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Esclavas blancas

Esclavas blancas is a Tango written by Horacio Pettorossi and recorded by Carlos Gardel in 1931. The Tango Esclavas blancas is written by Horacio Pettorossi, Carlos Gardel has recorded Esclavas blancas with the singer Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas.
“Esclavas Blancas,” translated into English as “White Slaves,” evokes a haunting dance of tangled histories and forgotten sorrows. The title speaks to the silent stories of those bound by invisible chains, lost in the shadows of past and identity. It serves as a poignant reminder of the unseen struggles and whispered tales woven into the fabric of society, moving like a somber, relentless Tango.

Tango

Style

Carlos Gardel

Orchestra

Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas

Singer

Horacio Pettorossi

Author

Horacio Pettorossi

Composer

1931/9/16

Date

Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas
Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas
Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel

Discover Other Orchestras

Domingo Federico – Orilla – 1960/1/1
Domingo Federico – El mayoral – 1946/4/24
Domingo Federico – Tiburón – 1950/3/23
Domingo Federico – La milonga de mi amor – 1949/11/25
Domingo Federico – Futuro – 1945/6/19
Lucio Demare – La casita de mis viejos – 1953/1/27
Lucio Demare – Torrente – 1944/10/11
Lucio Demare – Tortazos – 1942/1/23
Lucio Demare – Los mareados – 1957/1/1
Lucio Demare – Preludio a mi noche triste
Mi noche triste – 1952/6/18
Juan Maglio – Milonguero viejo – 1928/4/2
Miguel Caló – Desorientado – 1956/4/6
Miguel Caló – Lejos de Buenos Aires – 1942/7/29
Miguel Caló – Bien jailefe – 1955/5/4
Miguel Caló – El abandono – 1953/9/7
Miguel Caló – Bohardilla – 1944/4/19

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.

Esclavas blancas recorded by other Orchestras

Esclavas blancas recorded by other Orchestras

1931/9/16 – Como se canta en Napoles – Carlos Gardel
1931/9/16 – Como abrazado a un rencor – Carlos Gardel
1931/9/17 – Carillon de La Merced – Roberto Firpo
1931/9/17 – La guitarrera de San Nicolas – Roberto Firpo
1931/9/17 – La porfiada – Roberto Firpo
Esclavas blancas – 1940/12/12 – Juan D-Arienzo – Alberto Reynal
Esclavas blancas – 1950/12/29 – Francisco Rotundo – Floreal Ruiz
Esclavas blancas – 1931/9/16 – Carlos Gardel – Guit. Guillermo Barbieri
Angel Domingo Riverol
Domingo Julio Vivas
Esclavas blancas – 1932/5/4 – Francisco Canaro – Agustin Irusta

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Esclavas blancas

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

Letra del Tango Esclavas blancas

Almitas torturadas,

pobres esclavas blancas del tango y la milonga.

Mujeres infecundas,

¡autómatas del vicio, sin alma y sin amor!…

No sé por qué esta noche

reflejan tus pupilas la pena que te mata

y en cada carcajada,

yo sé, pobre milonga, solloza el corazón.



Tal vez tu propia culpa,

tal vez el desengaño

del hombre que has querido

y hoy para olvidarlo,

emborrachás tu alma

con tango y con champagne.

Pero pensá, milonga,

que hay una criaturita

de manecitas blancas

que en este mismo instante

tal vez a unos extraños

les llamará mamá…



No comprendés, milonga,

que vos pasás la vida en una farsa alegre,

donde se necesita,

para conquistar hombres, eterna juventud.

Pero los años pasan,

dejando sus recuerdos, recuerdos muy ingratos

y cuando vieja y fea

te encuentren tus ‘amigos’,

verás qué ingratitud.



Yo sé que vos sos buena,

que escucharás este ruego

de este sincero amigo.

No sigas por la senda

de fáciles placeres, de tango y de champagne.

Pensá cinco minutos

en esa criaturita

de manecitas blancas,

que en este mismo instante,

tal vez a unos extraños, ¡les llamará mamá!

English lyrics of the Tango "Esclavas blancas"

Tortured little souls,
poor white slaves of tango and milonga.
Barren women,
automatons of vice, soulless and loveless!…
I don’t know why tonight
your pupils reflect the pain that kills you
and in every laughter,
I know, poor milonga, the heart weeps.

Maybe your own fault,
maybe the disappointment
of the man you loved
and today to forget him,
you drench your soul
with tango and champagne.
But think, milonga,
there is a little child
with little white hands
who at this very moment
might call some strangers mama…

You don’t understand, milonga,
that you spend your life in a merry farce,
where you need,
to win men, eternal youth.
But the years pass,
leaving their memories, very bitter memories
and when old and ugly
your ‘friends’ find you,
you’ll see what ingratitude.

I know that you are good,
that you will listen to this plea
from a sincere friend.
Do not continue on the path
of easy pleasures, of tango and champagne.
Think for five minutes
about that little child
with little white hands,
who at this very moment,
might call some strangers, mama!

Esclavas blancas by Horacio Pettorossi

Esclavas blancas is a Tango written and composed by Horacio Pettorossi.



Story behind the Tango Esclavas blancas

“Esclavas blancas” translates to “white slaves” in English, a term which historically referred to forced labor but here metaphorically underscores the emotional and societal bondage experienced by certain women in 1930s Argentina. In the lyrics, we are introduced to “tortured souls,” women entangled in the world of tango and milonga, nightlife scenes that often masked sorrow with festivity. The recurring mention of these women as automatons devoid of love and soul implies a critique of societal norms treating women more as entertainment objects rather than individuals with feelings and aspirations.



Symbolism of Esclavas blancas

The tango’s poignant symbolism lies in its depiction of laughter hiding heartache. “Almitas torturadas” and “autómatas del vicio” not only highlight the plight of women forced to seek affection through transient, commercial interactions but also reflect the eternal youth required “to conquer men,” a fleeting attribute that leaves many discarded by the same society that once celebrated them. “Pensá cinco minutos” urges reflection, symbolizing a plea for introspection in a life otherwise characterized by rapid, superficial pleasures. The recurring image of a child potentially calling strangers “mama” underscores a deep sense of personal and generational loss, representing women’s fractured identities and lost motherhood.



Esclavas blancas in historic Context

Written in the early 1930s, “Esclavas Blancas” reflects the social dynamics of an Argentina caught between the traditional and the modern. This was a time when Buenos Aires was rapidly urbanizing, and tango culture was at its peak, often associated with the nightlife that included dancing and drinking. It was also a period when societal expectations and the economic necessities forced many women into roles that offered them little agency. This song, hence, serves as a critique of the moral and emotional decay hidden beneath the glamorous surface of contemporary urban life.



Horacio Pettorossi

Horacio Pettorossi was a renowned Argentine composer and musician, influential in the Tango genre. His works often reflected deep social and emotional currents.