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Cuento criollo

Cuento criollo is a Tango written by Salvador Granata and recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor in 1929. Orquesta Típica Victor has recorded Cuento criollo as an instrumental Tango.
“Cuento Criollo,” translated as “Creole Tale,” evokes a rich tapestry of cultural narratives. This piece, perhaps a tango, weaves the vibrant stories of a diverse heritage, capturing the soul of a community through its rhythm and melody. It speaks of love, hardship, and the enduring spirit of a people, painting vivid scenes with each note played.

Tango

Style

Orquesta Típica Victor

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Orlando Romanelli

Author

Salvador Granata

Composer

1929/3/21

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Orquesta Típica Victor
Orquesta Típica Victor

Discover Other Orchestras

Armando PONTIER – Verdemar – 1960/7/21
Ricardo Malerba – Remembranza (Remembranzas) – 1943/2/12
Ricardo Malerba – Violín – 1944/3/6
Ricardo Malerba – Quejas de Montmartre – 1956/3/16
Ricardo Malerba – Noches de Montmartre – 1941/9/25
Ricardo Malerba – Triste revelacion – 1944/6/30
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – La cumparsita – 1968/9/11
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – Milonguero triste – 1969/7/30
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – La trampera – 1969/7/30
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – A Pedro Maffia – 1968/9/11
Cuarteto Aníbal TROILO – Sobre el pucho (Un callejón en Pompeya) – 1968/9/11
Héctor Varela – La trilla – 1950/12/15
Héctor Varela – La cumparsita – 1956/11/29
Héctor Varela – Trovador mazorquero – 1955/3/29
Héctor Varela – Royal Pigall (Qué has hecho de mi cariño) – 1955/10/21
Héctor Varela – Don Orlando – 1966/10/23

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.

1929/3/21 – No hay tierra como la mia (2) – Roberto Firpo
1929/3/21 – Debes reir – Orquesta Tipica Victor
1929/3/14 – Impia – Roberto Firpo
1929/3/11 – Miguelito – Roberto Firpo
1929/4/1 – Tango te cambiaron la pinta – Roberto Firpo

Letra del Tango Cuento criollo

Con traje dominguero se vistió el arrabal

La aurora le dio un beso al sol primaveral,

Los últimos acordes de un tango milongón

Tocó su retirada, en aquella reunión.

Alegres, las parejas, cansadas de bailar

Dejaron en silencio, de pronto, aquel lugar,

Y sólo quedó un hombre, borracho en el salón

De voz aguardentosa y de mirar tristón.



“Bebamos camarada, me dijo, un trago más

Y escúcheme un momento, lo que le voy a hablar:

Yo he venido desde lejos a buscar

A la mujer que un día me juró,

Que su amor sería mío, al retornar

Pero supe que por otro, me olvidó.

La he buscado como loco y la encontré

Entre el fango y la miseria, sin amor,

Y al mirarla, sin hablarle, adiviné

La tragedia de mi honor.



Vengarme duramente, yo tuve la intención

Al verla tan ingrata, matando mi ilusión,

Pero la quiero tanto que eso no puede ser

Que me faltó coraje cuando lo quise hacer.

Si usted comprende amigo, lo que es un metejón

Sabrá que hasta el más fiero, ablanda el corazón,

Por más que uno la odie y no la quiera ver

Siempre perdona un hombre, si es una mujer.”

English lyrics of the Tango "Cuento criollo"

Dressed in Sunday garments, the suburbs were adorned

Dawn kissed the springtime sun,

The final chords of a tango milongón

Played their retreat at that gathering.

Joyful, the couples, tired of dancing,

Suddenly left that place in silence,

And only one man remained, drunk in the hall

With a coarse voice and a sorrowful gaze.



“Let’s drink, comrade,” he said, “one more sip

And listen to me for a moment, what I’m about to say:

I’ve come from far away to search

For the woman who once swore to me,

That her love would be mine upon my return

But I learned that she forgot me for another.

I searched for her madly and found her

Among the mud and misery, loveless,

And looking at her, without speaking, I guessed

The tragedy of my honor.



I intended to take harsh revenge

Seeing her so ungrateful, killing my hope,

But I love her so much that it cannot be done

I lacked the courage when I wanted to act.

If you understand, my friend, what a crush is

You’ll know that even the fiercest heart softens,

No matter how much one hates and doesn’t want to see her

A man always forgives, if it’s a woman.”

Cuento criollo by Orlando Romanelli

Cuento criollo is a Tango written by Orlando Romanelli and composed by Salvador Granata.



Story behind the Tango Cuento criollo

The lyrics of “Cuento criollo” tell a vivid story set in a local neighborhood, where a festive atmosphere gradually unveils a tale of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. The narrative begins with a scene of celebration that winds down, leaving behind a solitary, inebriated man who bears the weight of a painful personal story. This man reveals his journey of returning for the love of a woman who had promised to be his, only to find that she had forgotten him for someone else. Despite discovering her ensnared in squalor and devoid of love, his intentions of exacting revenge dissipate into forgiveness, highlighting complex emotions of love and betrayal.



Symbolism of Cuento criollo

The tango uses powerful imagery and metaphors to deepen the emotional impact of the narrative. The personified dawn kissing the spring sun symbolizes new beginnings or perhaps false hopes, juxtaposed against the protagonist’s despair. The term “metejón” is critical, a slang for deep infatuation, portraying the protagonist’s helplessness and the overriding power of love over reason. His internal conflict and eventual resignation hint at a broader cultural theme of machismo tempered by a deep-seated romanticism, common in Latin narratives.



Cuento criollo in historic Context

“Cuento criollo” emerged in 1929, a vibrant yet complex period for Argentina, marked by political shifts and the significant influence of European cultural trends. The tango itself, a dance entwined with the working class and immigrant narratives, provides a poignant backdrop for stories of personal strife and social dynamics. Historically, the late 1920s were rife with economic uncertainty that often mirrored the unstable personal and emotional states in the populace, much like the turmoil faced by the song’s protagonist. This historical context enriches the understanding of the enduring themes of passion, loss, and reconciliation in “Cuento criollo.”



Orlando Romanelli

Orlando Romanelli was an Argentine lyricist known for his contributions to the Tango genre, collaborating with composers to create enduring pieces reflective of Argentine culture and emotions.