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.
Quiero estar solo is a Tango written by Domingo Di Doménico, Fernando Fontanilla and composed by Fernando Fontanilla.
The lyrics of “Quiero estar solo” reveal a tale of love, abandonment, and heartbreak. The narrator speaks of an arrabal, or neighborhood, reflecting on a lost love — a woman who left him for another, more affluent, lover. As he navigates through memories and streets, the lyrics bring out his solitude and the decision of letting go instead of continuing to wait for someone who might never return. This poignant story captures the essence of Tango itself — a dance and music genre steeped in melancholy and introspective sadness.
The song uses urban and human landscapes to deepen the emotional impact. Phrases like “Mi arrabal, dónde estará” symbolize not just a physical location but a state of mind, referencing the past and places left behind. The persona refers to his former lover disparagingly, using terms such as “percantina papirusa” and “piba rantifusa,” indicating his mixed feelings of fondness and bitterness. The mention of “el Retiro,” a real location in Buenos Aires known for its bus terminals, adds a layer of authenticity, symbolizing departures — both literal and metaphorical.
Recorded in 1928 in Argentina, “Quiero estar solo” emerges during a time when Tango was intertwined with the urban culture of Buenos Aires. During this period, Argentina was experiencing significant social and economic transformations, contributing to feelings of displacement and nostalgia prevalent in Tango lyrics. The choice to focus on themes such as disillusionment and social strata reflects broader societal concerns of those times such as migration, urbanization, and the disruption of traditional relationships.
Domingo Di Doménico and Fernando Fontanilla were instrumental figures in the Argentine Tango scene, contributing through their heartfelt and resonant lyrics and compositions.