Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
Style
Orchestra
Singer
Author
Composer
Date
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.
Malevaje is a Tango written by Enrique Santos Discépolo and composed by Juan de Dios Filiberto.
The tango “Malevaje” captures a transformational tale of a man once recognized for his toughness and street-wise demeanor in Buenos Aires, confronted by an overwhelming emotional change upon falling in love. The narrator, who was previously fierce and untamed, finds himself deeply affected, softened and even “tamed” by an infatuation he can neither deny nor control. This juxtaposition between his past identity and present emotional state drives the narrative, expressed through nostalgic and mesmerizing lyrics filled with urban terminology.
The term “Malevaje,” referring to disreputable or low-life people, epitomizes the narrator’s past social circle, contrasting sharply with his current emotional experience of vulnerability. Phrases like “¿No ves que estoy embretao, vencido y maniao en tu corazón?” symbolize his feelings of being trapped or ensnared by love, a stark deviation from his earlier bravado. The vivid imagery of losing the “pucho en la oreja,” an emblem of his former rogue self, further intensifies this transformation, marking a total departure from his previous existence towards a path that might even lead him “a misa e hincarme a rezar” – actions completely out of character, symbolizing full submission and capitulation to love’s power.
Composed in 1954, “Malevaje” emerges in a post-World War II Argentina, during a period marked by significant social and political changes. The infusion of tango music as a reflection of everyday life and emotions of the common people is significant during this era. The tango serves as a medium to explore themes of identity, change, and emotional conflict, resonant with a society grappling with modernization and the evolving roles and expectations of masculinity. The streets and corners mentioned in the song were not just physical places; they were cultural symbols of the era’s struggles and transformations.
Enrique Santos Discépolo was a renowned Argentine tango and milonga musician and composer, known for his poignant and psychologically rich lyrics.