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.
Por una cabeza is a Tango written by Alfredo Le Pera and composed by Carlos Gardel.
The tango “Por una cabeza” is a poignant narrative intertwining themes of gambling and romantic passion. The lyrics metaphorically compare the addictive thrill and ultimate risk of gambling on horses to the volatile allure and emotional stakes of falling in and out of love. Alfredo Le Pera uses a horse-racing term “por una cabeza,” which translates to “by a head”, to signify losing a horse race by the narrowest of margins, encapsulating the theme of narrow loss and regret both in gambling and in love.
The phrase “Por una cabeza” symbolizes the fine line between victory and defeat, a recurring motif in the lyrics, and reflects broader themes of chance and fate in life’s pursuits. The lyrics lament missed opportunities both at the racetrack and in love, using the horse race as a symbol for the gamble of romance. Le Pera beautifully juxtaposes the fleeting thrill of a kiss (“Su boca que besa”) against the enduring pain of romantic disillusionment (“Cuántos desengaños, por una cabeza”).
Written and recorded in early 1953 in Argentina, “Por una cabeza” emerged during a period rich with tango culture, reflecting societal attitudes towards romance and the traditional values of masculinity and honor. The setting of the tango in the culturally vibrant but economically fluctuating Argentina provides a backdrop of uncertainty and fervor, echoed in both the romantic and gambling themes of the lyrics. The metaphor of horse racing resonates widely in Argentina’s popular culture, which holds deep connections to both equestrian sports and tango as forms of narrative storytelling.
Alfredo Le Pera was an Argentine lyricist and journalist known for his collaborations with the famous tango composer Carlos Gardel, including the creation of enduring classics like “Por una cabeza”.