Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ

Picaneao

Picaneao is a Tango written by Héctor Baldi and recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1954. The Tango Picaneao is written by Héctor Baldi, Osvaldo Pugliese has recorded Picaneao with the singer Juan Carlos Cobos.
“Picaneao,” translated from Spanish, means “prodded” or “goaded.” This piece ignites a rhythmic urgency, urging the listener to dance with fervor and abandon. Each note is a gentle push, propelling the spirit forward, capturing the essence of tango’s passionate dialogue between movement and emotion.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orchestra

Juan Carlos Cobos

Singer

Enrique Cadícamo

Author

Héctor Baldi

Composer

1954/1/5

Date

Juan Carlos Cobos
Juan Carlos Cobos
Osvaldo Pugliese
Osvaldo Pugliese

Discover Other Orchestras

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.

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Picaneao

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

Letra del Tango Picaneao

Paisano, yo vengo en ancas de un grito
Trayendo de lejos, al gaucho dolor,
Y atao a mis tientos el ramo marchito
De besos, que un día, yo fui el pialador.

Paisano, yo tuve también mis rosales
Un nido en mi rancho y un cielo a su lao,
Plata en mi cuchillo y oro en mis trigales
Y una china en mi alma, pa´estar inspirao.

Picaneao ando en mi juída
Por los campos del ricuerdo,
Picaneao como buey lerdo
Y con el alma hecha herida.

Picaneao por la partida
Invisible de mi ayer,
Un día he de amanecer
En la noche de mi vida.

English lyrics of the Tango "Picaneao"

Countryman, I come on the wings of a shout
Bringing from afar the gaucho’s pain,
And tied to my lariats the withered bouquet
Of kisses, that once, I was the captor.

Countryman, I too had my rose bushes
A nest in my ranch and a sky beside,
Silver on my knife and gold in my wheat fields
And a girl in my soul, to be inspired.

Driven I wander in my fleeing
Through the fields of memory,
Driven like a sluggish ox
And with a soul turned to wound.

Driven by the departure
Invisible of my yesterday,
One day I shall wake
In the night of my life.

Picaneao by Enrique Cadícamo

Picaneao is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Héctor Baldi.



Story behind the Tango Picaneao

“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.



Symbolism of Picaneao

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.



Picaneao in Historic Context

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

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.