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El mate amargo

El mate amargo is a Tango written by Oscar Herrero and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1951. The Tango El mate amargo is written by Oscar Herrero, Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded El mate amargo with the singer Alberto Moran.
“The Bitter Mate” (El mate amargo) captures the essence of life’s dualities. This piece of music, like the traditional South American drink, marries the sharpness of life’s challenges with the warmth of shared moments. Its notes twist and turn like a tango, reflecting the complex dance between the bitter realities and sweet connections that define the human experience.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Alberto Moran

Singer

Marvil

Author

Oscar Herrero

Composer

1951/6/27

Date

Alberto Moran
Alberto Moran
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Lyrics Translation of the Tango El mate amargo

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

Letra del Tango El mate amargo

Recitado:
¡Oigan muchachos!
Este canto es una queja
El rezongo de la vieja
Cuando nos viene a despertar…

¡Oigan muchachos!
Este canto es una queja,
Mate amargo que la vieja
Hoy me trajo al despertar.
Estaba tan dolorida,
Si ya no tengo perdón,
Estoy quemando mi vida
Y matando su ilusión.
¡Oigan muchachos!
Este canto es una queja,
Mate amargo que mi vieja
Hoy me trajo al despertar…

Fue mi vida un arrebato
Ya lo sé,
Damos todo por un rato
De placer.
Quién se acuerda de la vieja
Si la danza es de locura,
Y las copas que se apuran
Las colmamos otra vez.
Pero un día, de vergüenza
De vergüenza y amargura,
Llorará sobre sus canas
Como yo también lloré.

Coda:
¡Oigan muchachos!
Este canto es una queja,
Mate amargo que mi vieja
Hoy me trajo al despertar…


English lyrics of the Tango "El mate amargo"

Recited:
Listen up, boys!
This song is a complaint
The grumbling of the old lady
When she comes to wake us up…

Listen up, boys!
This song is a complaint,
Bitter mate that the old lady
Brought me this morning when awakening.
She was so in pain,
If I’m no longer forgiven,
I’m burning my life away
And killing her dreams.
Listen up, boys!
This song is a complaint,
Bitter mate that my old lady
Brought me this morning when awakening…

My life was a whirlwind
I know it,
We give everything for a moment
Of pleasure.
Who remembers the old lady
When the dance is a frenzy,
And the drinks that are guzzled
We fill again and again.
But one day, out of shame
Shame and bitterness,
She will weep over her gray hair
Just like I also wept.

Coda:
Listen up, boys!
This song is a complaint,
Bitter mate that my old lady
Brought me this morning when awakening…

El mate amargo by Marvil

El mate amargo is a Tango written by Marvil and composed by Oscar Herrero.



Story behind the Tango El mate amargo

The tango “El mate amargo” revolves around an emotional reflection expressed through a recitative style, conveying the remorse and reflections of a person woken up by their mother with a bitter mate, a traditional South American drink. The repeated call to listen “¡Oigan muchachos!” emphasizes the importance of the lesson being imparted, which is essentially a lament over misspent youth and the neglect of familial responsibilities. The narrator acknowledges the pain caused to his mother, described as old and disillusioned, reflecting regret over “burning” his life and “killing” her dreams.



Symbolism of El mate amargo

The bitter mate (“mate amargo”) itself is a powerful symbol within the lyrics. Traditionally a communal and sociable drink, its bitterness here contrasts with its usual warmth, representing the bitter realities of life decisions and their consequences. The recurring theme of youth’s reckless abandonment leading to later remorse is encapsulated as the narrator reflects on the folly of trading fleeting pleasures for lasting pain. Key phrases like “Damos todo por un rato / De placer” (We give everything for a moment of pleasure) and “Llorará sobre sus canas” (Will cry over her gray hair) poignantly depict the deep emotional cost of such choices.



El mate amargo in historic context

“El mate amargo” was recorded in 1951, a time when Argentina was experiencing significant political and social changes. The song can be seen as a reflection of the personal and societal conflicts of the era. Post World War II Argentina was marked by the rise of Juan Domingo Perón, bringing with him a mix of populism and nationalistic fervor. In this context, the lyrics may parallel the country’s collective introspection over its past choices and the ongoing cost those choices imposed on its people, particularly its older generations. The personal regrets of the narrator echo a broader narrative of national reflection and possibly remorse.



Marvil

Marvil, an Argentine lyricist, was known for his poignant and evocative tango lyrics that often reflected deeper societal emotions and individual human conditions.