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Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)

Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) is a Tango written by Rafael Iriarte and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1938. The Tango Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) is written by Rafael Iriarte, Osvaldo Fresedo has recorded Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) with the singer Roberto Ray.
“Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)” translates to “Sad Eyes (Dead Eyes)” in English, encapsulating a haunting melancholy that lingers in the melody. The music captures a somber tale of lost dreams and faded hopes, where every note seems to echo the sorrow of eyes that have witnessed too much pain. Each chord strums the silent, mournful story of eyes that have lost their light.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Fresedo

Orchestra

Roberto Ray

Singer

Alfredo Navarrine

Author

Rafael Iriarte

Composer

1938/11/23

Date

Roberto Ray
Roberto Ray
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo

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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.

Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) recorded by other Orchestras

Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) recorded by other Orchestras

1938/11/23 – Aromas – Osvaldo Fresedo
1938/11/23 – Dulce amargura – Osvaldo Fresedo
1938/11/23 – Telon – Osvaldo Fresedo
1938/11/16 – Mala junta – Julio De Caro
1938/11/16 – Por que tus ojos tienen pena – Julio De Caro
Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) – 1938/11/23 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Roberto Ray
Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) – 1947/1/2 – Astor Piazzolla – Hector Insua

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)

This is the translation of the Tango “Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)

Cayó la noche sin aurora
Sobre la niñez risueña,
Hoy la juventud no sueña
Y la ancianidad implora.

Vuelve Judas en la hora
Del Caín que apuñalea,
Y la Cruz se tambalea
Pero el mundo nada ve.

El ciego no es aquel que a tientas va
Más ciega es la ceguera
Que no quiere mirar.
Ojos sin lágrimas puras
Fingen puñales de hielo,
Ojos que miran siempre al suelo
Frente al sol de las ternuras.
Adónde irá, Señor, esta legión
Con esos ojos muertos
Y seco el corazón.

Es más humano el propio ciego
Que con su piadosa calma,
Abre los ojos del alma
Y en su voz, florecen ruegos.

Mientras puebla su sosiego
De rosales interiores,
Pasa, huérfana de amores
La infeliz humanidad.

English lyrics of the Tango "Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)"

Night fell without dawn
On the cheerful childhood,
Today youth does not dream
And old age implores.

Judas returns at the time
Of the Cain who stabs,
And the Cross staggers
But the world sees nothing.

The blind is not the one who gropes
Blinder is the blindness
That refuses to look.
Eyes without pure tears
Pretend daggers of frost,
Eyes that always look at the ground
In the face of the sun of tenderness.
Where will it go, Lord, this legion
With those dead eyes
And dry heart.

More human is the blind himself
Who with his pious calm,
Opens the eyes of the soul
And in his voice, prayers blossom.

While he populates his tranquility
With internal rose gardens,
Passes, orphaned of love
Unhappy humanity.

Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) by Alfredo Navarrine

Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) is a Tango written by Alfredo Navarrine and composed by Rafael Iriarte.



Story behind the Tango Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)

‘Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)’ directly translates to ‘Sad Eyes (Dead Eyes)’ in English. Through its haunting lyrics, this tango vividly portrays a narrative of loss, disillusion, and a profound disconnection from spirituality and humaneness. The lament starts in a scene swallowed by endless night, symbolizing a youth’s transition from joy to disheartenment. As adults lose their idealism and the elderly are left begging, the song paints a bleak picture of a society filled with betrayal represented by the imagery of Judas and disloyalty of Cain.



Symbolism of Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)

Alfredo Navarrine uses vivid religious and visual imagery to deepen the emotional impact of the song. References to Judas and Cain encapsulate betrayal and moral corruption. The ‘tambalea Cruz’ (wavering cross) suggests a faltering faith in values once held sacred. Eyes, a recurring motif in the song, symbolize the soul’s windows. ‘Ojos sin lágrimas puras’ points towards hardened hearts, and eyes that always look down signify avoidance of truth or denial of affection. Ultimately, even the ‘human blindness’ mentioned is less about physical sight and more about moral and empathetic blindness.



Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos) in historic Context

Recorded in 1938, a period marked by global unrest and the prelude to WWII, ‘Ojos tristes (Ojos muertos)’ resonates with a universal plea for compassion and introspection. Argentina itself, during this time, was dealing with its own complex political and economic fluctuations which influenced its cultural output. This tango, rooted in Argentine culture, manifests the melancholic yet critical voice often prevalent in the period’s music and literature, reflecting on societal issues and human emotion.



Alfredo Navarrine

Alfredo Navarrine was an impactful lyricist in the realm of Tango, known for infusing his works with poignant social and emotional commentary.