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Tomo y obligo

Tomo y obligo is a Tango written by Carlos Gardel and recorded by Florindo Sassone in 1966. The Tango Tomo y obligo is written by Carlos Gardel, Florindo Sassone has recorded Tomo y obligo with the singer Mario Bustos.
“Tomo y obligo” translates to “I Drink and I Command” in English. This evocative tango title speaks to a heart tormented by passion, urging the self to numb its sorrow with a glass, yet still demanding strength and resolve amid the turmoil. It captures the tension between vulnerability and authority, a dance between surrender and control.

Tango

Style

Florindo Sassone

Orchestra

Mario Bustos

Singer

Manuel Romero

Author

Carlos Gardel

Composer

1966/3/8

Date

Mario Bustos
Mario Bustos
Florindo Sassone
Florindo Sassone

Discover Other Orchestras

Francini-Pontier – Por una mala mujer – 1952/8/21
Francini-Pontier – El apache argentino – 1949/1/28
Francini-Pontier – La culpa es mía – 1947/6/11
Francini-Pontier – Calesita de barrio – 1949/8/1
Francini-Pontier – Republica argentina – 1948/9/30
Carlos Gardel – Marioneta – 1928/10/20
Carlos Gardel – Claveles mendocinos – 1924/1/1
Carlos Gardel – Viejo smoking – 1930/4/24
Carlos Gardel – Valencia – 1926/1/1
Carlos Gardel – Criollita decí que si – 1934/7/27
Julio De Caro – Buen amigo – 1930/1/1
Julio De Caro – Quién dijo miedo – 1932/1/1
Julio De Caro – Amarguras (2) – 1928/1/1
Julio De Caro – No hay tierra como la mia – 1939/9/7
Julio De Caro – Color de rosa – 1928/1/1
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – La huella – 1959/9/29
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Merceditas – 1958/9/23
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Gardenias – 1959/8/18
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – Canción de lluvia – 1959/7/8
Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna – No no llores más – 1959/6/17

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.

Tomo y obligo recorded by other Orchestras

Tomo y obligo recorded by other Orchestras

1966/3/8 – A la gran muneca – Florindo Sassone
1966/3/8 – El amanecer – Florindo Sassone
1966/3/8 – Sentimiento gaucho – Florindo Sassone
1966/3/10 – Esta noche me emborracho – Florindo Sassone
1966/3/10 – La tablada – Florindo Sassone
Tomo y obligo – 1943/6/10 – Angel d-Agostino – Angel Vargas
Tomo y obligo – 1951/9/11 – Jose Basso – Jorge Duran
Tomo y obligo – 1966/3/8 – Florindo Sassone – Mario Bustos

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Tomo y obligo

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

Letra del Tango Tomo y obligo

Tomo y obligo, mándese un trago,

que hoy necesito el recuerdo matar;

sin un amigo lejos del pago

quiero en su pecho mi pena volcar.

Beba conmigo, y si se empaña

de vez en cuando mi voz al cantar,

no es que la llore porque me engaña,

yo sé que un hombre no debe llorar.



Si los pastos conversaran, esta pampa le diría

de qué modo la quería, con qué fiebre la adoré.

Cuántas veces de rodillas, tembloroso, yo me he hincado

bajo el árbol deshojado donde un día la besé.

Y hoy al verla envilecida y a otros brazos entregada,

fue para mí una puñalada y de celos me cegué,

y le juro, todavía no consigo convencerme

como pude contenerme y ahí nomás no la maté.



Tomo y obligo, mándese un trago;

de las mujeres mejor no hay que hablar,

todas, amigo, dan muy mal pago

y hoy mi experiencia lo puede afirmar.

Siga un consejo, no se enamore

y si una vuelta le toca hocicar,

fuerza, canejo, sufra y no llore

que un hombre macho no debe llorar.

English lyrics of the Tango "Tomo y obligo"

Drink up, go on, pour yourself a drink,
today I need to kill the memories;
without a friend, far from home,
I want to pour my sorrows into his heart.

Drink with me, and if my voice
falters while I sing,
it’s not because I mourn her deceit,
I know a man should not cry.

If the pastures could talk, this plain would tell
how deeply I loved her, how fervently I adored her.
How many times on my knees, trembling, I knelt
under the leafless tree where I once kissed her.
And today, seeing her debased, given to other arms,
was like being stabbed, and jealousy blinded me,
and I swear, I still can’t convince myself
how I managed to hold back and not kill her right there.

Drink up, go on, pour yourself a drink;
it’s better not to talk about women,
all of them, my friend, pay back poorly
and today my experience confirms it.
Heed a piece of advice, don’t fall in love,
and if you happen to stumble,
be strong, damn it, suffer and don’t cry,
for a true man should not cry.

Tomo y obligo by Manuel Romero

Story behind the Tango Tomo y obligo

The tango “Tomo y obligo” written by Manuel Romero and composed by Carlos Gardel is an expression of profound heartache and betrayal. Starting with a call to drink, the speaker seeks to drown his sorrows, indicating a profound personal crisis. As the song progresses, the narrative unveils a story of lost love, where the speaker reminisces about past devotion and the pain of seeing his beloved with another. The repeated urging to take a drink serves as both a literal and metaphorical attempt to ease his pain.



Symbolism of Tomo y obligo

The phrase “Tomo y obligo,” which translates to “I drink and compel,” is symbolic of the narrator’s attempt to handle his grief forcefully, using alcohol as a means to assert control over his emotions. The repeated refrain signifies a ritualistic, almost compulsive effort to forget and to persuade himself and others of his masculine strength. The reference to a tree “where I once kissed her” underlines a stark contrast between the bloom of past feelings and the barren present, exacerbating the theme of loss and decay.



Tomo y obligo in historic Context

The tango was recorded in 1966, a time when tango music often reflected the sentiments of the common people in Argentina, dealing heavily with themes of disappointment, nostalgia, and personal strife amid a complex socio-political landscape. During this period, tango was not only a musical outlet but also a form of social commentary, resonating with the collective emotional state of a nation marked by political unrest and cultural shifts.



Manuel Romero

Manuel Romero was a prominent Argentine lyricist and filmmaker, known for his deep connection to Argentine culture and his contributions to the tango genre.