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La cumparsita

La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and recorded by José Basso in 1956. José Basso has recorded La cumparsita as an instrumental Tango.
“La Cumparsita,” translated as “The Little Parade,” captures the essence of fleeting encounters and ephemeral moments. Much like a procession passing by, it evokes a sense of nostalgia for what once was and what could have been. Its melancholic yet passionate notes weave a tale of longing and unfulfilled dreams, resonating deeply with the soul.

Tango

Style

José Basso

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Author

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Composer

1956/7/26

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
José Basso
José Basso

Discover Other Orchestras

Adolfo Carabelli – Cantando – 1931/9/4
Adolfo Carabelli – Jamás podré olvidarte – 1932/1/1
Adolfo Carabelli – Loco – 1932/9/9
Adolfo Carabelli – Madrileña castiza – 1933/1/1
Adolfo Carabelli – Canción de amor – 1931/6/15
Enrique Rodríguez – Hay que aprender a bailar – 1957/3/19
Enrique Rodríguez – Siempre fiel – 1938/6/27
Enrique Rodríguez – La buenaventura – 1949/1/27
Enrique Rodríguez – Nunca en domingo – 1961/5/26
Enrique Rodríguez – La higuera – 1940/6/11
Julio De Caro – Norma – 1938/8/10
Julio De Caro – Mariposa – 1940/9/10
Julio De Caro – Raza Criolla (El Taita) – 1928/6/13
Julio De Caro – Maipo – 1928/1/1
Julio De Caro – Gigolo – 1927/11/28
Edgardo Donato – La que no volvió – 1931/1/1
Edgardo Donato – Mi sueño dorado – 1930/1/1
Edgardo Donato – Pego la vuelta el gaucho – 1931/1/1
Edgardo Donato – Estampa serrana – 1930/1/1
Edgardo Donato – El lengue – 1940/12/13

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.

La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

1956/7/26 – A la mujer argentina – Jose Basso
1956/7/27 – Elegante papirusa – Enrique Francini
1956/7/27 – Es hora de vivir – Enrique Francini
1956/7/27 – Fueron tres anos – Enrique Francini
1956/7/27 – Tamborilera – Enrique Francini
La cumparsita – 1943/11/5 – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1942/11/12 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/7/16 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – (unknown date) – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1955/6/20 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1963/4/9 – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1937/12/14 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/9/12 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1943/11/23 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1968/9/11 – Cuarteto Anibal TROILO – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1963/12/10 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1971/12/7 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 2015/1/1 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1946/2/8 – Angel d-Agostino – Angel Vargas
La cumparsita – 1964/4/24 – Miguel Calo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1927/5/3 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1943/6/28 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1979/10/30 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1926/11/7 – Pedro Laurenz – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1953/9/22 – Pedro Laurenz – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1942/9/10 – Rodolfo Biagi – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1940/11/18 – Ricardo Tanturi – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1935/5/6 – Edgardo Donato – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1944/6/3 – Alfredo De Angelis – Nestor Rodi
La cumparsita – 1961/8/29 – Alfredo De Angelis – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1953/1/22 – Enrique Rodriguez – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1955/9/16 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1956/7/26 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1961/4/28 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1983/1/1 – Jose Basso –
La cumparsita – 1968/5/2 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1956/11/29 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1954/11/25 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1966/3/21 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1973/1/1 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1968/5/30 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1957/1/1 – Astor Piazzolla – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/1/1 – Astor Piazzolla – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1950/5/17 – Osmar Maderna – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1977/1/1 – Enrique Francini – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1928/1/11 – Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1917/1/1 – Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1937/7/4 – Cuarteto Tipico Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1973/1/1 – Francini-Pontier – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1946/12/16 – Francini-Pontier – Alberto Podesta
La cumparsita – 1955/9/13 – Armando Pontier – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 211/12/1 – Horacio Salgan – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1987/1/1 – Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgan) – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1930/1/1 – Julio De Caro – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1926/5/12 – Orquesta Tipica Victor – Instrumental

