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El rosal de los cerros

El rosal de los cerros is a Tango written by Eduardo Bonessi and recorded by Armando Pontier in 1956. The Tango El rosal de los cerros is written by Eduardo Bonessi, Armando Pontier has recorded El rosal de los cerros with the singer Julio Sosa.
“El rosal de los cerros,” or “The Rosebush of the Hills,” evokes a sense of timeless beauty nestled in rugged terrain. The music, like the delicate blooms, weaves between heartache and hope, reflecting the dance of petals in the mountain breeze. It captures the essence of nature’s elegance, resilient yet tender, thriving amidst life’s challenges.

Tango

Style

Armando Pontier

Orchestra

Julio Sosa

Singer

José De Cicco

Author

Eduardo Bonessi

Composer

1956/1/17

Date

Julio Sosa
Julio Sosa
Armando Pontier
Armando Pontier

Discover Other Orchestras

Francisco Rotundo – Justo el 31 – 1953/12/14
Francisco Rotundo – Mi noche triste – 1949/2/21
Francisco Rotundo – Ebrio – 1956/8/1
Francisco Rotundo – Milonguera – 1954/4/12
Francisco Rotundo – Bien bohemio – 1954/4/12
Carlos Gardel – Dicen que dicen (b) – 1930/5/20
Carlos Gardel – Rosarito la serrana – 1921/1/1
Carlos Gardel – Padre nuestro – 1923/1/1
Carlos Gardel – Esas no vovleran – 1921/1/1
Carlos Gardel – Sufra – 1922/1/1
Francini-Pontier – A su memoria – 1947/3/5
Francini-Pontier – Mate amargo – 1948/5/10
Francini-Pontier – A media luz – 1973/1/1
Francini-Pontier – Azabache – 1954/4/8
Francini-Pontier – Tema otoñal – 1973/1/1
Alfredo De Angelis – Flor de fango – 1951/5/10
Alfredo De Angelis – Del pasado – 1945/11/13
Alfredo De Angelis – Remembranza (Remembranzas) – 1954/12/28
Alfredo De Angelis – Entre tu amor y mi amor – 1959/8/18
Alfredo De Angelis – La flor del palmar – 1957/12/29

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.

1956/1/18 – Pura clase – Armando Pontier
1956/1/19 – Alguien – Enrique Francini
1956/1/19 – El resero – Enrique Francini
1956/1/19 – Inspiracion – Enrique Francini
1956/1/19 – Las rosas de mi madre – Enrique Francini

Lyrics Translation of the Tango El rosal de los cerros

This is the translation of the Tango “El rosal de los cerros” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “El rosal de los cerros” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango El rosal de los cerros

Viene amagando la noche,

trayendo enancada el agua

castiga el viento los montes,

quebrando sus verdes ramas

se alborotan las haciendas,

buscan guarida las aves

y en la costa ‘e los arroyos

se despeinan los sauzales.



Al tranco corto de un zaino

llegó el ausente a las casas

traiba frío hasta en los huesos,

pero calor en el alma.

Abrió la puerta extrañao,

notando un silencio santo

y junto a un candil que humeaba

vio la traición dentro ‘el rancho.



(recitado)

Se le aflojaron las piernas

al ver tamaña desgracia,

se le extravió la mirada,

se le añudó la garganta.

Trago saliva pa’dentro,

sintió calor en la cara

y mascando su dolor,

dijo el criollo estas palabras.

‘A usté debiera matarlo,

pa’que soltase el veneno,

pero al filo de mi daga

no ha de mellarlo un rastrero’.

Mas luego mirando a su hembra:

‘No temblés, no seas cobarde

que no es a vos a quien busco,

sino al hijo de mi sangre’.



Saco el cachorro ‘e la cuna,

lo apretó contra su pecho

y envolviéndolo en su poncho,

salió con tranco resuelto.

