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Carta brava

Carta brava is a Tango written by Rosita Quiroga and recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor in 1927. Orquesta Típica Victor has recorded Carta brava as an instrumental Tango.
“Carta brava,” or “Bold Letter” in English, evokes the fierce and passionate spirit of a tango unfolding under moonlight. The melody dives fearlessly into the heart’s deepest desires, crafting a dialogue of longing and determination. This powerful composition speaks to the courage it takes to express one’s innermost emotions, dancing gracefully across the floor of the soul.

Tango

Style

Orquesta Típica Victor

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Celedonio Flores

Author

Rosita Quiroga

Composer

1927/10/14

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Orquesta Típica Victor
Orquesta Típica Victor

Discover Other Orchestras

Lucio Demare – Color de rosa – 1941/10/8
Lucio Demare – Pena de amor – 1943/2/11
Lucio Demare – El baile de los domingos – 1943/7/13
Lucio Demare – Nunca tuvo novio – 1957/1/1
Lucio Demare – Dandy – 1957/1/1
Aníbal Troilo – El africano – 1967/10/18
Aníbal Troilo – La bordona – 1963/4/16
Aníbal Troilo – Garúa – 1943/8/4
Aníbal Troilo – Nocturna – 1963/4/16
Aníbal Troilo – El encopao – 1942/9/1
LOS SEÑORES DEL TANGO – Milonguero viejo – 1962/10/8
José Basso – Adiós muchachos – 1961/5/12
José Basso – Una lágrima tuya – 1949/5/27
José Basso – Caminito – 1983/1/1
José Basso – Tres éxitos (Fumando espero
Historia de un amor
Bailemos) – 1956/4/20
José Basso – Pecachi – 1955/9/16

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.

Carta brava recorded by other Orchestras

Carta brava recorded by other Orchestras

1927/10/14 – Adios muchachos – Orquesta Tipica Victor
1927/10/13 – Queja indiana – Roberto Firpo
1927/10/13 – Perfume de mujer – Roberto Firpo
1927/10/13 – Mburucuya – Roberto Firpo
1927/10/13 – Caido del cielo – Roberto Firpo
Carta brava – 1965/1/1 – Domingo Federico – Ruben Sanchez
Carta brava – 1927/10/14 – Orquesta Tipica Victor – Instrumental

Letra del Tango Carta brava

Decís que andás en la mala, que hay días que pasás hambre,

que el destino te ha fajado sin tenerte compasión.

¡La perdiz es desgraciada si se mata en el alambre!

¡Porque la pobre volando pierde tino y dirección!

Pero vos que fuiste un lince pa’ tallar entre polleras,

que viviste del rebusque en las timbas de bulín,

te tirás al abandono como una Aurora cualquiera

y abandonás la pelea tirando la esponja al ring.

Bien sabés que no se gana el monte de la existencia

echándose boca arriba y poniéndose a llorar,

si no tenés pa’ un apunte, copála de prepotencia

y llevá toda la contra, que si no, ¡te vas a armar!

Vos sabés que soy un reo que puedo darte consejos

pues la vida me ha enseñado lo que es bien y lo que es mal.

Yo que vos, me volvería nuevamente con los viejos

a la modesta casita del barrio sentimental.



Y besándola a la vieja le diría suplicante

aquí estoy, vengo buscando paz, amor y redención,

cansado de aguantar golpes como baúl de emigrante,

más jugado que baraja de mistongo bodegón.

Y pondría sol de amores en sus días sin belleza,

sería un rayo de luna en sus noches de dolor,

armoniosa serenata en su balcón de tristeza

y en su jaulita de alambre sería un misto cantor…

English lyrics of the Tango "Carta brava"

You say you’re down on your luck, that there are days you go hungry,
that fate has beaten you without showing mercy.
The partridge is unfortunate if it’s caught in the wire!
For the poor one, flying, loses sense and direction!

But you, who were a lynx at carving among skirts,
who lived off the hustle in backroom gambling dens,
you throw yourself to abandonment like any old Joe
and give up the fight by throwing in the towel in the ring.

You know well that you don’t conquer life’s wilds
by lying on your back and starting to cry,
if you don’t have a clue, take control forcefully
and always go against the grain, otherwise, you’ll have trouble!

You know I’m a convict who can give you advice,
life has taught me what’s right and what’s wrong.
If I were you, I’d go back to my parents
in the modest house in the sentimental neighborhood.



And kissing your mother I’d plead,
“I’m here, seeking peace, love, and redemption,
tired of enduring blows like a traveler’s trunk,
played more than a worn deck in a shabby tavern.”

And I’d put sunlight of love on her beautyless days,
be a moonbeam on her nights of pain,
a harmonious serenade on her balcony of sadness,
and in her wire cage, I’d be a bright singing bird…

Carta brava by Celedonio Flores

Carta brava is a Tango written by Celedonio Flores and composed by Rosita Quiroga.



Story behind the Tango Carta brava

“Carta brava,” translated to English as “Fierce Letter,” involves a narrative where the speaker addresses an acquaintance who has fallen on hard times. The lyrics capture the essence of struggle, hardship, and the impact of fate. The speaker recounts the recipient’s descent from a clever gambler to someone who has given up, paralleling this fall with a bird tragically caught in wire—symbolizing lost freedom and direction. The advice given is to face life’s adversities head on, hinting at a possible redemption by reconnecting with familial roots and by seeking forgiveness and peace within a simpler, loving environment of the past.



Symbolism of Carta brava

The tango uses powerful symbols to deepen the themes of struggle and regeneration. For instance, the image of a “partridge dying on the wire” poignantly illustrates the despair of someone caught in inescapable circumstances. Similarly, the comparison of the recipient to “a trunk of an emigrant” enduring continuous blows amplifies the sense of ongoing struggle. Furthermore, promising to be a “ray of moon” in nights of pain and a “beautiful serenade on her balcony of sadness” utilizes contrasts between dark and light, and music against silence, highlighting the potential transformations through love and care.



Carta brava in historic Context

Written and recorded in 1927 in Argentina, “Carta brava” reflects the social and economic challenges of its era. This period in Argentine history was marked by political and social upheaval, with widespread poverty affecting large portions of the society. The tango, as a musical genre, often captured the pulse of the lower classes and their struggles, thus acting as a voice for the marginalized. Celedonio Flores often ingrained his works with sharp social commentary, using the tango as a medium to explore themes of injustice, redemption, and human resilience.



Celedonio Flores

Celedonio Flores was a renowned Argentine poet and tango lyricist known for his eloquent reflections on life, love, and society.