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Menta y cedrón

Menta y cedrón is a Tango written by Oscar Arona and recorded by Ángel d’Agostino in 1945. The Tango Menta y cedrón is written by Oscar Arona, Ángel d’Agostino has recorded Menta y cedrón with the singer Ángel Vargas.
“Menta y Cedrón,” translating to “Mint and Lemon Verbena,” paints a vivid tapestry of aromatic grace. The name evokes a dance of delicate fragrance, where mint’s cool embrace meets the subtle, citrusy whispers of lemon verbena. Together, they weave a melody of nostalgia and freshness, stirring emotions like a perfumed breeze through a sunlit afternoon.

Tango

Style

Ángel d'Agostino

Orchestra

Ángel Vargas

Singer

Armando Tagini

Author

Oscar Arona

Composer

1945/7/17

Date

Ángel Vargas
Ángel Vargas
Ángel d'Agostino
Ángel d’Agostino

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Lyrics Translation of the Tango Menta y cedrón

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

Letra del Tango Menta y cedrón

La noche amiga me trajo al centro
en este inquieto peregrinar,
detrás del tango que nunca encuentro,
del que otros días supe bailar…
Aquél del patio con el aljibe,
cancel de hierro, cordial portón,
que me brindaba, cuando era pibe,
su aroma criollo: menta y cedrón.

¡Yo busco el tango de ayer!…
¿Dónde estará?
¿En qué fuelles escondido?
¿Dónde, su ritmo sentido,
pulido y querido
que no he de olvidar?
¡Dónde están, bailes de antaño,
en los que bajo las parras,
cien acordes de guitarras
nos hicieron vivir y soñar!…

Yo escucho el tango del tiempo mío
tras de las tapias que ya no están,
y evoco el barrio con sus baldíos…
y aquellos cielos de celofán…
Y cruzo el patio de las magnolias,
y se me prenden al corazón
el fiel recuerdo de aquella novia,
y aquel perfume: menta y cedrón…

Nostalgias del corazón.
¡Magnolias, menta y cedrón!

English lyrics of the Tango "Menta y cedrón"

The friendly night brought me downtown
on this restless wandering,
chasing the tango I never find,
the one I used to dance in other days…
That one from the courtyard with the well,
iron gate, welcoming door,
that offered me, when I was a kid,
its Creole scent: mint and lemon verbena.

I seek the tango of yesterday!…
Where could it be?
In which bellows is it hidden?
Where is its heartfelt rhythm,
polished and cherished
that I shall never forget?
Where are those dances of yore,
under the grapevines,
a hundred chords of guitars
made us live and dream!…

I listen to the tango of my time
behind the walls that are no longer,
and I reminisce the neighborhood with its vacant lots…
and those cellophane skies…
And I cross the courtyard of magnolias,
and cling to my heart
the faithful memory of that girlfriend,
and that scent: mint and lemon verbena…

Heartfelt nostalgias.
Magnolias, mint, and lemon verbena!

Menta y cedrón by Armando Tagini

Menta y cedrón is a Tango written by Armando Tagini and composed by Oscar Arona.



Story behind the Tango Menta y cedrón

The Tango “Menta y cedrón” evokes a profound sense of nostalgia and longing for the past, spotlighting the emotional journey of someone revisiting memories of youth, love, and places that have since changed or disappeared. The lyricist uses the backdrop of a night that carries him to the center of the city, searching for the Tango he once danced to with ease—a metonymy for his lost youth and the simpler, seemingly more authentic times that came with it.

As he traverses his memories, the mention of specific elements such as the patio, the aljibe, and the “cordial portón,” reflect a personal connection to places that are central to his childhood and early experiences. These images are vivid, painting a scene of old neighborhoods filled with the raw, unpolished essence of life, accompanied by the scents of mint and lemon verbena (‘menta y cedrón’), which were common in Argentine gardens and carry strong cultural connotations of home and nativeness.



Symbolism of Menta y cedrón

The recurring symbols of ‘menta y cedrón’ (mint and lemon verbena) in the song are poignant. They do not just describe scents but also invoke a sensory memory that represents purity, freshness, and perhaps the innocence of the narrator’s early life. These plants are often used in traditional Argentine folk medicine, hinting at healing and soothing properties, possibly metaphorical for healing from the pain of the ephemeral past.

The phrase “Nostalgias del corazón. ¡Magnolias, menta y cedrón!” encapsulates the core emotion of the tango—heartache born from nostalgia. It narrates not only the author’s yearning for the tangible aspects of his past but also for the intangible feelings associated with them, such as love and youthful exuberance.



Menta y cedrón in historic Context

Written in 1945, “Menta y cedrón” is set against the backdrop of post-World War II Argentina, a period marked by significant social and political changes. The nostalgia for the simpler times could also reflect the general public sentiment towards the rapid modernization and urbanization that was seen as erasing traditional ways of living. The lyricist’s yearning for the old Tango, a dance intertwined deeply with Argentine culture, parallels the societal apprehension towards losing cultural identity amidst the sweeping changes.

The historical nodes such as the magnolia trees and the scents of mint and lemon verbena situate the tango in a distinctly Argentine setting, while also striking universal themes of change, loss, and the passage of time.



Armando Tagini

Armando Tagini was an Argentine lyricist known for his poignant and emotive tango lyrics that often reflect deep introspection and nostalgia.