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Pudo ser una vida

Pudo ser una vida is a Tango written by Elías Randal and recorded by Rodolfo Biagi in 1946. The Tango Pudo ser una vida is written by Elías Randal, Rodolfo Biagi has recorded Pudo ser una vida with the singer Alberto Amor.
The Spanish name “Pudo ser una vida” translates to “It Could Have Been a Life” in English. This evocative phrase suggests a reflection on moments of missed opportunities and paths not taken, where each note whispers stories of dreams unfulfilled. As the melody unfolds, it resonates with the bittersweet dance of what once was and what might have been.

Tango

Style

Rodolfo Biagi

Orchestra

Alberto Amor

Singer

Carlos Bahr

Author

Elías Randal

Composer

1946/1/18

Date

Alberto Amor
Alberto Amor
Rodolfo Biagi
Rodolfo Biagi

Discover Other Orchestras

Alfredo Gobbi – Triste destino – 1954/12/14
Alfredo Gobbi – El pollero – 1949/3/24
Alfredo Gobbi – Muchachos yo tengo un tango – 1948/5/12
Alfredo Gobbi – Por una muñeca – 1955/3/28
Alfredo Gobbi – Ya no eres mia – 1950/3/27
Domingo Federico – Dibujos – 1951/7/3
Domingo Federico – Vos y yo corazón – 1965/1/1
Domingo Federico – Maciel tiempo de olvido – 1961/1/1
Domingo Federico – Frente a una copa – 1965/1/1
Domingo Federico – En la buena y en la mala – 1953/5/27
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – Felicia – 1960/1/1
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – Corralera – 1960/1/1
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – El amanecer – 1964/1/1
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – Organito de la tarde – 1960/1/1
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – A fuego lento – 1960/1/1
Osvaldo Fresedo – Por qué – 1943/1/25
Osvaldo Fresedo – El mal genio de mi ñatita – 1931/1/1
Osvaldo Fresedo – Rodríguez Peña – 1942/9/4
Osvaldo Fresedo – Oiga – 1927/7/30
Osvaldo Fresedo – Tres recuerdos – 1941/5/13

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.

Pudo ser una vida recorded by other Orchestras

Pudo ser una vida recorded by other Orchestras

1946/1/18 – Aroma de amor – Rodolfo Biagi
1946/1/23 – Mis amigos de ayer – Anibal Troilo
1946/1/23 – Principe – Anibal Troilo
1946/1/9 – Mariposa (2) – Enrique Rodriguez
1946/1/9 – La carta perdida – Enrique Rodriguez
Pudo ser una vida – 1945/12/27 – Miguel Calo – Roberto Arrieta
Pudo ser una vida – 1946/1/18 – Rodolfo Biagi – Alberto Amor

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Pudo ser una vida

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

Letra del Tango Pudo ser una vida

Los años cumpliría por diciembre,
Tal vez cuando festejan Navidad.
Creciendo, lo verían de repente,
Sobrar el escritorio del papá.
Tendría un trajecito marinero,
Después, para el colegio, un delantal,
Y luego cuando ya cumpliera el sexto,
Habría que ir pensando en algo más.

Pudo ser una vida…
Y es dolor de una madre que suspira,
Por la cuna que siempre está vacía
Por el sueño que nunca pudo ser.
Pudo ser una vida…
Y es silencio de angustia en un hogar,
Y una cuna en que sólo han de mecer
El fantasma de un niño que no fue.

Los años cumpliría por diciembre,
Tal vez cuando festejan Navidad.
Sería un mozo bueno y diligente,
Orgullo del papá y de mamá.
Después andando el tiempo llegaría
Tal vez a ser doctor o capitán.
O acaso un soñador que viviría
Rodando por el mundo sin parar.

English lyrics of the Tango "Pudo ser una vida"

He would have had a birthday by December,
Perhaps when they celebrate Christmas.
Growing up, they’d suddenly see,
How he outgrew his father’s desk.
He’d have a little sailor suit,
Then, for school, an apron,
And later, when he turned six,
They’d have to start thinking of something more.

It could have been a life…
And it’s the pain of a mother who sighs,
For the cradle that’s always empty
For the dream that could never be.
It could have been a life…
And it’s the silence of anguish in a home,
And a cradle where only the phantom of a child,
Who never came to be, is rocked.

He would have had a birthday by December,
Perhaps when they celebrate Christmas.
He would have been a good and diligent young man,
The pride of mom and dad.
Then, as time went on, he might have become
Perhaps a doctor or a captain.
Or maybe a dreamer who would live
Roaming the world nonstop.

Pudo ser una vida by Carlos Bahr

Pudo ser una vida is a Tango written by Carlos Bahr and composed by Elías Randal.



Story behind the Tango “Pudo ser una vida”

“Pudo ser una vida” translates to “It Could Have Been a Life,” a poignant reflection on a life that might have been but never was. This tango tells the bittersweet tale of parents envisioning the life of a child who, for reasons left unsaid, never comes to exist. The lyrics oscillate between different stages of what would have been the child’s life, from wearing a sailor suit to possibly becoming a doctor or a restless traveler. It is a narrative of unrealized dreams and chronic sorrow engraved in the mundane, every day.



Symbolism of “Pudo ser una vida”

The tango uses powerful symbolism to evoke a deep sense of loss and what-if scenarios. The repetition of “Pudo ser una vida” underscores the recurring pain and longing for the child that never was. The mention of the “empty crib,” a particularly potent image, symbolizes unfulfilled potential and the void left by the absence of the child. These elements combine to paint a picture of an incomplete family narrative, with the silence and emptiness echoing through the years. Key phrases such as “dolor de una madre que suspira” (pain of a mother who sighs) and “fantasma de un niño que no fue” (ghost of a child that never was) emphasize the enduring anguish and spectral presence of the loss.



“Pudo ser una vida” in historical context

Written and composed in Argentina in 1946, “Pudo ser una vida” emerged in a period marked by significant political changes and a profound cultural introspection within the country. Post-World War II Argentina faced its own set of challenges and transitions, which influenced all aspects of life, including the arts. Tango, often a reflection of deeper societal mores and emotional states, was likely influenced by the prevailing atmosphere of reflection and revaluation. The mention of culturally significant times like Christmas suggests an attempt to connect personal loss with communal or universally recognized events, adding a layer of universal relatability to the personal sorrow depicted in the tango.



Carlos Bahr

Carlos Bahr was a renowned Argentine lyricist whose evocative compositions often delved into themes of love, loss, and existential musings, which left a significant mark on the genre of tango.