Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ

Malena

Malena is a Tango written by Lucio Demare and recorded by Miguel Caló in 1965. The Tango Malena is written by Lucio Demare, Miguel Caló has recorded Malena with the singer Raúl Del Mar.
“Malena,” or “Magdalena” in English, resonates through the heart’s deepest chambers like a melancholic whisper. This name embodies the essence of nostalgia, capturing the sorrow and longing of a soul steeped in memories of love lost. As each note unfolds, the melody paints a portrait of wistfulness and beauty, echoing the eternal dance of anguish and grace.

Tango

Style

Miguel Caló

Orchestra

Raúl Del Mar

Singer

Homero Manzi

Author

Lucio Demare

Composer

1965/1/1

Date

Raúl Del Mar
Raúl Del Mar
Miguel Caló
Miguel Caló

Discover Other Orchestras

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

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 in every verse pours her heart.
Her voice perfumes like herbs of the suburb,
Malena feels the sorrow of the bandoneon.

Perhaps in her childhood, her lark-like voice
took that dark tone of the back alley,
or maybe that romance she only mentions
when she gets sad with the alcohol.

Malena sings the tango with a shadowy voice,
Malena feels the sorrow of the bandoneon.

Your song
has the coldness of the last meeting.
Your song
turns bitter in the salt of memory.
I do not know
if your voice is the flower of a sorrow,
I only know that to the murmur of your tangos, Malena,
you feel kinder,
kinder than I.

Your eyes are as dark as oblivion,
your lips are tight with spite,
your hands are two doves that feel cold,
your veins carry the blood of the bandoneon.
Your tangos are abandoned creatures
that cross the mud of the alley,
when all the doors are closed
and the ghosts of the song howl.
Malena sings the tango with a broken voice,
Malena feels the sorrow of the bandoneon.

Malena by Homero Manzi

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

Story behind the Tango Malena

“Malena” depicts the narrative of a woman who sings tango with both unique talent and haunting emotion. Her voice embodies the essence of the suburban streets and the emotional landscape of the Tango itself, reflecting a deep-seated melancholy. Each stanza conveys the raw, somber experiences stamped on her life, possibly alluding to a painful romantic history hinted at but never fully disclosed. This enigmatic figure, Malena, becomes a symbol of Tango itself – deep, emotional, and complex.

Symbolism of Malena

The lyrics richly employ symbolism to deepen the narrative. Malena’s voice is described as perfuming the air like “yuyo del suburbio,” suggesting her ability to transform the ordinary with her emotional depth. Her sadness is metaphorically connected to the Bandoneon, an instrument central to tango music, symbolizing how integral her sorrow is to her art. Terms such as “voz de sombra” (voice of shadow) and “pena de bandoneón” (sorrow of the Bandoneon) further reinforce her connection to the melancholic soul of tango.

Malena in historic Context

Written in 1965 amidst Argentina’s complex political and cultural landscape, “Malena” echoes the underlying currents of social and emotional turmoil. The tango was used during this period as an outlet for expressing the unspoken, often carrying the weight of the people’s hardship and resilience. Malena, as a figure, can be seen as a representation of Argentina itself – beautiful, bruised, and resonant with a lingering sadness born from historical struggle.

Homero Manzi

Homero Manzi was a seminal Argentine lyricist and tango poet, noted for his profound and evocative narratives that capture the spirit of his surroundings.