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Cafetín de Buenos Aires

Cafetín de Buenos Aires is a Tango written by Mariano Mores and recorded by Aníbal Troilo in 1948. The Tango Cafetín de Buenos Aires is written by Mariano Mores, Aníbal Troilo has recorded Cafetín de Buenos Aires with the singer Edmundo Rivero.
“**Cafetín de Buenos Aires**,” or “Little Café of Buenos Aires,” evokes the heart and soul of a bustling Argentinian café. Under its dim lights, stories are exchanged, and the air is thick with the scent of strong coffee and the echoes of Tango. It’s a place where time gently pauses, allowing whispers of dreams and the pulse of the city to intertwine.

Tango

Style

Aníbal Troilo

Orchestra

Edmundo Rivero

Singer

Enrique Santos Discépolo

Author

Mariano Mores

Composer

1948/7/8

Date

Edmundo Rivero
Edmundo Rivero
Aníbal Troilo
Aníbal Troilo

Discover Other Orchestras

Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – A Pedro Maffia – 1968/9/11
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – Milonguero triste – 1969/7/30
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – La trampera – 1969/7/30
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – Sobre el pucho (Un callejón en Pompeya) – 1968/9/11
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – Del barrio de las latas – 1968/8/5
Héctor Varela – Yuyo brujo – 1951/5/28
Héctor Varela – Trovador mazorquero – 1955/3/29
Héctor Varela – Pa’ que se luzca la orquesta – 1964/4/9
Héctor Varela – Canaro en París – 1952/6/9
Héctor Varela – La trilla – 1950/12/15
Horacio Salgán – Margarita Gauthier – 1953/1/1
Horacio Salgán – Doble castigo – 1953/9/2
Horacio Salgán – Lo han visto con otra – 1969/1/1
Horacio Salgán – Don Goyo – 1953/9/2
Horacio Salgán – Siga el corso – 1953/9/2
Ricardo Malerba – Oiga mozo – 1942/11/19
Ricardo Malerba – Qué tarde que has venido – 1956/9/13
Ricardo Malerba – Pasado florido – 1945/4/4
Ricardo Malerba – Violín – 1944/3/6
Ricardo Malerba – Triste revelacion – 1944/6/30

Recommended

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.

Cafetín de Buenos Aires recorded by other Orchestras

Cafetín de Buenos Aires recorded by other Orchestras

1948/7/8 – Lagrimitas de mi corazon – Anibal Troilo
1948/7/8 – Ahi va el dulce – Astor Piazzolla
1948/7/8 – Cargamento – Astor Piazzolla
1948/7/14 – Boedo – Osvaldo Pugliese
1948/7/16 – Por calles muertas – Osvaldo Fresedo
Cafetin de Buenos Aires – 1948/7/8 – Anibal Troilo – Edmundo Rivero
Cafetin de Buenos Aires – 1967/5/15 – Miguel Calo – Alberto Marino
Cafetin de Buenos Aires – 1948/7/20 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Osvaldo Cordo
Cafetin de Buenos Aires – 1964/1/1 – Jose Basso – Hector De Rosas

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Cafetín de Buenos Aires

This is the translation of the Tango “Cafetín de Buenos Aires” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “Cafetín de Buenos Aires” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango Cafetín de Buenos Aires

e chiquilín te miraba de afuera
como a esas cosas que nunca se alcanzan…
La ñata contra el vidrio,
en un azul de frío,
que sólo fue después viviendo
igual al mío…
Como una escuela de todas las cosas,
ya de muchacho me diste entre asombros:
el cigarrillo,
la fe en mis sueños
y una esperanza de amor.

Cómo olvidarte en esta queja,
cafetín de Buenos Aires,
si sos lo único en la vida
que se pareció a mi vieja…
En tu mezcla milagrosa
de sabihondos y suicidas,
yo aprendí filosofía… dados… timba…
y la poesía cruel
de no pensar más en mí.

Me diste en oro un puñado de amigos,
que son los mismos que alientan mis horas:
(José, el de la quimera…
Marcial, que aún cree y espera…
y el flaco Abel que se nos fue
pero aún me guía….).
Sobre tus mesas que nunca preguntan
lloré una tarde el primer desengaño,
nací a las penas,
bebí mis años
y me entregué sin luchar.

English lyrics of the Tango "Cafetín de Buenos Aires"

As a little boy, I watched you from outside
like those things that are never reached…
My nose against the glass,
in a blue of cold,
that later became living
just like my own…
Like a school of all things,
as a young man, you gave me in wonder:
the cigarette,
faith in my dreams
and a hope of love.

How could I forget you in this lament,
café of Buenos Aires,
if you’re the only one in life
that resembled my old mother…
In your miraculous mix
of wise men and suicides,
I learned philosophy… dice… gambling…
and the cruel poetry
of no longer thinking of myself.

You gave me in gold a handful of friends
who still encourage my hours:
(José, the dreamer…
Marcial, who still believes and waits…
and skinny Abel who left us
but still guides me…).
On your tables that never ask
I cried one afternoon the first disillusionment,
I was born to sorrow,
drank my years
and surrendered without fight.

Cafetín de Buenos Aires by

Subheadline: Cafetín de Buenos Aires is a Tango written by and composed by Mariano Mores.

Story behind the Tango Cafetín de Buenos Aires

Cafetín de Buenos Aires is a nostalgic ode to a neighborhood café that holds a special place in the heart of the narrator. The lyrics reveal a deep sense of longing and nostalgia, as the narrator reflects on the significance of the café during different stages of life. The café is portrayed as a sanctuary and a witness to personal growth, offering both solace and lessons. It represents the passage from childhood curiosity—peering longingly from outside—to the complex awareness of adult experiences, where knowledge of philosophy, love, and life’s harsh realities are imparted.

Symbolism of Cafetín de Buenos Aires

The café symbolizes a formative space that blends disparate elements of wisdom and despair, encapsulated in the “mezcla milagrosa de sabihondos y suicidas” (miraculous mix of know-it-alls and suicides). It is a microcosm of life, providing gold in the companionship of friends and the shared moments of triumph and disillusionment. Key phrases such as “la ñata contra el vidrio” (pressing the nose against the glass) convey a longing for something unattainable during youth, while “la poesía cruel de no pensar más en mí” (the cruel poetry of not thinking about myself anymore) reflects resignation and acceptance. Each line paints a vivid picture of emotional milestones. The café, reminiscent of the narrator’s mother, serves as a nurturing force, nurturing both dreams and the painful realizations that accompany them.

Cafetín de Buenos Aires in Historic Context

Created in 1948 in Buenos Aires, the tango captures the essence of Argentine culture in the post-war period—a time steeped in social change and existential reflection. Buenos Aires’ cafés were essential cultural institutions, places where intellectuals, artists, and everyday people gathered. Through its narrative, the song evokes the atmosphere of a city teeming with life and complexity. The melding of personal memories with social realities speaks to the universally shared experience of seeking belonging and grappling with life’s unpredictable nature. The cafés represent both community and solitude, hallmarks of Argentina’s broader societal narratives at the time, underscored by a post-war search for identity and meaning.

Mariano Mores, a renowned Argentine composer, is celebrated for his significant contributions to the tango genre, blending traditional rhythms with innovative orchestral elements.