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Fea

Fea is a Tango written by Horacio Pettorossi and recorded by Enrique Rodríguez in 1946. The Tango Fea is written by Horacio Pettorossi, Enrique Rodríguez has recorded Fea with the singer Fernando Reyes.
“Fea,” which translates to “Ugly” in English, unfolds like a heartfelt tango. It tells the story of a beauty hidden beneath a weathered exterior, a dance of emotions where melancholy and grace intertwine. As the music sways, it whispers the truth that in every imperfection lies a unique charm, a soulful essence waiting to be discovered.

Tango

Style

Enrique Rodríguez

Orchestra

Fernando Reyes

Singer

Alfredo Navarrine

Author

Horacio Pettorossi

Composer

1946/6/21

Date

Fernando Reyes
Fernando Reyes
Enrique Rodríguez
Enrique Rodríguez

Discover Other Orchestras

Enrique Rodríguez – Traje de novia – 1945/3/16
Enrique Rodríguez – En el volga yo te espero – 1943/10/15
Enrique Rodríguez – Música de rancho – 1943/12/28
Enrique Rodríguez – Amor en sombras – 1947/4/24
Enrique Rodríguez – Yo tambien tuve un carino – 1942/12/3
Osvaldo Pugliese – En otros caminos – 1957/7/10
Osvaldo Pugliese – Vieja amiga – 1986/4/21
Osvaldo Pugliese – En secreto – 1947/8/19
Osvaldo Pugliese – El encopao – 1985/12/26
Osvaldo Pugliese – Por qué canto el tango – 1950/6/30
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Yo no sé por qué te quiero – 1959/9/14
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Nunca tuvo novio – 1959/9/14
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Rosicler – 1959/9/14
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Milonguita (Esthercita) – 1959/9/14
Edgardo Donato – Vivo sin sombra lejos de ti – 1938/8/29
Edgardo Donato – Doña Maribiga – 1935/8/28
Edgardo Donato – Madame Ivonne – 1935/2/20
Edgardo Donato – Pregonera – 1945/6/28
Edgardo Donato – Dios lo sabe – 1935/6/13

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.

Fea recorded by other Orchestras

Fea recorded by other Orchestras

1946/6/21 – Vayan saliendo – Osvaldo Pugliese
1946/6/21 – Mecha – Enrique Rodriguez
1946/6/20 – Adios pampa mia – Osvaldo Fresedo
1946/6/20 – Eras el amor – Osvaldo Fresedo
1946/6/19 – Chique – Osmar Maderna
Fea – 1946/6/21 – Enrique Rodriguez – Fernando Reyes
Fea – 1942/1/23 – Jose Garcia – Alfredo Rojas

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Fea

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

Letra del Tango Fea

Procurando que el mundo no la vea
ahí va la pobre fea
camino del taller;
y a su paso, cual todas la mañanas,
las burlas inhumanas
la hieren por doquier.
Cuando alguno le dice una torpeza
inclina la cabeza
transida de dolor,
y piensa con amargo desencanto:
Por qué se reirán tanto
de mi fealdad, ¡Señor!…

Una noche su viejita
en el cuarto llorando la encontró
y la fea, ¡pobrecita!,
la tragedia de su alma le confió;
aquel hombre que debía
conducirla muy pronto ante el altar,
con su amiga Rosalía,
la que ella más quería,
se acaba de escapar…

Cada vez que la llevan a una fiesta,
en procura de olvido y distracción,
con el último acorde de la orquesta
en su alma agoniza otra ilusión.
Sus amigas ya todas se han casado;
sólo ella está huérfana de amor,
¡pobre fea!; y ayer le han encargado
el ajuar de su hermana la menor.

En plena juventud ya estaba vieja,
nunca exhaló una queja,
al ver tanta maldad,
soportando en su alma sola y mustia
como una flor de angustia,
la cruz de su fealdad.
Para todos tenía una sonrisa;
fue noble, fue sumisa;
su drama nadie vio.
Pero fue tan pesada su cadena,
tan grande fue su pena,
¡que anoche se mató!…

English lyrics of the Tango "Fea"

Seeking to hide from the world’s stare,
there goes the poor ugly girl
on her way to the workshop;
and as she walks, like every morning,
cruel taunts
wound her everywhere.
When someone hurls an insult,
she bows her head
overwhelmed with pain,
and thinks with bitter disillusionment:
Why do they laugh so much
at my ugliness, Lord?…

One night her old mother found her
crying in the room
and the ugly girl, poor thing,
confessed the tragedy of her soul;
the man who was supposed
to take her to the altar soon,
with her friend Rosalía,
whom she loved most,
just ran away…

Each time they take her out,
seeking forgetting and distraction,
with the last chord of the orchestra
another illusion dies in her soul.
All her friends have married;
she alone is bereft of love,
poor ugly girl!; and yesterday they ordered
the trousseau of her younger sister.

In her prime she was already old,
never uttered a complaint
seeing so much wickedness,
bearing in her lonely, wilted soul
like a flower of anguish,
the cross of her ugliness.
She had a smile for everyone;
she was noble, she was submissive;
her drama, no one saw.
But her chain was so heavy,
her sorrow so great,
that last night, she killed herself!…

Fea by Alfredo Navarrine

Fea is a Tango written by Alfredo Navarrine and composed by Horacio Pettorossi.



Story behind the Tango Fea

“Fea,” translated to English as “Ugly,” is a tango that tells the melancholic and poignant story of a woman scorned and ridiculed for her appearance. The lyrics portray her daily suffering as she walks to work, encountering cruel jeers that deeply wound her. Despite the pain, she remains silent and stoic. Tragically, her romantic hopes are also shattered when the man she loves deserts her for her closest friend, compounding her isolation and despair. These heartaches lead her to a fateful decision, reflecting the intense emotional burden she carries.



Symbolism of Fea

The song uses powerful symbolic language to explore themes of societal beauty standards and the inner turmoil of those deemed unattractive. Key phrases like “procurando que el mundo no la vea” (hoping that the world does not see her) and “camino del taller” (on her way to the workshop) illustrate her desire to remain invisible and her mundane life of labor. The poignant climax, “tan grande fue su pena, ¡que anoche se mató!” (her sorrow was so great, that last night she killed herself), marks the culmination of her lifelong emotional suffering which she internalizes until it becomes unbearable.



Fea in historic Context

Recorded in 1946 in Argentina, “Fea” emerges in a post-World War II context where traditional roles and societal expectations were prominently reinforced, particularly emphasizing women’s appearances. During this period, tango often reflected the struggles and emotions of the common people, making “Fea”‘s narrative a poignant commentary on the harsh social standards regarding beauty. Such themes resonate deeply in a society recovering from the war’s impact, where personal and collective traumas were prevalent.



Alfredo Navarrine

Alfredo Navarrine was a notable figure in the Argentine tango scene, recognized for his deep and evocative lyricism that often explored themes of love, sorrow, and societal issues.