Son cosas del bandoneón by Enrique Cadícamo

Son cosas del bandoneón is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Enrique Rodríguez.

Story behind the Tango Son cosas del bandoneón

This tango, imbued with melancholic undertones and introspective reflection, revolves around the bandoneón’s sounds that bring to life unspoken sorrows during a seemingly joyous evening of champagne. The narrator disclaims personal grief or hidden romantic woes, suggesting instead that the angst-filled music from the bandoneón carries its own separate tales of despair. Despite emotionally distancing himself, the narrator can’t help but be affected by the instrument’s mournful expression.

Symbolism of Son cosas del bandoneón

The bandoneón, an emblematic musical instrument of tango, symbolizes deeper emotional currents flowing beneath the outward festivity. Phrases like “Bandoneón de triste rezongar” and “tu funeral compás” liken the bandoneón’s music to a mournful lament and a somber march, respectively, thereby emphasizing the gravity and depth of the emotions it evokes. The musician’s insistence on laughter and singing, paralleled by urging the bandoneón to cease its cries, accentuates a broader theme of masking true feelings with superficial gaiety.

Son cosas del bandoneón in historic Context

Recorded in 1939 Argentina, “Son cosas del bandoneón” emerged during a period fraught with political unrest and impending global conflict. This tumultuous backdrop may have influenced the mixture of celebration and sorrow embedded in the lyrics, reflecting a societal inclination to disguise anxiety and fear beneath layers of forced revelry and entertainment. This tango could very well serve as a poignant reflection on the Argentine way of confronting and, at times, evading reality through art and culture.

Enrique Cadícamo

Enrique Cadícamo was an influential Argentine lyricist and poet, renowned for his significant contributions to the Tango genre.