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Organito de la tarde

Organito de la tarde is a Tango written by Cátulo Castillo and recorded by Carlos di Sarli in 1954. Carlos di Sarli has recorded Organito de la tarde as an instrumental Tango.
“Organito de la tarde,” or “Little Organ of the Afternoon,” evokes the gentle nostalgia of fading daylight in its melody. This small, street-side organ captures the melancholy essence of twilight, where shadows stretch and memories linger. With each note, it paints a portrait of the past, whispering tales of days gone by in the soft glow of evening.

Tango

Style

Carlos di Sarli

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

José González Castillo

Author

Cátulo Castillo

Composer

1954/8/31

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Carlos di Sarli
Carlos di Sarli

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Rodolfo Biagi – La maleva – 1939/3/24
Rodolfo Biagi – Sentimiento gaucho – 1942/2/2
Rodolfo Biagi – Camino del Tucumán – 1946/5/23
Rodolfo Biagi – Nada – 1944/5/9
Armando Pontier – Extraño – 1966/12/23
Armando Pontier – Cambalache – 1958/2/25
Armando Pontier – Un momento – 1969/9/17
Armando Pontier – En las sombras – 1968/4/1
Armando Pontier – El choclo – 1958/7/4
Alfredo Gobbi – Sin madre – 1956/9/18
Alfredo Gobbi – No me supiste amar – 1958/7/31
Alfredo Gobbi – Historia de un amor – 1956/4/16
Alfredo Gobbi – Tuya – 1956/7/16
Alfredo Gobbi – Cuánta angustia – 1957/9/25
Domingo Federico – Para que bailen – 1953/4/29
Domingo Federico – Colorado el 32 – 1948/9/30
Domingo Federico – Candombe – 1953/4/16
Domingo Federico – Tango intimo – 1961/1/1
Domingo Federico – La cumparsita (Si supieras) – 1961/1/1

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.

Organito de la tarde recorded by other Orchestras

Organito de la tarde recorded by other Orchestras

1954/8/31 – Sueno de juventud – Carlos di Sarli
1954/8/31 – Un desolado corazon – Carlos di Sarli
1954/8/31 – Bien frappe – Carlos di Sarli
1954/9/1 – Sentimiento de calavera – Juan D-Arienzo
1954/9/1 – La sonrisa de mama – Juan D-Arienzo
Organito de la tarde – 1942/11/30 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1951/10/23 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1954/8/31 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1967/7/27 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1956/3/24 – Rodolfo Biagi – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1970/1/1 – Jose Basso –
Organito de la tarde – 1959/10/8 – Florindo Sassone – Andres Peiro
Organito de la tarde – 1968/6/3 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
Organito de la tarde – 1960/1/1 – Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgan) – Instrumental

Letra del Tango Organito de la tarde

Al paso tardo de un pobre viejo
puebla de notas el arrabal,
con un concierto de vidrios rotos,
el organito crepuscular.
Dándole vueltas a la manija
un hombre rengo marcha detrás
mientras la dura pata de palo
marca del tango el compás.

En las notas de esa musiquita
hay no sé qué de vaga sensación
que el barrio parece
impregnarse todo de emoción.
Y es porque son tantos los recuerdos
que a su paso despertando va
que llena las almas con un gran deseo de llorar.

Y al triste son
de esa su canción
sigue el organito lerdo
como sembrando a su paso
más pesar en el recuerdo,
más calor en el ocaso.
Y allá se va
de su tango al son
como buscando la noche
que apagará su canción.

Cuentan las viejas que todo saben
y que el pianito junta a charlar
que aquel viejito tuvo una hija
que era la gloria del arrabal.
Cuentan que el rengo era su novio
y que en el corte no tuvo igual…
Supo con ella, y en las milongas,
con aquel tango reinar.

Pero vino un día un forastero,
bailarín, buen mozo y peleador
que en una milonga
compañera y pierna le quitó.
Desde entonces es que padre y novio
van buscando por el arrabal
la ingrata muchacha
al compás de aquel tango fatal.

English lyrics of the Tango "Organito de la tarde"

At the slow pace of a poor old man
he fills the neighborhood with notes,
with a concert of broken glass,
the twilight organ grinder.
Turning the handle
a limping man marches behind
while the hard wooden leg
marks the rhythm of the tango.

In the notes of that little musical piece
there’s something of a vague sensation
that seems to fill
the whole neighborhood with emotion.
And it’s because there are so many memories
that it awakens along its path
that fill souls with a great desire to cry.

And to the sad sound
of its melody
the slow organ grinder follows
as if sowing in its path
more sorrow in the memory,
more warmth in the twilight.
And there it goes
to its tango’s tune
as if searching for the night
that will extinguish its song.

The old women who know everything
and whom the piano gathers to chat
say that the old man had a daughter
who was the glory of the neighborhood.
They tell that the limping man was her boyfriend
and that on the dance floor he had no equal…
He knew with her, and in the dance halls,
how to reign with that tango.

But one day a stranger came,
a dancer, handsome and combative
who in a dance hall
took his companion and leading lady.
Since then father and boyfriend
have been searching through the neighborhood
for the ungrateful girl
to the rhythm of that fatal tango.

Organito de la tarde by Cátulo Castillo

Organito de la tarde is a Tango written by Cátulo Castillo and composed by Cátulo Castillo.

Story behind the Tango “Organito de la tarde”

In “Organito de la tarde,” the lyrics tell a poignant story of loss and longing set against the backdrop of a Buenos Aires neighborhood. It follows the melancholic journey of an old organ grinder accompanied by a man with a wooden leg. The music evokes emotions and memories throughout the community, stirring deep feelings among its residents. The story further unfolds with the tale of a father and a suitor who lost a beloved daughter and fiancé to a charming but treacherous outsider, forever haunting them as they seek solace in the tango’s sorrowful notes.

Symbolism of “Organito de la tarde”

The organito, or little organ, symbolizes nostalgia and the passage of time, echoed in the lyrics’ vivid imagery of slowed footsteps and twilight music. The “pata de palo” or wooden leg, representing disability and persistence, emphasizes the resilience in suffering. The recurring theme of “llorar” or crying underscores a collective emotional release. The organito’s music envelops the neighborhood (“impregnarse todo de emoción”), suggesting its power to fill the air with memories and the ache of bygone glory. This symbolism reflects personal and communal losses felt deeply by the inhabitants.

Organito de la tarde in historic Context

Composed in Buenos Aires in the mid-20th century, the tango captures the essence of post-war Argentina, a time when the country grappled with modernization and cultural shifts. The “barrio” (neighborhood) represents the tight-knit communities common in Buenos Aires, where personal stories were entwined with communal identity. The old organ grinder and his companion echo the resilience of ordinary people facing change and adversity. The tale of lost love and betrayal reflects the era’s social dynamics and the impact of transient connections that disrupted traditional ties.

Cátulo Castillo

Cátulo Castillo was an influential Argentine poet and composer known for his profound contributions to tango music, crafting lyrics that delve deeply into the human experience and the spirit of Buenos Aires.