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Fantasma

Fantasma is a Tango written by Enrique Delfino and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1944. The Tango Fantasma is written by Enrique Delfino, Osvaldo Fresedo has recorded Fantasma with the singer Oscar Serpa.
“Fantasma,” meaning “Ghost” in English, drifts through the room like a whisper from the past. The haunting melodies weave tales of lost loves and forgotten dreams, echoing in the shadows. Each note lingers, a spectral dance of memory, inviting the listener to waltz with the intangible essence of what once was.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Fresedo

Orchestra

Oscar Serpa

Singer

Cátulo Castillo

Author

Enrique Delfino

Composer

1944/12/28

Date

Oscar Serpa
Oscar Serpa
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo

Discover Other Orchestras

Osvaldo Fresedo – Siga el corso – 1927/9/16
Osvaldo Fresedo – Vamos che (No te detengas) – 1928/9/25
Osvaldo Fresedo – El irresistible – 1943/11/12
Osvaldo Fresedo – Arrabal amargo – 1935/8/23
Osvaldo Fresedo – Pura estampa – 1928/6/5
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Cadenas – 1959/11/23
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Aquellas cartas – 1959/7/8
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Merceditas – 1958/9/23
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Pa’ la guardia – 1959/6/30
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Gardenias – 1959/8/18
Ricardo Malerba – Oración peruana – 1956/6/1
Ricardo Malerba – Embrujamiento – 1943/2/12
Ricardo Malerba – Pasado florido – 1945/4/4
Ricardo Malerba – Violín – 1944/3/6
Ricardo Malerba – La morena de mi copla – 1961/1/1
Rodolfo Biagi – Quejas de bandoneón – 1941/10/7
Rodolfo Biagi – Viejo portón – 1938/10/17
Rodolfo Biagi – A mí no me interesa – 1940/4/12
Rodolfo Biagi – Trenzas – 1945/4/25
Rodolfo Biagi – Pudo ser una vida – 1946/1/18

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.

Fantasma recorded by other Orchestras

Fantasma recorded by other Orchestras

1944/12/28 – Me gusta bailar milonga – Juan D-Arienzo
1944/12/28 – Corazon no le digas a nadie – Osvaldo Fresedo
1944/12/28 – Mi piano – Osvaldo Fresedo
1944/12/28 – Vida mia – Osvaldo Fresedo
1944/12/27 – Argentino soy – Enrique Rodriguez
Fantasma – 1944/10/24 – Miguel Calo – Raul Iriarte
Fantasma – 1944/12/28 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Oscar Serpa

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Fantasma

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

Letra del Tango Fantasma

Regresa tu fantasma cada noche,
Tus ojos son los mismos y tu voz,
Tu voz que va rodando entre sus goznes
La vieja cantinela del adiós.
Qué pálida y qué triste resucita
Vestida de recuerdos, tu canción,
Se aferra a esta tristeza con que gritas
Llamando, en la distancia, al corazón.

Fantasma… de mi vida ya vacía
Por la gris melancolía…
Fantasma… de tu ausencia, sin remedio
En la copa de misterio…
Fantasma… de tu voz que es una sombra
Regresando sin cesar,
¡Cada noche, cada hora!
Tanta sed abrasadora…
A esta sed abrasadora… de olvidar.

Ya no tienes las pupilas bonitas
Se apagaron como una oración,
Tus manos, también ya marchitas
No guardaron mi canción.
Sombras que acompañan tu reproche
Me nublan, para siempre, el corazón…
Olvidos que se encienden en la noche
Agotan en alcohol, mi desesperación.

English lyrics of the Tango "Fantasma"

Your ghost returns each night,
Your eyes are the same, and so is your voice,
Your voice that keeps rolling on its hinges
The age-old goodbye chant.
How pale and sad it resurrects
Dressed in memories, your song,
Clinging to this sadness with which you shout
Calling, in the distance, to the heart.

Ghost… of my life now empty
By the gray melancholy…
Ghost… of your absence, without remedy
In the cup of mystery…
Ghost… of your voice that is a shadow
Returning incessantly,
Every night, every hour!
Such scorching thirst…
This scorching thirst… to forget.

You no longer have beautiful eyes
They dimmed like a prayer,
Your hands, now withered too
Did not keep my song.
Shadows that accompany your reproach
Cloud my heart, forever…
Forgets that ignite in the night
Exhaust in alcohol, my despair.

Fantasma by Cátulo Castillo

Fantasma is a Tango written by Cátulo Castillo and composed by Enrique Delfino.

Story behind the Tango Fantasma

“Fantasma” translates to “Ghost” in English, a haunting reflection on love lost and lingering emotional presence. The lyrics tell the story of a man haunted every night by the ghost of a past lover. The lover is described almost tangibly, through vivid sensory details—her eyes, her voice—yet all are remnants of memories past. The nostalgia and heartbreak are evident as the persona grapples with the pain of unresolved goodbye, immortalized in the recurring “farewell song.”

Symbolism of Fantasma

Key symbols in “Fantasma” include the repeated mention of the ghost (“Fantasma”) representing the lingering feelings and memories of the departed lover. The melancholy is deepened by the “gray melancholy” and the “mysterious cup,” metaphorically suggesting a blend of confusion and unresolved emotions that the persona wishes to escape but cannot. The extinguished eyes, “like a prayer,” imply the loss of light and hope. The yearning to forget, to extinguish the relentless pain mirrored in the consumption of alcohol, underscores the depth of the persona’s despair.

Fantasma in historic Context

The tango was recorded in 1944, a turbulent period for Argentina marked by political instability preceding the rise of Juan Perón. This era often saw themes of melancholy and nostalgia in its art, reflecting the uncertainties and emotional turmoil of the populace. In “Fantasma,” Cátulo Castillo captures this collective feeling of longing and loss, framing personal heartache in a context that likely resonated deeply with his contemporaries.

Cátulo Castillo

Cátulo Castillo was a prominent Argentine poet and tango lyricist, known for his profound and evocative lyrics that delve deep into themes of love, sorrow, and existential reflections.