Letra del Tango La cumparsita

La cumparsa
De miserias sin fin
Desfila
En torno de aquel ser
Enfermo
Que pronto ha de morir
De pena.
Por eso es que en su lecho
Solloza acongojado
Recordando el pasado
Que lo hace padecer…

Abandonó a su viejita
Que quedó desamparada,
Y loco de pasión
Ciego de amor
Corrió tras de su amada,
Que era linda, era hechicera
De lujuria era una flor,
Que burló su querer
Hasta que se cansó
Y por otro lo dejó…

Largo tiempo después
Cayó al hogar materno,
Para poder curar su enfermo
Y herido corazón…
Y supo
Que su viejita santa,
La que él había dejado
El invierno pasado
De frío se murió…

Hoy ya solo, abandonado
A lo triste de su suerte,
Ansioso espera a la muerte
Que bien pronto ha de llegar,
Y entre la triste frialdad
Que lenta invade el corazón,
Sintió la cruda sensación
De su maldad…

Entre sombras
Se le oye respirar
Sufriente,
Al que antes de morir
Sonríe
Porque una dulce paz
Le llega…
Sintió que desde el cielo
Su madrecita buena,
Mitigando sus penas
Sus culpas perdonó…!

English lyrics of the Tango "La cumparsita"

The procession
Of endless miseries
Parades
Around that being
Sick
Who soon will die
Of sorrow.
That’s why on his bed
He sobs afflicted,
Recalling the past
That makes him suffer…

He left his old mother
Who was left helpless,
And mad with passion,
Blind with love,
He ran after his beloved,
Who was beautiful, was enchanting,
A flower of lust,
She mocked his love
Until she got tired
And left him for another…

Long time after,
He returned to his maternal home,
To heal his sick
And wounded heart…
And he knew
That his saintly little mother,
Whom he had left
Last winter
Died of cold…

Now alone, abandoned
To the sadness of his fate,
Anxiously waiting for death
That will soon arrive,
And among the sad coldness
That slowly seizes the heart,
He felt the harsh sensation
Of his wickedness…

Among shadows
You can hear him breathe,
Suffering,
He who, before dying,
Smiles
Because a sweet peace
Comes to him…
He felt that from heaven
His good little mother,
Easing his sorrows,
Forgave his sins…!

La Cumparsita by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and composed by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez.



Story behind the Tango La cumparsita

The lyrics of “La cumparsita” paint a vivid narrative of regret and redemption. They delve into the life of a man reflecting on his past mistakes as death approaches. Abandoning his elderly mother for the love of an enchanting yet deceitful woman, he suffers profound remorse when he learns of his mother’s death caused by neglect. The song’s arc concludes with a poignant scene in which the man, now destitute and alone, feels a redemptive peace as he believes his mother forgives him from beyond the grave.



Symbolism of La cumparsita

“La cumparsita” skillfully utilizes symbols to deepen the emotional experience of the lyrics. The recurring theme of death and suffering is intensified by the depiction of the “cumparsa,” a parade often associated with festivities turned into a march of endless miseries here. Each phase of the man’s reflection on his past relationships, both with his mother and lover, sets a course towards redemption and forgiveness. The “frio” or cold death of his mother symbolizes his emotional detachment and neglect, while the eventual peace he finds suggests a symbolic reconciliation and easing of spiritual torment.



La cumparsita in historic Context

Recorded in Argentina in 1956, “La cumparsita” emerged when the tango genre itself was intertwined with the cultural identity of the country. This period was marked by political upheaval and a nostalgic longing for better days amidst societal turmoil. The themes of loss, sorrow, and redemption echo the national sentiment of the time, encapsulating a collective yearning for healing and moral recovery.



Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez was a prolific Uruguayan musician and composer, renowned primarily for his significant contributions to the tango genre.