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.
Cantando is a Tango written and composed by Mercedes Simone.
The lyrics of “Cantando” reflect a deep, personal pain associated with lost love. The singer recounts the agony of being without the sweetness of her lover’s kisses and admits to wandering alone, devoid of love. The inclusion of another figure, now the recipient of her former lover’s affections, introduces a sentiment of abandonment and replaced affection. This narrative of love and loss is conveyed through a confession of mixed emotions—laughter and tears, jealousy and fear—highlighting the complex feelings involved in her grieving process.
The recurring motif of ‘singing’ in “Cantando” serves as a poignant symbol. It represents the narrator’s way of coping with her emotional pain. “Cantando yo le di mi corazón, mi amor” reveals that singing was not just an expression of love but a commitment of her heart. This artistic expression becomes her solace and her suffering, as it is intertwined with both the meeting and losing of her beloved. The lyrics suggest a fatalistic view towards her emotional state, as she resolves that if she cannot cry, she must sing until her death.
Recorded in Argentina in 1957, “Cantando” emerged during a period marked by social and cultural transformations, including the influential era of Perón’s leadership. The tango, a genre deeply embedded in Argentine culture, often reflects themes of everyday life, emotional struggle, and societal issues. This time frame possibly influences the melodramatic and heartfelt expression found in Simone’s lyrics, capturing an individual’s emotional battle against broader social expectations and personal turmoil.
Mercedes Simone was a renowned Argentine tango singer, known for her significant contribution to the tango genre in the 20th century.