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Pensalo bien (2)

Pensalo bien (2) is a Tango written by Alberto Calvera and recorded by Roberto Firpo in 1929. The Tango Pensalo bien (2) is written by Alberto Calvera, Roberto Firpo has recorded Pensalo bien (2) with the singer Teófilo Ibáñez.
“Pensalo bien (2)” translates to “Think It Over (2)” in English. The piece invites the listener to pause and reflect, to reconsider choices and the paths one might take, echoing the contemplative nature of a Tango. With its melodic twists and turns, it suggests a dance of decisions, urging us to weigh the heart’s desires against life’s realities.

Tango

Style

Roberto Firpo

Orchestra

Teófilo Ibáñez

Singer

Alberto Calvera

Author

Alberto Calvera

Composer

1929/10/10

Date

Teófilo Ibáñez
Teófilo Ibáñez
Roberto Firpo
Roberto Firpo

Discover Other Orchestras

Juan MAGLIO – Milonguero viejo – 1928/4/2
Ricardo Malerba – Qué tarde que has venido – 1956/9/13
Ricardo Malerba – Bailarina – 1958/1/1
Ricardo Malerba – Sollozos – 1944/3/16
Ricardo Malerba – Amor con amor se paga – 1944/6/30
Ricardo Malerba – Noches de Montmartre – 1941/9/25
Héctor Varela – Si supiera que la extraño – 1956/11/30
Héctor Varela – En un sueño te perdí – 1974/1/1
Héctor Varela – Fosforerita – 1957/1/18
Héctor Varela – Con flauta y guitarra – 1973/1/1
Héctor Varela – Historia de un amor – 1956/3/13
Ángel d’Agostino – Como el hornero – 1944/4/5
Ángel d’Agostino – Tristeza criolla – 1945/10/2
Ángel d’Agostino – Solo compasion – 1941/10/20
Ángel d’Agostino – El cardo azul – 1943/9/9
Ángel d’Agostino – Bailarín compadrito – 1952/1/24

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.

1929/10/10 – Manguero – Roberto Firpo
1929/10/10 – Almas gemelas – Orquesta Tipica Victor
1929/10/10 – No es por hablar mal (2) – Orquesta Tipica Victor
1929/10/9 – Belen – Carlos di Sarli
1929/10/9 – Pobre yo – Carlos di Sarli

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Pensalo bien (2)

This is the translation of the Tango “Pensalo bien (2)” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “Pensalo bien (2)” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango Pensalo bien (2)

Pensalo bien, no te marchés

Que la ambición es ciega,

Hacele caso a tu amorcito, que sabés

Que a nada se te niega.

Sacate esa ilusión, pensá

Que juventud y amor te di,

No caigas en la falsedad y recordá

Que el alma entera puse en ti.



Qué sacás con ser patrona de un bulín

Instalado a todo lujo y sin amor,

Si pagás tu berretín,

Esclava sos al fin

De tu inconsciente error.

Tené clase y por la huella del deber

Seguí viaje, no vendás tu corazón,

Para eso eres mujer,

Y sólo hay un querer

Y una ocasión.



No te olvidés, que yo también

Tuve el placer a mano,

Esplendidez que mi alma joven, rechazó

Por creerlo un sueño vano.

Y te enseñé a vivir y amar

Que no te arrastre un loco tren,

No creas en halagos de los que al pasar

Hacen feliz, pensalo bien.

English lyrics of the Tango "Pensalo bien (2)"

Think it over, don’t leave

For ambition is blind,
Listen to your sweetheart, you know
Nothing is denied to you.

Remove that illusion, think
I gave you youth and love,
Don’t fall for falsehood and remember
I gave my whole soul to you.

What do you gain being the owner of a small flat
Set up luxuriously but without love,
If you pay for your fancy,
You end up a slave
To your unconscious mistake.

Have class and follow the path of duty
Continue your journey, don’t sell your heart,
For that is what it is to be a woman,
There is only one love
And one chance.

Don’t forget, I too
Had pleasure within reach,
Splendor that my young soul, turned away
Believing it to be a vain dream.

And I taught you to live and love
Not to be dragged by a mad rush,
Don’t believe in flatteries of those who, in passing,
Make you happy, think it over well.

Pensalo bien (2) by Alberto Calvera

Pensalo bien (2) is a Tango written by Alberto Calvera and composed by Alberto Calvera.

Story behind the Tango Pensalo bien (2)

“Pensalo bien (2)” carries a narrative filled with emotional depth, where the speaker addresses a loved one, urging them to reconsider their decisions led by ambition and the allure of a luxurious but loveless life. The lyrics delve deep into themes of love, sacrifice, and the transient nature of youthful desires. The advice to think carefully (“Pensalo bien”) resonates as a plea to preserve genuine emotional connections over material gains.



Symbolism of Pensalo bien (2)

The tango uses compelling imagery and symbolism to highlight its themes. The “patrona de un bulín” symbolizes the protagonist’s potential future self — a woman who controls a fine, but empty, establishment. Here, “bulín,” a term for a small apartment, becomes a metaphor for a small world rich in material but poor in spirit. Phrases like “la ambición es ciega” (ambition is blind) and “a nada se te niega” (nothing is denied to you) contrast ambition with the purity of romantic sacrifice, emphasizing the blindness of ambition that overlooks true love’s value.



Pensalo bien (2) in historic Context

Recorded in 1929, during a period of significant social and economic changes in Argentina, “Pensalo bien (2)” reflects the moral and emotional dilemmas faced by individuals amidst the country’s growing modernization and urbanization. The allure of a luxurious life, symbolized through the ambitions of the song’s addressee, mirrors the societal shift towards materialism, often at the expense of personal and emotional fulfillment.



Alberto Calvera

Alberto Calvera was an influential figure in the Tango music scene, known for his emotive and complex lyrics that often explored themes of love, betrayal, and societal issues.