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El motivo (Pobre paica)

El motivo (Pobre paica) is a Tango written by Juan Carlos Cobián and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1966. Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded El motivo (Pobre paica) as an instrumental Tango.
“El motivo (Pobre paica)” translates to “The Motif (Poor Dancer)” in English. The term “paica” evokes the image of a forlorn woman navigating the dance floor, her heart burdened but her spirit unbroken. The motif reflects her story, a delicate tango between struggle and grace, capturing the essence of resilience amidst life’s complexities.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Pascual Contursi

Author

Juan Carlos Cobián

Composer

1966/6/1

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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El motivo (Pobre paica) recorded by other Orchestras

El motivo (Pobre paica) recorded by other Orchestras

Letra del Tango El motivo (Pobre paica)

Mina que fue en otro tiempo
la más papa milonguera
y en esas noches tangueras
fue la reina del festín.
Hoy no tiene pa’ ponerse
ni zapatos ni vestidos,
anda enferma y el amigo
no aportó para el bulín.

Ya no tienen sus ojazos
esos fuertes resplandores
y en su cara los colores
se le ven palidecer.
Está enferma, sufre y llora
y manya con sentimiento
de que así, enferma y sin vento
más naide la va a querer.

Pobre paica que ha tenido
a la gente rechiflada
y supo con la mirada
conquistar una pasión.
Hoy no tiene quien se arrime
por cariño a su catrera.
¡Pobre paica arrabalera
que quedó sin corazón!

Y cuando de los bandoneones
se oyen las notas de un tango,
pobre florcita de fango
siente en su alma vibrar
las nostalgias de otros tiempos
de placeres y de amores,
¡hoy sólo son sinsabores
que la invitan a llorar!

English lyrics of the Tango "El motivo (Pobre paica)"

A girl who once was
the top dancer in milongas
and in those tango nights
was the queen of the feast.
Now she has no shoes or dresses,
sick and her friend
didn’t help with the room.

Her once vivid eyes
no longer shine strong,
and on her face the colors
show signs of fading.
She’s ill, suffering, and crying
deeply sensing
that sick and broke,
no one will want her anymore.

Poor girl who once
enthralled everyone around,
and with just a look
could ignite a passion.
Now no one comes close
out of love to her bed.
Poor girl from the slums
left heartless!

And when the bandoneons
play the notes of a tango,
poor little flower of the mud
feels a vibrations in her soul
longing for past times
of pleasures and loves,
now just bitter moments
that invite her to cry!

El motivo (Pobre paica) by Pascual Contursi

El motivo (Pobre paica) is a Tango written by Pascual Contursi and composed by Juan Carlos Cobián.



Story behind the Tango El motivo (Pobre paica)

The lyrics of “El motivo (Pobre paica)” paint a poignant picture of a woman whose past glories in the vibrant tango scene have faded into a life marked by poverty and loneliness. Once celebrated as a queen of the dance halls (“la más papa milonguera”), she now struggles without money or companionship, suffering from illness and abandonment. This dramatic fall from grace highlights the fleeting nature of fame and beauty, as well as the harsh realities faced by those once adored when their fortune turns.



Symbolism of El motivo (Pobre paica)

Contursi uses powerful symbolic imagery to deepen the emotional impact of the tango. The transformation of the woman’s eyes (“Ya no tienen sus ojazos esos fuertes resplandores”) and the fading of her colors (“en su cara los colores se le ven palidecer”) conveys her loss of vitality and the dimming of her spirit. Moreover, the expression “pobre florcita de fango” symbolizes her fragility and the harsh environment she faces, juxtaposing the delicate nature of a flower with the muddy, unforgiving streets of the slums. The recurring metaphor of the tango music itself evokes nostalgia, connecting her current misery with memories of happier times.



El motivo (Pobre paica) in historic Context

Recorded in 1966 at a time of cultural revival and transformation in Argentina, “El motivo (Pobre paica)” both reflects and critiques aspects of Argentine society, particularly the marginalization of those who fall out of favor. The tango scene in Argentina, notably vibrant and theatrical, serves as the backdrop for this narrative, imposing the genre’s characteristic blend of passion and melancholy. This song not only provides commentary on the socioeconomic issues of the time but also preserves the emotional and cultural essence of the tango tradition.



Pascual Contursi

Pascual Contursi was an influential figure in the history of tango, known for integrating slangy, colloquial language and narrative elements into the music to create a new form, which deeply resonated with the working-class communities of Buenos Aires.