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Santa madrecita

Santa madrecita is a Tango written by Héctor Varela and recorded by Alfredo De Angelis in 1949. The Tango Santa madrecita is written by Héctor Varela, Alfredo De Angelis has recorded Santa madrecita with the singer Carlos Dante.
“Santa Madrecita,” translated into English as “Holy Little Mother,” evokes a tender reverence for the nurturing spirit. The melody weaves through emotions like a gentle embrace, capturing the essence of maternal strength and solace. Each note, like a whispered prayer, honors the quiet sacrifices and enduring love of a mother’s heart.

Tango

Style

Alfredo De Angelis

Orchestra

Carlos Dante

Singer

Carlos Waiss

Author

Héctor Varela

Composer

1949/12/6

Date

Carlos Dante
Carlos Dante
Alfredo De Angelis
Alfredo De Angelis

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Miguel Caló – Inútil – 1946/12/3
Miguel Caló – Malvaloca (2) – 1936/3/14
Miguel Caló – Saludos – 1944/8/23
Miguel Caló – Laura – 1959/1/1
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – Pimienta – 1971/1/1
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Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – En bateau – 1970/1/1
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Rosicler – 1959/9/14
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José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Yo no sé por qué te quiero – 1959/9/14
José De Alto (Dir. José Basso) – Nunca tuvo novio – 1959/9/14
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – La puñalada – 1987/1/1
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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.

Santa madrecita recorded by other Orchestras

Santa madrecita recorded by other Orchestras

1949/12/6 – Carga – Alfredo De Angelis
1949/12/7 – Catuzo – Osvaldo Pugliese
1949/12/7 – Testamento de arrabal – Osvaldo Pugliese
1949/12/13 – Carro viejo – Alfredo De Angelis
1949/12/13 – La limosna – Alfredo De Angelis
Santa madrecita – 1949/4/6 – Juan D-Arienzo – Armando Laborde
Santa madrecita – 1949/12/6 – Alfredo De Angelis – Carlos Dante

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Santa madrecita

This is the translation of the Tango “Santa madrecita” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “Santa madrecita” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango Santa madrecita

Yo dejé mi barrio viejo,
en el barrio una casita,
en la casita una pena
y en la pena a mi viejita.
Pobre madre cuantas noches
me habrá esperado llorando,
arrodillada y rezando
por aquel que no volvió.

Aunque digan lo que quieran
nunca tuve más ventura
que el amor y la dulzura
de la santa madre mía,
y ese mundo de ternura
que sus brazos me ofrecían.
Hoy no tengo aquel tesoro
de sus lágrimas sentidas
y en los ojos secos lloro
los errores de mi vida.
Vida que sólo ha dejado
mi sueño tirado lo mismo que yo.

Por un canto de sirena
yo dejé su amor sublime
y hoy mi canto es una pena
que me quema y que me oprime.
Pobre madre que no traigo
más que un montón de fracasos
quisiera hallar tu regazo
para pedirte perdón.

English lyrics of the Tango "Santa madrecita"

I left my old neighborhood,
in the neighborhood a small house,
in the small house a sorrow,
and in the sorrow my little old mother.
Poor mother, how many nights
she must have waited, crying,
kneeling and praying
for the one who never returned.

Although they might say whatever,
I never had greater fortune
than the love and sweetness
of my saintly mother,
and that world of tenderness
her arms offered to me.
Today I no longer possess that treasure
of her heartfelt tears
and with dry eyes I cry
over the mistakes of my life.
A life that has only left
my dream discarded just like me.

For a siren’s song
I left her sublime love
and today my song is a sorrow
that burns and oppresses me.
Poor mother, I bring nothing
but a heap of failures,
I wish to find your lap
to ask for your forgiveness.

Santa madrecita by Carlos Waiss

Santa madrecita is a Tango written by Carlos Waiss and composed by Héctor Varela.



Story behind the Tango Santa madrecita

The narrative voice of “Santa madrecita” is that of a person reflecting on the deep remorse and loss he feels after having left his old neighborhood and, more poignantly, his adoring mother. The lyrics poignantly depict the protagonist’s nostalgia and regret for missing out on the unconditional love and warmth once offered by his mother. Each verse delves deeper into his emotional turmoil, culminating in a poignant desire for forgiveness and a return to simpler, happier times by his mother’s side.



Symbolism of Santa madrecita

The central theme of this tango revolves around ‘mother’s unrequited love and the sanctity of maternal affection which is depicted through the symbolic “casita” (little house) and “viejita” (little old mother) signifying warmth, safety, and nurturing. The protagonist’s suffering and longing are vividly captured through imagery of “tears,” and the contrast of his mother’s prayers against his own life’s failures. Through phrases like “por aquel que no volvió” (for the one who never returned) and “los errores de mi vida” (the mistakes of my life), Waiss highlights themes of regret and redemption.



Santa madrecita in historic Context

The tango “Santa madrecita” was written in 1949, a period of significant social and economic transformation in Argentina. This era saw a rise in urbanization, with many leaving rural areas for cities, often leading to strained family ties and the neglect of traditional values such as filial piety. The lyrics resonate with the melancholic sentiment of those times – an era of longing and reminiscence for the simplicity and integrity of past relations, magnified here through the sacred image of the mother.



Carlos Waiss

Carlos Waiss was a noteworthy figure in the Argentine tango scene, renowned for capturing the essence of urban melancholy and familial bonds through his poignant lyrics.