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Quiero estar solo

Quiero estar solo is a Tango written by Fernando Fontanilla and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1928. Osvaldo Fresedo has recorded Quiero estar solo as an instrumental Tango.
“Quiero estar solo” translates to “I Want to Be Alone” in English. This piece, whether a haunting instrumental or a soulful Tango, captures the paradoxical desire for solitude amidst life’s chaos, a yearning for a moment to breathe and reflect. It evokes the bittersweet beauty of introspection, where loneliness becomes a gentle companion rather than a burden.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Fresedo

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Domingo Di Doménico, Fernando Fontanilla

Author

Fernando Fontanilla

Composer

1928/5/29

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo

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Quiero estar solo recorded by other Orchestras

Quiero estar solo recorded by other Orchestras

Letra del Tango Quiero estar solo

Mi arrabal, dónde estará
Mi percantina papirusa,
Esa piba rantifusa
Que del bulín se piantó.
Cuando pase por tus calles
Toda cubierta de lujo,
Decile que un hombre brujo
Este tango le cantó:

“Te piantaste, pebeta, de mi lado
Con un chorro batidor, muy conocido,
Con un turro en la cana, bien junado
Que labura en los bondis del Retiro.
Cuando el reo te dé el esquinazo
Y no tengas bacán para acoplarte,
Acordate de este hombre que dejaste
En la vida, sin valor pa´suicidarse”.

Y si vuelve arrepentida
Sufriendo algún cruel desengaño,
No, no le digas que los años
Me enseñaron a olvidar.
Dile que quiero estar solo
Que no puedo perdonarla,
Pues me cansé de esperarla
Y no la quiero ver más.

English lyrics of the Tango "Quiero estar solo"

My slum, where could it be,
My fancy little thing,
That snooty girl
Who ran away from the room.
When she walks through your streets
All decked out in luxury,
Tell her a sorcerer man
Sang this tango for her:

“You ran away, girl, from my side
With a swindling crook, well-known,
With a thug in jail, well spotted
Who works in the buses of Retiro.
When the crook dodges you
And you’ve no rich man to latch onto,
Remember this man you left
In life, without the will to end it all.”

And if she comes back repentant
Suffering some cruel disappointment,
No, don’t tell her that the years
Taught me to forget.
Tell her I want to be alone
That I can’t forgive her,
For I’m tired of waiting for her
And I don’t want to see her anymore.

Quiero estar solo by Domingo Di Doménico, Fernando Fontanilla

Quiero estar solo is a Tango written by Domingo Di Doménico, Fernando Fontanilla and composed by Fernando Fontanilla.



Story behind the Tango Quiero estar solo

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.



Symbolism of Quiero estar solo

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.



Quiero estar solo in historic Context

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, Fernando Fontanilla

Domingo Di Doménico and Fernando Fontanilla were instrumental figures in the Argentine Tango scene, contributing through their heartfelt and resonant lyrics and compositions.