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Malena

Malena is a Tango written by Lucio Demare and recorded by Aníbal Troilo in 1942. The Tango Malena is written by Lucio Demare, Aníbal Troilo has recorded Malena with the singer Francisco Fiorentino.
“Malena,” translating to “Madeline” in English, evokes images of nostalgia and yearning through its melodic whispers. This name carries the weight of wistful memories, a timeless muse who embodies the bittersweet dance between love and loss. Her essence lingers in every note, a graceful reminder of passion swirling in the shadows of a dimly lit room.

Tango

Style

Aníbal Troilo

Orchestra

Francisco Fiorentino

Singer

Homero Manzi

Author

Lucio Demare

Composer

1942/1/8

Date

Francisco Fiorentino
Francisco Fiorentino
Aníbal Troilo
Aníbal Troilo

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Juan D’Arienzo – Nada más – 1958/7/10
Juan D’Arienzo – Francia – 1935/3/10
Juan D’Arienzo – Pájaro sin luz – 1945/4/17
Juan D’Arienzo – La biyarda – 1971/11/26
Enrique Francini – Tema otoñal – 1977/1/1
Enrique Francini – Tema otoñal – 1956/11/14
Enrique Francini – Alguien – 1956/1/19
Enrique Francini – Qué noche – 1977/1/1
Enrique Francini – El gurí – 1956/3/7
Carlos Gardel – Cuesta abajo – 1934/7/30
Carlos Gardel – El poncho del amor – 1927/7/8
Carlos Gardel – Chacarerita del norte – 1926/1/1
Carlos Gardel – El barbijo – 1929/9/12
Carlos Gardel – Insomnio – 1927/6/27
Osvaldo Fresedo – Mi desventura – 1942/11/12
Osvaldo Fresedo – Qué vachaché – 1928/7/3
Osvaldo Fresedo – Una vida – 1928/3/12
Osvaldo Fresedo – Un tropezón – 1927/4/26
Osvaldo Fresedo – Es costumbre o es cariño – 1940/10/3

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.

Malena recorded by other Orchestras

Malena recorded by other Orchestras

1942/1/8 – C.T.V. – Anibal Troilo
1942/1/7 – Flores del alma – Pedro Laurenz
1942/1/7 – Al verla pasar – Pedro Laurenz
1942/1/3 – Otra vez carnaval (Noche de carnaval) – Carlos di Sarli
1942/1/2 – Angustias del corazon – Roberto Firpo
Malena – 1942/1/8 – Anibal Troilo – Francisco Fiorentino
Malena – (unknown date) – Anibal Troilo – Raul Beron
Malena – 1974/12/11 – Osvaldo Pugliese – Instrumental
Malena – 1965/1/1 – Miguel Calo – Raul Del Mar
Malena – 1965/1/1 – Miguel Calo – Roberto Luque
Malena – 1942/1/23 – Lucio Demare – Juan Carlos Miranda
Malena – 1951/9/20 – Lucio Demare – Hector Alvarado
Malena – 1957/1/1 – Lucio Demare – Instrumental
Malena – 211/12/1 – Horacio Salgan – Instrumental

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Malena

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

Letra del Tango Malena

Malena canta el tango como ninguna
y en cada verso pone su corazón.
A yuyo del suburbio su voz perfuma,
Malena tiene pena de bandoneón.
Tal vez allá en la infancia su voz de alondra
tomó ese tono oscuro de callejón,
o acaso aquel romance que sólo nombra
cuando se pone triste con el alcohol.
Malena canta el tango con voz de sombra,
Malena tiene pena de bandoneón.

Tu canción
tiene el frío del último encuentro.
Tu canción
se hace amarga en la sal del recuerdo.
Yo no sé
si tu voz es la flor de una pena,
sólo sé que al rumor de tus tangos, Malena,
te siento más buena,
más buena que yo.

Tus ojos son oscuros como el olvido,
tus labios apretados como el rencor,
tus manos dos palomas que sienten frío,
tus venas tienen sangre de bandoneón.
Tus tangos son criaturas abandonadas
que cruzan sobre el barro del callejón,
cuando todas las puertas están cerradas
y ladran los fantasmas de la canción.
Malena canta el tango con voz quebrada,
Malena tiene pena de bandoneón.

English lyrics of the Tango "Malena"

Malena sings the tango like no other
and puts her heart into each verse.
Her voice perfumes with the scent of suburb’s grasses,
Malena feels the sorrow of a bandoneon.
Perhaps back in her childhood, her lark-like voice
took on that shadowy alley hue,
or maybe it was that romance she’s never named,
when sadness comes with alcohol, her only cue.
Malena sings the tango with a shadowed voice,
Malena feels the sorrow of a bandoneon.

Your song
holds the chill of a final meeting.
Your song
turns bitter in the salt of memory.
I don’t know
if your voice is a flower of sorrow,
I only know that in your tangos’ murmur, Malena,
I feel you are kinder,
kinder than me.

Your eyes are dark like forgetfulness,
your lips pressed tight like resentment,
your hands, two doves that feel the cold,
your veins carry the blood of a bandoneon.
Your tangos are forsaken creatures
crossing the mud of the alleyway,
when all the doors are shut
and the ghosts of the song bark away.
Malena sings the tango with a broken voice,
Malena feels the sorrow of a bandoneon.

Malena by Homero Manzi

Malena is a Tango written by Homero Manzi and composed by Lucio Demare.

Story behind the Tango Malena

The tango “Malena” unfolds as a poignant narrative centered around a woman whose voice has been shaped by life’s hardships and heartbreaks. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Malena, a singer who imbues each verse with her soul’s melancholy, akin to the mournful, emotive sounds of a bandoneón. The song reflects her life story, from childhood shadows to potentially tragic love affairs, all emblematic of the depth of emotion typically conveyed in tango music. Her voice is described as shadowed and sorrowful, illuminated by a past filled with lingering memories and unmet dreams, suggesting a personal history marked by substantial emotional turmoil.

Symbolism of Malena

The lyrics of “Malena” resonate with rich symbolism, most notably the comparison of Malena’s voice to the “sorrow of the bandoneón.” This symbolism underscores the essence of tango — a dance and music style that is often a vessel for expressing profound sadness and longing. The “voice of shadow” and the imagery of her voice perfuming the “weeds of the suburb” speak to the depth and dark beauty of her singing, which brings a sense of place and mood encapsulated in the urban underbelly of Buenos Aires. Phrases like “cold of the last meeting” and “bitter in the salt of memory” convey themes of unfulfilled encounters and the bitterness of recall, encapsulating the emotional spectrum that the music of tango traverses.

Malena in Historic Context

Written in Buenos Aires in 1942, “Malena” appeared during an era when tango music was at its cultural zenith in Argentina. The lyrics reflect the city’s complex socio-cultural pulse, wherein tango became a mouthpiece for the urban proletariat’s struggles and aspirations. This period was marked by significant immigration, leading to a melting pot of cultures that fed into the tango’s evolution. The mention of “callejón” (alley) and “suburbio” (suburb) situates Malena’s story in the working-class neighborhoods emblematic of tango’s origins, thereby giving voice to the collective ethos of longing, survival, and resilience during a time of significant economic difficulty and societal change.

Homero Manzi: A Brief Overview

Homero Manzi was a celebrated Argentine writer and lyricist whose work has made an indelible mark on the tango genre. Known for his evocative language and deep emotional insight, Manzi’s lyrics often wove together personal and collective experiences reflective of Argentinian life.