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La puñalada

La puñalada is a Milonga written by Pintín Castellanos and recorded by Juan D’Arienzo in 1963. Juan D’Arienzo has recorded La puñalada as an instrumental Milonga.
“La puñalada,” or “The Stab,” captures the swift precision of a blade cutting through silence. This piece embodies the suddenness of betrayal, each note a reminder of sharp, unexpected pain. Yet within its melody lies a haunting beauty, reflecting the duality of wounds that scar yet shape the soul’s dance with resilience.

Milonga

Style

Juan D'Arienzo

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Celedonio Flores

Author

Pintín Castellanos

Composer

1963/12/10

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Juan D'Arienzo
Juan D’Arienzo

Discover Other Orchestras

Alfredo De Angelis – Se va la vida – 1959/4/6
Alfredo De Angelis – Llevame carretero – 1961/6/26
Alfredo De Angelis – Como la caperucita – 1950/11/10
Alfredo De Angelis – Soy un arlequín – 1945/9/11
Alfredo De Angelis – Sigan tomando muchachos – 1947/5/8
Ángel d’Agostino – A las siete en el café – 1943/8/10
Ángel d’Agostino – Notas de bandoneón – 1942/3/16
Ángel d’Agostino – En lo de Laura – 1943/3/12
Ángel d’Agostino – De salto y carta – 1942/10/15
Ángel d’Agostino – Mi viejo Buenos Aires – 1963/5/6
Francini-Pontier – Margo – 1946/1/29
Francini-Pontier – Camouflage (Camuflaje) – 1947/8/13
Francini-Pontier – Triste flor de tango – 1953/9/22
Francini-Pontier – El hijo triste – 1949/8/1
Francini-Pontier – A la guardia vieja – 1952/10/24
Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo – El esquinazo – 1939/3/3
Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo – Pena mulata – 1941/6/16
Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo – Tus ojos me embelesan – 1937/12/23
Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo – Lágrimas – 1940/4/25
Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo – El llorón – 1944/6/2

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

1963/12/10 – La catrera – Juan D-Arienzo
1963/12/10 – La cumparsita – Juan D-Arienzo
1963/12/4 – El choclo – Juan D-Arienzo
1963/12/4 – El entrerriano – Juan D-Arienzo
1963/12/4 – A mucha honra – Miguel Calo
La punalada – 1951/11/29 – Francisco Canaro – Instrumental
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
La punalada – 1937/6/12 – Francisco Canaro – Instrumental
La punalada – 1946/10/8 – Francisco Canaro – 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 in the know say
a tough guy
full of courage
and well-known fame
across the neighborhood
of Palermo
one day fell
strutting arrogantly
into a dance
where there were
tough guys
ready for a knife fight.

They started to watch him
with a disdainful air
but the guy, without a word,
leaned against a door.

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

But the prettiest girl,
the one who was
deepest in the soul
of the tough guys,
that night
with her gaze
urged him
to stand up,
to stake his reputation
in a tango dance.

A fierce grudge crossed
with another grudge
under the light
of a kerosene lamp
and a dagger
that splits a heart in two
because so
wished that cruel woman.

Those who saw it say
the tough guys
slithered
with their bodies
and eagerly sought
the other’s oversight
and in a lapse
of the guard
the guy from Palermo
plunged deep
his knife.

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

“La puñalada” (The Stabbing) narrates a tale woven around a malevo (a tough guy) admired for his audacity and established reputation within the barrio of Palermo, a notable neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The lyrics unfold a scenario at a dance hall, a common social setting where reputations were often tested. The malevo, initially trying to avoid conflict despite provocation, is eventually drawn into a duel of not just dance but also blades, spurred on by the enticing glances of the most desired woman at the event, highlighting the interplay between love, honor, and violence that characterizes many tango lyrics.

Symbolism of La puñalada

The song makes significant use of symbolism, evident in its title and throughout the narrative. “La puñalada” symbolizes a sudden, deep betrayal or hurt, physically manifesting as the stabbing which ultimately occurs. The narrative’s emphasis on gazes and glances (“lo incitaba a que saliera”) underscores the role of unspoken communication and societal pressure in propelling individuals towards drastic actions. The kerosene lamp (“farolito a querosén”) under which the confrontation happens symbolizes the dim, possibly overlooked aspects of personal conflicts, casting light on the darker parts of human interactions fueled by jealousy and honor.

La puñalada in historic Context

The song was recordet on 1963, a period marked by social and political unrest in Argentina. This historical setting figures into the tango’s atmosphere, where places like Palermo serve as microcosms reflecting broader societal tensions. The dance halls, a pivotal element of Argentine culture, are not just locations for entertainment but arenas for asserting personal and group identities, often resulting in violence as portrayed in “La puñalada.”

Celedonio Flores

Celedonio Flores was an iconic Argentine poet and tango lyricist, known for his vivid portrayals of life and culture in Buenos Aires.