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Puente Alsina

Puente Alsina is a Tango written by Benjamín Tagle Lara and recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor in 1927. Orquesta Típica Victor has recorded Puente Alsina as an instrumental Tango.
“Puente Alsina,” or “Alsina Bridge” in English, is more than just a crossing over water; it’s a passage connecting souls with the weight of history’s whispers. Each melodic note carries the echoes of lovers’ farewells and the unspoken dreams of travelers. This musical bridge, like the structure, is a testament to the strength and resilience of life’s intertwining journeys.

Tango

Style

Orquesta Típica Victor

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Benjamín Tagle Lara

Author

Benjamín Tagle Lara

Composer

1927/4/27

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Orquesta Típica Victor
Orquesta Típica Victor

Discover Other Orchestras

Rodolfo Biagi – La chacarera – 1940/3/14
Rodolfo Biagi – A mí no me interesa – 1940/4/12
Rodolfo Biagi – Sosiego en la noche – 1944/5/30
Rodolfo Biagi – Copas amigas y besos – 1945/2/6
Rodolfo Biagi – Paloma – 1945/2/6
Osmar Maderna – Ausencia (2) – 1947/11/20
Osmar Maderna – Plomo – 1947/5/30
Osmar Maderna – Fantasía en tiempo de tango (Sobre motivos de Monti) – 1947/4/25
Osmar Maderna – Escalas en azul – 1950/5/17
Osmar Maderna – Sólo cerrazón – 1946/1/1
Lucio Demare – En un rincón – 1943/12/21
Lucio Demare – Como se hace un tango – 1943/1/9
Lucio Demare – Milonguero viejo – 1956/1/1
Lucio Demare – Telón – 1938/6/13
Lucio Demare – Un vals (Se fue) – 1943/7/13
Aníbal Troilo – Sur – 1956/8/8
Aníbal Troilo – Qué me van a hablar de amor – 1946/7/11
Aníbal Troilo – Recordando a Discépolo – 1963/4/5
Aníbal Troilo – Cafetín de Buenos Aires – 1948/7/8
Aníbal Troilo – Una canción – (unknown date)

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.

Puente Alsina recorded by other Orchestras

Puente Alsina recorded by other Orchestras

1927/4/27 – Mabel – Orquesta Tipica Victor
1927/4/26 – Otono (2) – Osvaldo Fresedo
1927/4/26 – Te pintaste los ojos – Osvaldo Fresedo
1927/4/26 – Un tropezon – Osvaldo Fresedo
1927/4/29 – Pajaro suelto – Roberto Firpo
Puente Alsina – 1949/8/22 – Osvaldo Pugliese – Jorge Vidal
Puente Alsina – 1953/6/25 – Pedro Laurenz – Alfredo Del Rio
Puente Alsina – 1949/11/25 – Domingo Federico – Mario Bustos
Puente Alsina – 1927/4/27 – Orquesta Tipica Victor – Instrumental

Letra del Tango Puente Alsina

¿Dónde está mi barrio, mi cuna querida?

¿Dónde la guarida, refugio de ayer?

Borró el asfaltado, de una manotada,

la vieja barriada que me vio nacer…



En la sospechosa quietud del suburbio,

la noche de un triste drama pasional

y, huérfano entonces, yo, el hijo de todos,

rodé por el lodo de aquel arrabal.



Puente Alsina, que ayer fuera mi regazo,

de un zarpazo la avenida te alcanzó…

Viejo puente, solitario y confidente,

sos la marca que, en la frente,

el progreso le ha dejado

al suburbio rebelado

que a su paso sucumbió.



Yo no he conocido caricias de madre…

Tuve un solo padre que fuera el rigor

y llevo en mis venas, de sangre matrera,

gritando una gleba su crudo rencor.



Porque me lo llevan, mi barrio, mi todo,

yo, el hijo del lodo lo vengo a llorar…

Mi barrio es mi madre que ya no responde…

¡Que digan adónde lo han ido a enterrar!

English lyrics of the Tango "Puente Alsina"

Where is my neighborhood, my beloved cradle?

Where is the hideout, yesterday’s refuge?

The paving, with a sweep of its hand,

erased the old district where I was born…

In the suspicious quiet of the suburbs,

the night of a sad, passionate drama,

and then an orphan, I, the child of everyone,

rolled through the mud of that slum.

Alsina Bridge, which was once my cradle,

the avenue reached you with a swipe…

Old bridge, solitary and confiding,

you are the mark that, on the forehead,

progress has left

on the rebellious suburb

that succumbed in its path.

I have never known a mother’s caresses…

I had only one father who was strictness

and I carry in my veins, of rogue blood,

shouting a clod its crude resentment.

Because they take it away, my neighborhood, my everything,

I, the son of the mud, come to weep for it…

My neighborhood is my mother who no longer responds…

Let them say where they have gone to bury it!

Puente Alsina by Benjamín Tagle Lara

Puente Alsina is a Tango written by Benjamín Tagle Lara and composed by Benjamín Tagle Lara.



Story behind the Tango Puente Alsina

The lyrics of “Puente Alsina” touch on a deep nostalgia and personal loss mirrored against urban transformation. The poet starts by questioning the whereabouts of his beloved neighborhood, recognizing that the landscape of his childhood has been drastically altered by modern development. The essence of the song is a lamentation for the past—a past where the neighborhood, symbolic of a maternal figure, provided refuge and familiarity which has now been erased.



Symbolism of Puente Alsina

In “Puente Alsina,” the bridge itself emerges as a central symbol, representing both the poet’s past sanctuary and the stark change inflicted by progress. The “avenue” that reached the once comforting Puente Alsina signifies the unstoppable force of modernity that ultimately disrupts the local, traditional life. The bridge, formerly a place of solace, is now reduced to a mere sign of the rapid and perhaps reckless pace of development. Through such imagery, the lyrics convey a poignant commentary on displacement and the erosion of community caused by urban renewal.



Puente Alsina in Historic Context

Recorded in 1927, “Puente Alsina” reflects a period of significant urbanization in Argentina, particularly Buenos Aires. During this time, many rural and suburban areas saw profound transformations as cities expanded and modernized. The tango captures an intimate portrayal of how these changes affected individuals and communities, marking a moment of cultural shift where old neighborhoods were swallowed by the growth of sprawling avenues. This theme resonates deeply as it juxtaposes personal loss against the backdrop of societal evolution.



Benjamín Tagle Lara

Benjamín Tagle Lara was a significant figure in Argentine tango, contributing richly to its literature through his poignant storytelling and musical compositions.