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Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez is a Tango written by Pablo A. Hechim and recorded by Ángel d’Agostino in 1962. The Tango Gerardo Matos Rodriguez is written by Pablo A. Hechim, Ángel d’Agostino has recorded Gerardo Matos Rodriguez with the singer Tino Garcia.
Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, or “Gerard Matthew Rodriguez” in English, evokes a name rich with cultural resonance and artistic legacy. The name conjures images of elegance and passion, woven through the intricate dance of a timeless tango. It speaks to a lineage of creativity, where melody and emotion intertwine, crafting a story that transcends language and time.

Tango

Style

Ángel d'Agostino

Orchestra

Tino Garcia

Singer

Raúl Rosales

Author

Pablo A. Hechim

Composer

1962/1/1

Date

Tino Garcia
Tino Garcia
Ángel d'Agostino
Ángel d’Agostino

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Gerardo Matos Rodriguez recorded by other Orchestras

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez recorded by other Orchestras

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

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

Letra del Tango Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Soy la voz del arrabal
Que solamente persigue,
Brindarle a Matos Rodríguez
Este recuerdo inmortal.
Y al evocarlo en mi tango
En “El Rosal”, “Mocosita”,
Lo “Canto por no llorar”
En su triste “Cumparsita”.

Hoy están acongojadas
Las cien barriadas porteñas,
Y allá en tu barrio, La Aguada
Con gran dolor te recuerdan.
Fuiste del tango primero
Su mensajero más fiel,
Y lo paseaste en el mundo
Como el tango debe ser.

Ya Gerardo se nos fue
Y para siempre ha quedado,
Su San Telmo abandonado
Y su pobre corazón…
Y de su patria querida
Ha dicho: “adiós Argentina”,
Con la profunda emoción
Que en este tango nos brindó.

Coda:
“Si supieras…
Que siempre tu recuerdo,
Gerardo Matos Rodríguez
Lo llevo en mi corazón…”

English lyrics of the Tango "Gerardo Matos Rodriguez"

I am the voice from the outskirts
Chasing only to give
Matos Rodríguez
This immortal memory.
And by recalling him in my tango,
In “El Rosal”, “Mocosita”,
I “Sing to keep from crying”
In his sad “Cumparsita”.

Now the hundred neighborhoods of the port
Are grieving heavily,
And there in your neighborhood, La Aguada,
They remember you with great sorrow.
You were of the tango the first
Most faithful messenger,
And you paraded it around the world
As tango should be.

Gerardo has now departed
And forever has remained,
His San Telmo abandoned
And his poor heart…
And from his beloved homeland
He has said: “goodbye Argentina”,
With the deep emotion
That he gave us in this tango.

Coda:
“If you knew…
That always your memory,
Gerardo Matos Rodríguez,
I carry in my heart…”

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez by Raúl Rosales

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez is a Tango written by Raúl Rosales and composed by Pablo A. Hechim.



Story behind the Tango Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

The tango “Gerardo Matos Rodriguez” narrates a poignant homage to an influential figure in the tango world, presumably the Uruguayan musician Gerardo Matos Rodríguez. Rosales’ lyrics speak from the perspective of the arrabal, or the outskirts, portraying a voice that commits to immortalizing Rodríguez through song. The references to different tangos like “El Rosal,” “Mocosita,” and “La Cumparsita,” further anchor the piece in a rich tango tradition, highlighting Rodríguez’s impact on the genre. The verse “I sing instead of crying” underscores the bittersweet nature of commemorating his legacy through music.



Symbolism of Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Symbolism is rife within the lyrics, using the genre of tango itself as a metaphor for emotional expression and cultural identity. Phrases like “his abandoned San Telmo” and “his poor heart” symbolically represent the desolation felt by the tango community and perhaps the melancholy often found in tango music. The use of specific locations such as San Telmo, a neighborhood emblematic of tango’s origins, adds depth to the portrayal of Rodríguez’s departure affecting the heart of tango culture.



Gerardo Matos Rodriguez in Historic Context

1962, Argentina—a time when tango music had permeated deep into the cultural fabric, yet faced modernizing pressures. In this historical backdrop, “Gerardo Matos Rodriguez” serves not just as a tribute, but as a reaffirmation of traditional tango against the evolving music scenes. Additionally, the mention of La Aguada, a neighborhood known for its ordinary yet culturally rich life in Montevideo, situates Rodríguez within a genuine urban context, revered and remembered deeply by those in his community.



Raúl Rosales

Raúl Rosales was a prolific lyricist known for his deep connections to traditional tango music and culture.