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Testamento de arrabal

Testamento de arrabal is a Tango written by Oscar Castagniaro and recorded by Florindo Sassone in 1951. The Tango Testamento de arrabal is written by Oscar Castagniaro, Florindo Sassone has recorded Testamento de arrabal with the singer Rodolfo Galé.
“Testamento de arrabal,” translated as “Alley Testament,” echoes the soulful narrative of life’s trial and testament in the winding streets of the barrio. This piece captures the essence of the marginalized, where each note speaks of resilience and dreams woven through the cobblestones. It’s a tribute to life’s raw poetry, echoing through time and space.

Tango

Style

Florindo Sassone

Orchestra

Rodolfo Galé

Singer

Raúl Hormaza

Author

Oscar Castagniaro

Composer

1951/5/30

Date

Rodolfo Galé
Rodolfo Galé
Florindo Sassone
Florindo Sassone

Discover Other Orchestras

Domingo Federico – Por qué perdi su querer – 1953/4/29
Domingo Federico – Qué hacés qué hacés – 1951/8/3
Domingo Federico – En debe de haber – 1961/1/1
Domingo Federico – Mi pobre novia – 1955/1/20
Domingo Federico – Orilla – 1960/1/1
Enrique Rodríguez – A mi casa voy – 1970/11/10
Enrique Rodríguez – En el volga yo te espero – 1943/10/15
Enrique Rodríguez – El vito – 1956/5/11
Enrique Rodríguez – Expresión campera – 1942/7/30
Enrique Rodríguez – Por eso canto yo – 1943/7/2
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – Rumba de Jamaica (Jamaican rumba) – 1970/1/1
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – La chica de Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema) – 1970/1/1
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – Scherzo – 1971/1/1
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – Ritmo fascinante (Vertigo ciudadano) – 1970/1/1
Horacio Salgán Y Dante Amicarelli – Juego de damas – 1971/1/1
Juan MAGLIO – Milonguero viejo – 1928/4/2

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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.

Testamento de arrabal recorded by other Orchestras

Testamento de arrabal recorded by other Orchestras

1951/5/30 – El relampago – Florindo Sassone
1951/5/30 – Tierra querida – Horacio Salgan
1951/5/30 – Shusheta (El aristocrata) – Horacio Salgan
1951/5/31 – Dejame sonar – Osvaldo Fresedo
1951/5/31 – Preparense – Osvaldo Fresedo
Testamento de arrabal – 1949/12/7 – Osvaldo Pugliese – Jorge Vidal
Testamento de arrabal – 1951/5/30 – Florindo Sassone – Rodolfo Gale

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Testamento de arrabal

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

Letra del Tango Testamento de arrabal

Para siempre yo te dejo, mi querido Buenos Aires,

nunca más veré tus calles cuna mía de arrabal.

Sé muy bien que debo de irme y que debo conformarme,

pero antes de entregarme esto quiero confesar.

Yo no tengo más fortuna que el cariño de mi madre,

tres amigos de esos grandes, Melfi, Amilcar y José,

y el recuerdo de la noche, cuando al son de un organito,

con aires de compadrito mi primer tango bailé.



Que me velen las estrellas

en un patio de arrabal

y mi novia la bohemia,

se despida de mi anemia

dejando un beso lunar.

No es que quiera ni pretenda,

un favor pido nomás,

que los que sigan andando

siempre lo quieran al tango,

que no lo olviden jamás.



La noche que yo me vaya, que sólo vengan a verme

las humildes viejecitas con sus batas de percal,

los muchachos de Barracas, de San Telmo y de Pompeya,

y las pibas fabriqueras, virgencitas de arrabal.

Que se apaguen los letreros y los focos luminosos,

que acaricie a la cortada la luz débil de un farol.

Y en la marcha del cortejo, entre tangos y oraciones,

vayan cuatro bandoneones haciendo guardia de honor.

English lyrics of the Tango "Testamento de arrabal"

Forever I leave you, my dear Buenos Aires,
Never again will I see your streets, cradle of my birth.
I know well that I must go and that I must resign,
But before I surrender, this I must confess.

I have no more fortune than my mother’s love,
Three great friends, Melfi, Amilcar, and José,
And the memory of the night, when to the sound of a little organ,
With airs of a little tough, I danced my first tango.

Let the stars watch over me
In a backyard of the suburbs
And my bohemian girlfriend,
Bid farewell to my anemia
Leaving a moonlit kiss.
It’s not that I want or pretend,
I ask just one favor,
That those who keep walking
Always love the tango,
That they never forget it.

The night that I leave, let only those come to see me
The humble old ladies in their calico dresses,
The boys from Barracas, San Telmo, and Pompeya,
And the factory girls, virgins of the suburbs.
Let the signs and bright lights be extinguished,
Let a weak lantern gently caress the alley.
And in the march of the procession, between tangos and prayers,
Let four bandoneons stand guard of honor.

Testamento de arrabal by Raúl Hormaza

Testamento de arrabal is a Tango written by Raúl Hormaza and composed by Oscar Castagniaro.



Story behind the Tango Testamento de arrabal

The lyrics of “Testamento de arrabal” narrate a poignant farewell to Buenos Aires, evoking a mixture of nostalgia and sorrow as the narrator prepares to leave the beloved city and its vibrant neighborhoods. It touches on themes of departure, memory, and an intimate connection to the urban landscape. The protagonist bequeaths the simple yet precious elements of his life, such as the love of his mother, his faithful friends, and the cherished memories of dancing his first tango. This nostalgic testament serves as his final homage to the culture and life of the Buenos Aires arrabals (suburbs or slums) that shaped his identity.



Symbolism of Testamento de arrabal

Throughout the song, various symbols enrich its emotional texture. The “estrellas” or stars watching over in a typical neighborhood patio, and the “lunar kiss” left by his bohemian girlfriend metaphorically link the celestial with the personal, showcasing the poetic nature of his passing. The mention of “la luz débil de un farol” (the dim light of a streetlamp) symbolizes the fading presence of the narrator within the city’s nightscape, infusing the setting with a sense of loss and melancholy. This subdued light contrasts with the vibrant life he once lived, reflecting his current state of fading away.



Testamento de arrabal in historic Context

“Testamento de arrabal” was recorded in a post-World War II era when Argentina, like much of the world, was undergoing significant social and economic changes. The year 1951 marks a period absorbed with political fervor under President Juan Perón. This setting influenced Hormaza’s lyrics, potentially reflecting the sentiments of those experiencing displacement or a longing for simpler times amidst rapid modernization. The reflection on traditional values and the core of arrabal life serves as a reminder to preserve cultural heritage against the tides of change.



Raúl Hormaza

Raúl Hormaza was an Argentine lyricist known for his contributions to the genre of tango, capturing the essence of Buenos Aires life through his emotive and culturally rich lyrics.