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La puñalada

La puñalada is a Milonga written by Pintín Castellanos and recorded by Juan D’Arienzo in 1943. Juan D’Arienzo has recorded La puñalada as an instrumental Milonga.
“La puñalada,” translated into English as “The Stab,” is a piece that evokes a sharp and sudden emotional intensity. Its notes cut through the air like a dagger, swift and full of passion, portraying a dance of love and betrayal. The music captures the tension of a moment where feelings are laid bare, raw and powerful, leaving an indelible mark on the heart.

Milonga

Style

Juan D'Arienzo

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Celedonio Flores

Author

Pintín Castellanos

Composer

1943/11/23

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Juan D'Arienzo
Juan D’Arienzo

Discover Other Orchestras

Lucio Demare – La calle maldita – (unknown date)
Lucio Demare – El refrán – 1951/9/20
Lucio Demare – Nunca tuvo novio – 1957/1/1
Lucio Demare – Sorbos amargos – 1942/11/10
Lucio Demare – La calle sin sueño – 1957/1/1
Orquesta Típica Victor – Charlatanes – 1926/1/19
Orquesta Típica Victor – No arrebaten que hay pa todos – 1932/7/26
Orquesta Típica Victor – Sin rumbo fijo – 1938/4/18
Orquesta Típica Victor – Pancho talero – 1927/12/6
Orquesta Típica Victor – Toro bravo – 1930/4/9
Osvaldo Pugliese – Contame una historia – 1985/12/26
Osvaldo Pugliese – Porque no te tengo más – 1954/1/5
Osvaldo Pugliese – Ventanita de arrabal – 1950/3/7
Osvaldo Pugliese – Ahora no me conocés – 1952/6/27
Osvaldo Pugliese – Bandoneón arrabalero – 1967/9/1
Armando Pontier – La casita de mis viejos – 1958/8/12
Armando Pontier – Zurdo – 1968/10/20
Armando Pontier – Azabache – 1960/7/21
Armando Pontier – Taquito militar – 1958/7/15
Armando Pontier – Zorro gris – 1957/9/30

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 puñalada recorded by other Orchestras

La puñalada recorded by other Orchestras

1943/11/23 – Uno – Juan D-Arienzo
1943/11/23 – Joaquina – Juan D-Arienzo
1943/11/23 – La cumparsita – Juan D-Arienzo
1943/11/23 – Candombe rioplatense – Juan D-Arienzo
1943/11/23 – A mi me llaman Juan Tango – Miguel Calo
La punalada – 1937/4/27 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1951/9/12 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1943/11/23 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1963/12/10 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La punalada – 2015/1/1 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1950/12/19 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1955/9/16 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La punalada – 1967/4/18 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La punalada – 1949/7/27 – Cuarteto Tipico Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La punalada – 1987/1/1 – Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgan) – Instrumental

Letra del Milonga La puñalada

Mentan los que saben
que un malevo
muy de agallas
y de fama
bien sentada
por el barrio
de Palermo
cayó un día
taconeando
prepotente
a un bailongo
donde había
puntos bravos
pa’l facón.

Lo empezaron a mirar
con un aire sobrador
pero el mozo, sin chistar,
a una puerta se arrimó.

Los dejó sobrar.
Los dejó decir.
Y pa’ no pelear
tuvo que sufrir.

Pero la pebeta
más bonita,
la que estaba
más metida
en el alma
de los tauras,
esa noche
con la vista
lo incitaba
a que saliera
a darles dique
y a jugarse
en un tango
su cartel.

Se cruzó
un gran rencor y otro rencor
a la luz
de un farolito a querosén
y un puñal
que parte en dos un corazón
porque así
lo quiso aquella cruel mujer.

Cuentan los que vieron
que los guapos
culebrearon
con sus cuerpos
y buscaron
afanosos
el descuido
del contrario
y en un claro
de la guardia
hundió el mozo
de Palermo
hasta el mango
su facón.

English lyrics of the Milonga "La puñalada"

Those who know tell
of a tough guy
full of courage
and well-known fame
around the Palermo neighborhood
fell one day
strutting aggressively
into a dance
where there were
tough guys
ready for the dagger.

They started to look at him
with a condescending air
but the young man, without a peep,
leaned against a door.

He let them be overbearing.
He let them talk.
And to avoid a fight
he had to suffer.

But the prettiest young woman,
the one who was
deepest in the souls
of the tough guys,
that night
with her gaze
enticed him
to step out
to show them up
and to stake his reputation
in a tango dance.

A great resentment crossed
another resentment
under the light
of a kerosene lamp
and a dagger
that splits a heart in two
because thus
wished that cruel woman.

Those who saw it say
that the tough guys
snaked
with their bodies
and eagerly sought
the opponent’s oversight
and in a lapse
of the guard
the young man from Palermo
plunged his dagger
deep to the hilt.

La puñalada by Celedonio Flores

La puñalada is a Tango written by Celedonio Flores and composed by Pintín Castellanos.

Story behind the Tango La puñalada

The lyrics of “La puñalada” capture a moment of drama and confrontation in a dance hall setting, offering a narrative centered on malevo, a bold and notorious character from the neighborhood of Palermo. He enters a dance where serious rivals for the ‘facón’ (dagger) are present. Despite the challenging atmosphere, the malevo initially chooses to avoid conflict, leaning against a door, observing quietly as others boast and provoke. However, his restraint is tested when the most desired woman at the event incites him to defend his reputation and demonstrate his prowess in the tango.

Symbolism of La puñalada

The song’s title, “La puñalada,” which translates to “The Stab” in English, is a central symbol representing the consequences of pride, love, and rivalry. The blade itself is a potent symbol of the violence that underpins the malevo’s world, where honor and social standing are often defended or contested through physical confrontations. Further symbolism is evident when the woman uses her gaze to incite the malevo, illustrating how manipulation and desire can lead to destructive outcomes. The setting, “a light of a kerosene lantern,” provides a dim, perhaps ambiguous light, paralleling the murky circumstances in which these violent social exchanges occur.

La puñalada in historic Context

“La puñalada” was created in 1943, a period during which Argentina was marked by political and social uncertainty. This context is mirrored in the tango’s narrative, where the fight for respect and status often results in violence, reflecting broader societal struggles. Tango, often a reflection of the working classes’ lives and challenges, uses such stories to comment on broader themes of survival and reputation in a turbulent world. Recorded in the midst of World War II, this piece also resonates with a global context of conflict and the fight for dominance.

Celedonio Flores

Celedonio Flores was a prominent Argentine poet and tango lyricist known for his deep and compelling portrayals of life in Buenos Aires.