Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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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.
Canaro en París is a Tango written by José Scarpino and composed by Juan Caldarella.
“Canaro en París” portrays a deep sense of nostalgia and sorrow for a loved one who has left their rural roots behind for the allure of Paris. The lyrics reflect a dialogue or a solitary lament about departure and the resulting emotional wounds. Addressing the subject as “china”, a term affectionately used in rural Argentina for a young woman, the singer reminisces about the past life filled with simple joys and the profound connection with the land and family now abandoned.
The core emotion revolves around betrayal and yearning, as the speaker recounts the ingratitude of the woman who left behind her elderly mother and beloved home without a word. This abandonment leads to suffering, hinted at through the mother slowly consuming herself with sorrow, a powerful image evoking slow, painful emotional decay. The plea for the subject to return, melding personal loss with scenic descriptions of their homeland at dawn, underscores a strong connection to place and heritage.
The tango utilizes vivid imagery and symbolic language to heighten the emotional landscape. Phrases like “dorados trigales” (golden wheat fields) and “campo color de oro” (field colored gold) evoke not only the beauty of the rural landscape but also symbolize the richness and warmth of home, contrasting sharply with the cold glamour of Paris. “Ingrato París” (ungrateful Paris) personifies the city as a thief who stole the woman’s love, suggesting betrayal and loss.
The title itself, “Canaro en París”, could symbolize the dichotomy between traditional Argentine roots and the enchantment of European urbanity, which was a common theme in tango history reflecting the cultural pull between Europe and Argentina during the early to mid-20th century.
While the tango claims creation in 1987, the emotional and thematic contents seem deeply woven into the socio-cultural fabric of earlier 20th century Argentina, a period marked by significant emigration to Europe and internal migration from rural areas to Buenos Aires. This tango, therefore, might reflect the broader Argentine experience of loss and cultural disconnection, thereby resonating deeply with those who felt divided between the allure of the abroad and the ties of home.
Moreover, referring to Paris, often seen as a cultural capital of the world, highlights the lure of greater opportunities and the almost mythical pull it had on the imaginations of people looking for a different life away from their homelands.
José Scarpino was a notable figure in the tango genre, known for capturing deep personal and cultural narratives within his lyrics.