Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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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.
Picaneao is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Héctor Baldi.
“Picaneao” delves into the struggles and reminiscences of a rural man. The narrator speaks of coming from a distant place, carrying the pain of the gaucho, Argentina’s iconic cowboy. Sorrow is tethered to him like the dried-up bouquet of kisses from his past loves. He reflects on his once prosperous life, filled with personal and material wealth, symbolized by the silver on his knife, the gold in his wheat fields, and the love in his heart provided by a woman he cherished. The repeated use of “Picaneao,” a variation of “picaneado,” meaning to prick or spur on, suggests a life driven by external and internal pressures, causing a slow, painful progression akin to an ox’s plodding movement.
The lyrics are rich in symbols rooted in Argentine pastoral life. “The dried bunch of kisses” evokes memories of lost loves, while “silver on my knife” and “gold in my wheat fields” connote past wealth and prosperity. The phrase “Picaneao ando en mi juída” literally means, “I walk spurred in my escape,” which symbolically illustrates the narrator’s painful journey through his memories and regrets. The transformation from life’s morning to its night depicts the inevitable passage of time and the approach of life’s end, symbolized by the night.
Released in 1954, “Picaneao” emerges in a post-World War II context where Argentina was experiencing political and social changes under Juan Domingo Perón’s governance. This era was marked by a push toward modernization and an attempt to cultivate a distinct national identity, which often romanticized rural and gaucho aspects of Argentine culture. This tango, through its nostalgic and pastoral lyrics, expresses a yearning for the simplicity and perceived authenticity of rural life amidst the complexities of modern existence.
Enrique Cadícamo was a prolific Argentine poet and tango lyricist, well-respected for his contributions to the genre, painting vivid narratives of love, sorrow, and longing.