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Organito de la tarde

Organito de la tarde is a Tango written by Cátulo Castillo and recorded by Florindo Sassone in 1968. Florindo Sassone has recorded Organito de la tarde as an instrumental Tango.
“Organito de la tarde,” or “Little Organ of the Afternoon,” whispers its melody through the fading sunlight of a bustling city. As the day slips into evening, its nostalgic tunes echo the rhythm of life, capturing moments of fleeting beauty and reflection. The music sways like shadows lengthening across cobblestones, inviting listeners to savor the day’s tender farewell.

Tango

Style

Florindo Sassone

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

José González Castillo

Author

Cátulo Castillo

Composer

1968/6/3

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Florindo Sassone
Florindo Sassone

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Pedro Laurenz – Mal de amores – 1968/12/1
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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

1968/6/3 – Yira yira – Florindo Sassone
1968/5/30 – Danzarin – Florindo Sassone
1968/5/30 – La cumparsita – Florindo Sassone
1968/5/28 – Bomboncito – Florindo Sassone
1968/5/24 – Adios muchachos – Florindo Sassone
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

the suburb fills with notes,

with a concert of broken glass,

the twilight barrel organ.

Turning the handle

a lame man follows behind

while the hard wooden leg

marks the rhythm of the tango.

In the notes of that little music

there is some vague sensation

that seems to immerse the neighborhood

in a wave of emotion.

And it is because there are so many memories

that it awakens while passing by

that it fills the souls with a great desire to cry.

And to the sad sound

of that song

the slow organito continues

as if sowing with its steps

more sorrow in the memory,

more warmth in the sunset.
And there it goes

to the rhythm of its tango

as if seeking the night

that will silence its song.

Old women who know everything

and gather around the little piano say

that that old man had a daughter

who was the glory of the suburb.

They say that the lame man was her boyfriend

and that he had no equal in the dance…

He knew her, and in the milongas,

they reigned with that tango.

But one day came a stranger,

a dancer, handsome and a fighter

who at a milonga

stole his girl and his style.

Since then, father and boyfriend

have been searching through the suburb

for the ungrateful girl

to the rhythm of that fatal tango.

Organito de la tarde by José González Castillo

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



Story behind the Tango Organito de la tarde

“Organito de la tarde” translates to “Little organ of the evening” in English, depicting the scenes observed in the suburbs as an elderly man plays his street organ, filling the area with nostalgic and melancholic music. The narrative unfolds with the stark imagery of a man whose life and sorrows are deeply entangled with his music, specifically tethered to a tango that holds a story of lost love and betrayal within its notes. The sonorous melody he plays accompanies the tale of a cherished daughter who eloped with a foreigner, leaving behind a grieving lover and father. This Tango thus captures the profound personal tragedies that echo throughout the community, resonating with the collective memory and emotions of its listeners.



Symbolism of Organito de la tarde

The choice of the street organ, an ‘organito’, as the medium of this story is symbolically rich, portraying the notion of carrying around one’s past and the relentless revisiting of old memories through each turn of the organ’s handle. The ‘broken glasses’ symbolize shattered dreams and the irreversible damage to the family and community. The recurring theme of tango music as the pulse of Argentinean life emphasizes its role in expressing the inexpressible—loss, longing, and a haunted past. The symbolism extends to the connection between physical impairments—represented by the father’s slow gait and the musician’s limp—and their emotional scars, suggesting that the music they produce is a form of coping and resilience in face of life’s adversities.



Organito de la tarde in historic Context

Recorded in 1968, during a period of significant social and political transformations in Argentina, “Organito de la tarde” possibly serves as a reflective piece on the changing dynamics within local Argentine communities. The song may communicate a sense of loss not just at a personal level but perhaps also lamenting the loss of traditional values and ways of life amid rapid modernization and cultural shifts. The portrayal of the old neighborhoods, the intimate milongas (dance events), and the interwoven lives within these tales encapsulate a cherished historical and cultural heritage amidst the inevitable thrust of time that brings change.



José González Castillo

José González Castillo was an Argentine playwright, poet, and tango lyricist, recognized for his contributions to the popular culture of Argentina through his poignant narratives and dramatic compositions.