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Quién tuviera dieciocho años

Quién tuviera dieciocho años is a Tango written by Guillermo Barbieri and recorded by Carlos Gardel in 1931. The Tango Quién tuviera dieciocho años is written by Guillermo Barbieri, Carlos Gardel has recorded Quién tuviera dieciocho años with the singer Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas.
“Quién tuviera dieciocho años,” which translates to “If Only I Were Eighteen Again,” captures the wistful longing of youth’s fleeting innocence and boundless dreams. This evocative tango transports the listener to a time when life was a canvas of hopeful possibilities. It reflects a yearning for moments when time stretched infinitely ahead, unburdened by life’s inevitable complexities.

Tango

Style

Carlos Gardel

Orchestra

Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas

Singer

Guillermo Barbieri

Author

Guillermo Barbieri

Composer

1931/10/27

Date

Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas
Guit. Guillermo Barbieri, Ángel Domingo Riverol, Domingo Julio Vivas
Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel

Discover Other Orchestras

Orquesta Típica Victor – Regia pinta – 1932/11/29
Orquesta Típica Victor – El Chamuyo – 1930/6/26
Orquesta Típica Victor – Rodríguez Peña – 1927/6/4
Orquesta Típica Victor – Amorios – 1939/12/23
Orquesta Típica Victor – Sin rumbo fijo – 1938/4/18
Juan Maglio – Milonguero viejo – 1928/4/2
Roberto Firpo – La gitana del cañi – 1931/10/15
Roberto Firpo – Los ojazos de mi negra – 1927/10/20
Roberto Firpo – El adios del boyero – 1934/12/11
Roberto Firpo – Manguero – 1929/10/10
Roberto Firpo – Mensaje de amor – 1929/6/8
Carlos di Sarli – Calla – 1956/12/19
Carlos di Sarli – Marianito – 1941/5/20
Carlos di Sarli – A mi me llaman Juan Tango – 1943/11/4
Carlos di Sarli – Así era mi novia – 1952/9/15
Carlos di Sarli – Nueve puntos – 1943/5/5

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.

Quién tuviera dieciocho años recorded by other Orchestras

Quién tuviera dieciocho años recorded by other Orchestras

1931/10/27 – Madreselva (La polla) – Carlos Gardel
1931/10/27 – Falsas promesas – Carlos Gardel
1931/10/27 – Ojos maulas – Carlos Gardel
1931/10/27 – Quejas del alma – Carlos Gardel
1931/10/26 – La serenata de ayer – Orquesta Tipica Victor
Quien tuviera dieciocho anos – 1944/1/31 – Angel d-Agostino – Angel Vargas
Quien tuviera dieciocho anos – 1931/10/27 – Carlos Gardel – Guit. Guillermo Barbieri
Angel Domingo Riverol
Domingo Julio Vivas
Quien tuviera dieciocho anos – 1931/5/13 – Francisco Canaro – Instrumental

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Quién tuviera dieciocho años

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

Letra del Tango Quién tuviera dieciocho años

Cuando vuelvo la mirada a lo pasado

y me fijo que está todo diferente

mil recuerdos se me agolpan en la mente

y revivo aquellas horas del ayer.

Lindos años que nos dieron la alegría

de llenarnos de placeres y de encantos,

alejando del alma los quebrantos

para sentir tan sólo la gloria de un querer.



¡Quién tuviera dieciocho años

y anduviera en las reuniones

conquistando corazones

con su porte juvenil!

¡Quién llegara a ser el mozo

que en aquel tiempo pasado

siempre fuera respetado

por valiente y por gentil!



Ya no somos los muchachos bullangueros

que vivíamos soñando en el mañana

sin llegar a comprender la ilusión vana

que era el ansia de ser hombre de una vez.

Ya no somos de los tiempos que se fueron

los muchachos parlanchines y andariegos,

que entonando los versos de Carriego

a más de una muchacha logramos conmover.



¡Quién tuviera dieciocho años

y olvidase que en la vida

hay penas que son heridas

que matan en la vejez!

¡Qué lindo si uno pudiera

volver sin ningún quebranto

a disfrutar los encantos

que nos diera la niñez!

English lyrics of the Tango "Quién tuviera dieciocho años"

When I look back at the past,
noticing everything is so different,
a thousand memories crowd my mind
and I relive those hours of yesterday.

Beautiful years that gave us joy,
filling us with pleasures and charms,
driving away the soul’s hardships
to feel only the glory of love.

Oh, to be eighteen again
and be at gatherings,
winning hearts
with youthful grace!
Oh, to be the young man
from those bygone days
always respected
for bravery and kindness!

We are no longer the rowdy boys
who lived dreaming of tomorrow,
never grasping the vain illusion
that was the eagerness to be men at once.
We are no longer from the times gone by,
the chatty, wandering boys,
who singing verses of Carriego
managed to move more than one girl.

Oh, to be eighteen again
and forget that in life
there are sorrows that are wounds
that kill in old age!
How beautiful it would be
to return unbroken
to enjoy the charms
that childhood gave us!

Quién tuviera dieciocho años by Guillermo Barbieri

Quién tuviera dieciocho años is a Tango written by Guillermo Barbieri and composed by Guillermo Barbieri.



Story behind the Tango Quién tuviera dieciocho años

The lyrics of “Quién tuviera dieciocho años” reflect a deep sense of nostalgia and longing for the simplicity and joy of youth. Guillermo Barbieri, through his poetic words, offers a look back at the past, comparing it to the present which he finds vastly altered. He describes the accumulation of memories that flood his mind, reminding him of the times filled with happiness, desires, and unburdened love. This Tango presents a universal theme of yearning for one’s younger days and the freedoms and adventures that accompany them.



Symbolism of Quién tuviera dieciocho años

“Conquistando corazones con su porte juvenil” symbolizes the charm and unreserved freedom associated with youth, and how the passage of time takes away these qualities. The frequent repetition of “¡Quién tuviera dieciocho años!” highlights the intense desire to reclaim the vitality and spirit of being eighteen, a time often considered the peak of one’s energy and potential for joy. Additionally, references to “los versos de Carriego” symbolize the connection to the Argentine culture and the poetic tradition which adds a layer of introspection about influence and identity intertwined with nostalgia.



Quién tuviera dieciocho años in historic Context

Recorded in 1931, during a period of significant political and economic changes in Argentina, “Quién tuviera dieciocho años” emerges as both a personal and collective retrospective look at simpler times. This was a time shortly after the Infamous Decade began in Argentina, characterized by corruption and fraud. The longing for the integrity and innocence of youth as depicted in the Tango can be interpreted as a metaphor for societal yearning for honesty and straightforwardness in governance and daily life.



Guillermo Barbieri

Guillermo Barbieri was a notable Argentine musician and lyricist, often recognized for his collaborations and performances in the traditional Tango genre.