Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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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.
Gardenias is a Tango written by Manuel Ferradás Campos and composed by Maruja Pacheco Huergo.
The lyrics of “Gardenias” reflect a deep, emotional connection to both the symbolic flower and an unspoken love story. The gardenia, known for its beautiful appearance and intoxicating fragrance, is used in the song to represent a binding and pure love that blooms brightly under the sun, just as gardenias do. The blooms encapsulate the singer’s heart, suggesting a love so profound that it dominates their existence. The repetitive prayer-like invocation of love and the enchantment of the beloved’s voice infuse the lyrics with a sacred, ethereal quality, elevating the love they express to a divine level.
Each stanza of the Tango highlights gardenias, not just as flowers, but as vessels of intense emotional and spiritual symbolism. They stand for a pristine and sincere form of love. The line, “Quiero que la fe de nuestras vidas se deslicen bajo un sueño de gardenias florecidas,” shows a desire for faith and shared dreams to intertwine under the image of blooming gardenias, enhancing the symbolism of the flower as a nurturing, protective force in love. Additionally, the singer’s wish for the merging of sorrow—represented through tears and the metaphor of starry weeping—is particularly poignant, illustrating the bittersweet blend of pain and joy in love.
Written and recorded in Argentina in 1959 by Ferradás Campos, “Gardenias” came about during a period rich in political and social transformation. The late 1950s were a time of significant cultural evolution in Argentina, with tango music reflecting the changing moods of society. This song, with its traditional romantic themes, also carries undertones of nostalgic longing, possibly echoing the public’s sentiment during an era of uncertainty. The historic backdrop might suggest that the tango served as an escape into a more timeless, idealized emotion of love amidst the backdrop of societal change.
Manuel Ferradás Campos was a renowned lyricist and author, highly respected in the tango community for his deeply evocative and romantically charged lyrics.