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Callejera

Callejera is a Tango written by Fausto Frontera and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1974. The Tango Callejera is written by Fausto Frontera, Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Callejera with the singer Abel Córdoba.
“Callejera,” meaning “Streetwalker” in English, evokes the spirit of the city streets where stories unfold with each step. It’s a tango that captures the dance of shadows and dreams, where the asphalt hums with secrets untold. In its notes, you’ll find the essence of life’s wanderers, ever searching, ever yearning for connection amid the urban rhythm.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Abel Córdoba

Singer

Enrique Cadícamo

Author

Fausto Frontera

Composer

1974/12/11

Date

Abel Córdoba
Abel Córdoba
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Lyrics Translation of the Tango Callejera

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

Letra del Tango Callejera

Cuando apurada pasás

rumbo quién sabe a qué parte,

haciendo lucir con arte

tu silueta al caminar,

va diciendo ese taquear

que tenés de milonguera:

‘Callejera… Calle]era…

¿a dónde irás a parar?’



Esos trajes que empilchás

no concuerdan con tu cuna,

pobre mina pelandruna

hecha de seda y percal.

En fina copa e’ cristal

hoy tomás ricos licores,

y entre tantos resplandores

se encandiló tu arrabal.



Callejera,

que taqueás de Sur a Norte,

dando dique con el corte

de ese empilche que llevás.

Callejera,

vos también sos Milonguita

y en el fondo de tu almita

una pena sepultás.



Triunfa tu gracia, yo sé,

y en los rondines nocheros

sos de los muebles diqueros

el que da más relumbrón.

Despilfarrás tentación,

pero también, callejera,

cuando estés vieja y fulera

tendrás muerto el corazón.



Seguí nomás, deslizá

tus abriles por la vida,

fascinada y engrupida

por las luces del Pigall,

que cuando empiece a tallar

el invierno de tu vida

notarás arrepentida

que has vivido un carnaval.

English lyrics of the Tango "Callejera"

When you hurriedly pass by
heading who knows where,
making your silhouette shine
as you artfully walk,
that clacking of your heels
speaks of a tango dancer:
“Streetwalker… Streetwalker…
where will you end up?”

Those outfits you flaunt
don’t match where you’re from,
poor ragged girl
made of silk and cotton.
In a fine crystal glass
you now drink rich liqueurs,
and amid all that glitter
your neighborhood was dazzled.

Streetwalker,
you clack from South to North,
showing off with the flair
of that get-up you wear.
Streetwalker,
you are Milonguita too
and deep within your little soul
you bury a sorrow.

Your charm prevails, I know,
and in the nightly rounds
you are among the flashy ones
who shine the brightest.
You squander temptation,
but also, streetwalker,
when you’re old and ugly
your heart will be dead.

Keep going, slide
your Aprils through life,
fascinated and convinced
by the lights of Pigall,
for when the winter of your life begins to carve,
you’ll realize with regret
that you have lived a carnival.

Callejera by Enrique Cadícamo

Callejera is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Fausto Frontera.



Story behind the Tango Callejera

The lyrics of “Callejera” narrate the journey of a woman whose lifestyle reflects her choices between glamour and reality. The central theme touches on themes of youth, beauty, and the inevitable passage of time which brings change. It delves into the transformation from a simple girl (“pobre mina pelandruna”) to a lady of the night, who is dazzled by city lights and seemingly lavish lifestyle (“hecha de seda y percal”). The repeated refrain “Callejera… Callejera… ¿a dónde irás a parar?” poses a rhetorical question about her future, reflecting societal concerns about her chosen path.



Symbolism of Callejera

Significant symbolism in “Callejera” is woven through the use of contrast between clothing and the inherent nature of the protagonist (“Esos trajes que empilchás no concuerdan con tu cuna”). This contrast signifies the disparity between her origins and her current façade. The term “Callejera,” which translates to “streetwalker” in English, epitomizes the woman’s connection to the urban streets, symbolically representing a path of lost innocence and vulnerability. Phrases like “hecha de seda y percal” (made of silk and calico) and “en fina copa e’ cristal hoy tomás ricos licores” (today you drink rich liquors from a fine crystal glass) underline the superficial glamour masking her underlying struggles.



Callejera in historic Context

The tango was recorded in 1974, a time when Argentina was undergoing significant social changes, which makes the setting particularly poignant. This period in Argentina’s history was marked by political tension and an emerging modern culture that both clashed with traditional values. “Callejera” reflects the societal observations of women’s liberation and the scrutiny applied to personal choices. The mention of “milonguera” (a female tango dancer frequenting milongas) and urban references like “Picall” (likely a nod to Parisian influences or the famed Pigalle area known for its nightlife) suggest an intersection of local and international influences on Buenos Aires’ cultural landscape.



Enrique Cadícamo

Enrique Cadícamo was a prominent Argentine lyricist and poet known for his contributions to the tango genre.