Acomodó al inocente

en la cruz del zaino viejo

y en la noche tormentosa,

enderezó pa’ los cerros.



Un relámpago siniestro

cruzó por lo alto de un pico,

y se vido al pobre gaucho,

besando en la frente al hijo,

tapó con su poncho pampa

los ojos del zaino viejo

y cerrándole las piernas,

le puso a la muerte el pecho.



(Recitado)

Y en el lugar que cayeron,

comenta la gente ‘el cerro,

que ha florecido un rosal

que va cubriendo unos huesos.

English lyrics of the Tango "El rosal de los cerros"

The night approaches stealthily,
carrying the rain clenched tightly.
The wind punishes the mountains,
breaking their green branches.
The estates stir in commotion,
birds seek shelter,
and along the creek’s banks,
the willow trees are tousled.

At the slow pace of a bay horse,
the absent one arrived at the homes.
He was cold to the bone,
but warmth filled his soul.
He opened the door, struck by surprise,
noting a holy silence,
and beside a smoking lamp,
he saw betrayal within the ranch.

(Spoken)
His legs buckled
at seeing such a catastrophe,
his gaze wandered,
his throat tightened.
He swallowed his saliva,
felt heat flush his face
and, chewing on his pain,
the native spoke these words:
‘I should kill you,
to make you spit out the venom,
but the edge of my dagger
won’t be tarnished by a coward.’
Then, looking at his woman:
‘Don’t tremble, don’t be a coward.
It’s not you I’m after,
but the son of my blood.’

He took the puppy from the cradle,
pressed it against his chest,
and wrapping it in his poncho,
he left with a determined stride.
He settled the innocent one
on the back of the old bay horse,
and in the stormy night,
headed towards the hills.

A sinister lightning bolt
struck high on a peak,
and there saw the poor gaucho,
kissing his son on the forehead,
he covered the old bay horse’s eyes
with his Pampa poncho,
and closing its legs around him,
he faced death with his chest.

(Spoken)
And in the place where they fell,
the people of the hill say,
a rosebush has blossomed
that now covers some bones.

El rosal de los cerros by José De Cicco

El rosal de los cerros is a Tango written by José De Cicco and composed by Eduardo Bonessi.



Story behind the Tango El rosal de los cerros

The poignant lyrics of “El rosal de los cerros” narrate a tormented tale of betrayal, love, and a desperate father’s resolve. The song begins with a vivid depiction of a stormy evening setting a grim scene as a man returns to his home, only to discover a heartbreaking betrayal. The emotions and actions that follow, capped by his decision to flee to the hills with his child, underscore a dramatic mixture of sorrow, anger, and profound paternal love, ultimately culminating in his tragic death and the poetic emergence of a rosebush at the site of his demise.



Symbolism of El rosal de los cerros

The rosebush (“rosal”) in the title symbolizes the eternal memory of the protagonist’s struggle and his deep love for his child. Roses often represent love in literature, but in this tango, they also symbolize remembrance and perhaps redemption out of the father’s tragic end. The stormy night mirrors the turmoil within the household and the soul of the father. Finally, “El rosal de los cerros” or “The Rosebush of the Hills” in English, signifies a lasting testament to the protagonist’s final sacrifice—his death intertwined with paternal love, preserving his memory through nature’s beauty in a place marked by personal tragedy.



El rosal de los cerros in historic Context

Set in Argentina and recorded in the mid-1950s, “El rosal de los cerros” emerges during a period known for its political instability and cultural vibrancy. The stark portrayal of personal betrayal against a backdrop of rural hardship reflects societal issues of the era, such as displacement and familial disruption. The geographical references to “cerros” (hills) and the rustic scenario of a storm complement the historical context of a country battling between tradition and modern pressures, providing a deeper canvas to this story of personal anguish and cultural identity.



José De Cicco

José De Cicco was an Argentine tango lyricist known for his heartfelt and often poignant stories set to music, capturing the essence of the Argentine spirit and hardship.