Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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.
Santa Milonguita is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Enrique Delfino.
The lyrics of “Santa Milonguita” narrate the sorrowful yet poignant story of a woman entrapped by the joys and illusions of love and society’s harsh realities. The protagonist, symbolically named Santa Milonguita, is depicted vividly with “eyes so large and clear” and lips “short and red,” emblematic of innocence and sensuality. Her journey from a life filled with light-heartedness and champagne to redemption through the love of a new partner poignantly captures her transient hope. However, this hope is shattered as poverty cruelly snaps her back into the harsh world of cabaret, illustrating the painful cycle of aspiration and despair.
The character of Santa Milonguita herself is a profound symbol of lost purity and the struggle for redemption within a judgmental society. Her eyes, “color verde mar” (sea-green), symbolize a deep, almost celestial desire for a better life, contrasting with her reality. The references to champagne and cabaret illustrate the fleeting and superficial nature of her earlier environment. The poignant twist where her fate does not follow that of the biblical Magdalene—who finds redemption through repentance—underscores the unforgiving nature of the society she inhabits. Importantly, her return to the cabaret, “bandeada de pena” (smeared with sorrow), signals the inescapable stigma and the vicious cycle of judgment and penance.
Recorded in 1957, during a time when Argentina was undergoing significant social and political changes, “Santa Milonguita” reflects the general atmosphere of disillusionment in society. The tango, a genre deeply woven into the fabric of Argentine culture, often explores themes of love, betrayal, and sorrow, serving as a mirror to the societal issues of the time. The character’s oscillation between hope and despair could also metaphorically represent the national sentiment in Argentina during the mid-20th century, marked by economic instability and political unrest.
Enrique Cadícamo was a prolific Argentine poet and tango lyricist, known for his deep and evocative compositions that capture the essence of the bohemian life and the complexities of love and loss.