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Malena

Malena is a Tango written by Lucio Demare and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1974. Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Malena as an instrumental Tango.
“Malena,” translated to English as “The Brown-Haired Woman,” resonates with the mystery and allure of its namesake. It captures the spirit of a woman whose dark tresses dance like shadows in the moonlight, embodying both grace and depth. This music echoes the untold stories in her eyes, weaving a tapestry of passion and melancholy.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Homero Manzi

Author

Lucio Demare

Composer

1974/12/11

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Malena recorded by other Orchestras

Malena recorded by other Orchestras

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 each verse, she places her heart.
Her voice scents like weeds from the outskirts,
Malena has the sorrow of the bandoneon.

Maybe in her childhood, her skylark voice
took that dark alley-tone,
or perhaps that romance she mentions only
when she gets sad with alcohol.

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

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

Your eyes are dark as oblivion,
your lips clenched like spite,
your hands are like two pigeons feeling cold,
your veins have bandoneon blood.
Your tangos are abandoned creatures
that cross the mud of the alley,
when all the doors are closed
and the ghosts of the song bark.
Malena sings the tango with a cracked voice,
Malena has 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

The tango “Malena” vividly portrays the emotional spectrum of a woman who sings tango with deep soulfulness. Malena is described as singing tango “like no one else,” channeling her emotions through every verse. Her connection to tango is intimate and profound, with her sadness mirrored by the bandoneon, an instrument central to tango music.



Symbolism of Malena

Malena herself symbolizes the quintessential tango singer, her voice imbued with the “perfume” of the suburbs and resonating with the melancholy and grit of the streets. The repeated reference to the bandoneon’s sadness reflects the instrument’s deep, mournful tones, often associated with the emotional depth of tango music. The phrases “tu canción tiene el frío del último encuentro” and “tu voz es la flor de una pena” highlight the themes of loss and longing, suggesting that Malena’s song evokes the chilling loneliness of a final meeting and the beautiful yet sorrowful timbre of her voice.



Malena in historic Context

Written and recorded in Argentina in 1974, “Malena” was created during a period of significant political and social changes in the country. This was a time leading up to the tumultuous years of the National Reorganization Process. The emotional depth and the poignant expressions of sorrow within the lyrics could be echoing the collective sentiments of the Argentine people during this era, utilizing the cultural vehicle of tango to comment on broader societal experiences.



Homero Manzi

Homero Manzi was a renowned Argentine tango lyricist and filmmaker, known for his deep emotional connection to Argentine culture and his profound lyrical compositions in tango music.