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Pavadas

Pavadas is a Tango written by Mario Demarco and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1969. The Tango Pavadas is written by Mario Demarco, Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Pavadas with the singer Abel Córdoba.
“Pavadas,” meaning “Foolishness” in English, captures a whimsical dance between irony and sincerity. The music playfully mocks life’s trivialities, alluding to our tendency to worry over inconsequential matters. Yet, through its intricate melodies, it invites listeners to ponder if underneath what seems foolish, there lies a touch of profundity, urging a gentle reflection.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Abel Córdoba

Singer

Isusi

Author

Mario Demarco

Composer

1969/10/1

Date

Abel Córdoba
Abel Córdoba
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

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Lyrics Translation of the Tango Pavadas

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

Letra del Tango Pavadas

Una niñez de suburbio,
rancho de lata oxidada,
creciendo como los yuyos
sin cuna, chiches, ni nada.

Qué puede importarle al mundo,
al mundo qué le importaba,
si hay pibes que pasan hambre
y madres abandonadas.
Resaca, cosas del fango,
letras de tango, pavadas.

Hoy, cuando grande y perdido,
ni pidió, ni dio clemencia,
rencor de barro amasado
un resentido, que no ruega.
Salió a buscar la revancha
jugó su vida en la vida,
y la vida le ganó…
Su corazón pa’ los perros
lo tiró como una taba,
su historia fue como muchas
y entre rejas terminaba.

English lyrics of the Tango "Pavadas"

A childhood in the suburbs,
shack of rusted tin,
growing like weeds
without a crib, toys, or anything.

What could it matter to the world,
what did the world care,
if there are kids who starve
and mothers left alone.
Backwash, things of the mud,
tango lyrics, nonsense.

Today, now grown and lost,
neither asked for nor gave mercy,
resentment of kneaded mud
a resentful man, who doesn’t beg.
He went out to seek revenge
bet his life in life,
and life beat him…
His heart for the dogs
he tossed as if in a game,
his story was like many
and ended behind bars.

Pavadas by Isusi

Pavadas is a Tango written by Isusi and composed by Mario Demarco.

Story behind the Tango Pavadas

The tango “Pavadas” tells a poignant story steeped in the stark realities of urban poverty and despair. It sketches the tumultuous life of a person born in a shanty town, echoing the harsh upbringing devoid of basic comforts or love. The narrative threads through the protagonist’s life describing his descent into resentment and eventual downfall. This person, once a child without so much as a toy, grows into an adult seeking revenge on life itself, only to be subdued by the very life he challenges.



Symbolism of Pavadas

The word ‘Pavadas’ generally refers to ‘nonsense’ or ‘trivialities’ in English, setting a stark contrast against the heavy themes of the tango. This title might imply how the deeper, painful issues of life are often dismissed as trivial by those who overlook the suffering of others. ‘Resaca, cosas del fango, letras de tango, pavadas’ – this phrase further underscores how the societal mud and the daily grind, which are painful realities for some, are often minimized or treated as mere lyrical musings in tango songs by others. The imagery of toys, cradles, and homes use stark, simple language to paint a vivid picture of what is lacking from a childhood surrounded by poverty.



Pavadas in historic Context

Written and recorded in 1969, “Pavadas” captures a period in Argentine history marked by social and political unrest. The tango reflects the darker tones of society’s landscape during this time, mirroring the hardships faced by the marginalised communities in the suburbs of Argentina. The political climate, with its upheavals, likely added layers of cynicism and loss, elements that resonate in the ominous fate of the song’s protagonist, who ends up ‘among the bars,’ a metaphor for prison or possibly a tragic end.



Isusi

Isusi was a reflective and evocative lyricist, known for capturing the essence of the Argentine spirit through his poignant and often stark narratives.