul
a marked pain.

I took you to my room,
I cradled you on my cold chest…
I, too, abandoned,
found myself in the den…
You wanted to comfort me
with your hoarse voice,
and your sorrowful notes
increased my longing.

Bandoneón arrabalero by Pascual Contursi

Bandoneón arrabalero is a Tango written by Pascual Contursi and composed by Bachicha.



Story behind the Tango Bandoneón arrabalero

“Bandoneón arrabalero” vividly captures the poignant sense of abandonment and companionship through the personification of a bandoneón, a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. Contursi portrays the bandoneón as an abandoned child, discovered and nurtured back to life, which mirrors his own emotional state of loneliness and sadness. The lyrics speak about finding the bandoneón, “like a boy abandoned by his mother,” and taking it into his room to care for it, finding solace in its melancholy sounds.



Symbolism of Bandoneón arrabalero

The bandoneón in the song symbolizes much more than a musical instrument—it becomes a beacon of shared suffering and mutual comfort. The depiction of the bandoneón as “viejo fueye desinflado” (old deflated bellows) enhances its symbolic resonance, emphasizing themes of wear and the passage of time. The setting, an unadorned house under the “light of a little streetlamp,” further instills a sense of desolation and gloom, setting the tone for a narrative of lifting oneself and others from despair.



Bandoneón arrabalero in Historic Context

Composed in 1967, during a time of significant social and cultural shifts in Argentina, “Bandoneón arrabalero” connects deeply with the heartstrings of the urban poor and the suburban inhabitants. It reflects a common narrative of rural-to-urban migration, portraying the suburban outskirts (“arrabales”) as sites of loneliness and abandonment but also of potential reconnection and emotional resurgence through music. The era, filled with both hope and despair, is captured poignantly in this piece through its melancholic yet comforting melody and lyrics.



Pascual Contursi

Pascual Contursi is known for pioneering the ‘letra’ of Tangos, significantly contributing to the genre by introducing narrative and vocals to what was predominantly instrumental music.