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Felisa Tolosa

Felisa Tolosa is a Vals written by Raúl de los Hoyos and recorded by Alfredo De Angelis in 1954. The Vals Felisa Tolosa is written by Raúl de los Hoyos, Alfredo De Angelis has recorded Felisa Tolosa with the singer Carlos Dante.
“Felisa Tolosa,” translating to “Felisa’s Hills” in English, evokes images of gentle landscapes under wide, open skies. Each note of the piece dances like a breeze over rolling fields, whispering stories of timeless beauty and serene resilience. It captures the essence of nature’s gentle strength, inviting the listener to wander through life’s undulating journey with grace and wonder.

Vals

Style

Alfredo De Angelis

Orchestra

Carlos Dante

Singer

Luis César Amadori, Ivo Pelay

Author

Raúl de los Hoyos

Composer

1954/10/15

Date

Carlos Dante
Carlos Dante
Alfredo De Angelis
Alfredo De Angelis

Discover Other Orchestras

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Lucio Demare – Color de rosa – 1941/10/8
Lucio Demare – El chupete – 1942/10/9
Lucio Demare – Nunca tuvo novio – 1957/1/1
Osmar Maderna – Volvió a llover – 1947/7/2
Osmar Maderna – El pillete – 1949/1/26
Osmar Maderna – Para ti madre – 1949/1/26
Osmar Maderna – Canción desesperada – 1946/1/1
Osmar Maderna – Gracias – 1946/10/31
Florindo Sassone – Sueño (Le tango du rêve) – 1974/1/1
Florindo Sassone – El amor no sirve para nada – 1974/1/1
Florindo Sassone – Cielo azul – 1968/8/27
Florindo Sassone – Quimera – 1948/5/11
Florindo Sassone – Y volvemos a querernos – 1949/1/25
Enrique Francini – Es hora de vivir – 1956/7/27
Enrique Francini – Cabulero – 1957/9/18
Enrique Francini – Bailemos – 1955/12/13
Enrique Francini – El arranque – 1970/7/15
Enrique Francini – Yira yira – 1977/1/1

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.

1954/10/13 – Los cosos de al lao – Miguel Calo
1954/10/13 – Suena (Toi seul) – Miguel Calo
1954/10/21 – De mi corazon – Francini-Pontier
1954/10/21 – Los cosos de al lao – Francini-Pontier
1954/10/26 – Didi – Hector Varela

Lyrics Translation of the Vals Felisa Tolosa

This is the translation of the Vals “Felisa Tolosa” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Vals “Felisa Tolosa” have been done with AI.

Letra del Vals Felisa Tolosa

Gambeteaba la pena en sus ojos
y en su cara color tierra siena,
las miradas de angustia, cruzaban
jineteando detrás de la pena.
Se llamaba Felisa Tolosa
y era guacha, con nombre prestado;
el Felisa, lo había pedido
y el Tolosa, lo había inventado.

Nunca tuvo ni donde morirse,
nunca supo lo que era alegría,
y llorando la vieron mil veces
los caminos de la serranía.
Nunca pudo besar una mano
paternal, que le hiciera un halago,
y sus hondos pesares sabían
los gorriones y perros del pago.

Hasta un día que vino un resero,
de bombacha y pañuelo floreado
y un suspiro de fuego en la oreja,
le dejó, como un aro, colgado.
Se encontraron de frente a la luna…
¡de suspiros volaron bandadas!…
Y domaron sus bocas a besos,
esa noche dos almas trenzadas.

El resero largó a la Tolosa
y ninguno su nombre ha sabido…
El resero se fue para siempre
y enancado llevaba el olvido.
Y hoy, Felisa Tolosa, no espera
en sus pilchas sonriente dormita,
y a su lado, prendida del pecho,
tironeando se ve una guachita.

English lyrics of the Vals "Felisa Tolosa"

She dodged the pain in her eyes
and on her face, the color of sienna earth,
glances of anguish crossed,
riding behind the sorrow.
Her name was Felisa Tolosa
and she was orphaned, with a borrowed name;
Felisa, she had asked for,
and Tolosa, she had made up.

She never even had a place to die,
never knew what joy was,
and the mountain paths saw her weeping a thousand times.
She never got to kiss a parental hand
that would offer her praise,
and her deep sorrows were known to
the sparrows and dogs of the town.

Until one day came a cattle drover,
in baggy trousers and a floral scarf,
and a fiery sigh in her ear,
he left hanging like a hoop.
They met face to face under the moon…
flocks of sighs flew!…
And their mouths tamed with kisses,
that night two intertwined souls.

The drover left Tolosa behind
and no one has known his name…
The drover went away forever
carrying oblivion on his slouched back.
And today, Felisa Tolosa no longer waits,
in her clothes, she sleeps with a smile,
and by her side, clinging to her chest,
you can see a little girl tugging.

Felisa Tolosa by Luis César Amadori, Ivo Pelay

Felisa Tolosa is a Tango written by Luis César Amadori, Ivo Pelay and composed by Raúl de los Hoyos.



Story behind the Tango Felisa Tolosa

The poignant narrative of “Felisa Tolosa” paints a heartfelt and somber picture of a woman marked by solitude and despair. The lyrics reveal the life of a woman named Felisa Tolosa, who is described metaphorically as someone dodging sorrow, with a face as “terra siena” indicating earthy resilience. The mention of her being “guacha” (orphan) with a “borrowed name” hints at her lonely start in life without familial support or identity.

Her encounters with fleeting happiness and lasting grief are chronicled, showcasing a life filled with more tears than smiles. A turning point occurs when a resero (cattle herder) enters her life, bringing brief love and a child, only to leave her to face her fate alone once again. The song ends with Felisa no longer waiting for him, suggestively resigned and sleeping in her garments, with her daughter clutched close to her side.



Symbolism of Felisa Tolosa

The key symbol in this tango is the resero’s fleeting appearance, representing ephemeral happiness in Felisa’s otherwise bleak life. The imagery of “bandadas” of sighs and their hearts intertwining like braided souls during their brief encounter underscores the intense but short-lived nature of their connection. Furthermore, her solitude and resilience are depicted through the interaction with nature—her deep sorrows known only to the local sparrows and dogs.

The repeated mention of “Tolosa,” a name she fabricated, symbolizes her constructed identity in a world that has offered her no true recognition or place. This fabricated name underlines her struggle for a semblance of dignity amidst abandonment and societal detachment.



Felisa Tolosa in historic Context

Recorded in 1954 in Argentina, “Felisa Tolosa” emerges during a culturally rich but politically tumultuous period in Argentine history. Post-World War II, the nation was marked by rapid industrialization and urban migration, often leading to social disparities and individual stories of struggle, such as depicted in the tango. The lyrics could be reflecting the socio-economic challenges faced by the lower classes, especially women, during this era—echoed in Felisa’s lifelong battle with poverty and social invisibility.



Luis César Amadori, Ivo Pelay

Luis César Amadori and Ivo Pelay were prominent figures in Argentine theatre and cinema, known for their poignant storytelling and contributions to the Golden Age of Argentine cinema.