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Viejo malevo

Viejo malevo is a Tango written by Germán Teisseire and recorded by Florindo Sassone in 1975. The Tango Viejo malevo is written by Germán Teisseire, Florindo Sassone has recorded Viejo malevo with the singer Rodolfo Lemos.
“Viejo Malevo,” translated into English as “Old Ruffian,” captures the essence of a rugged soul, seasoned by life’s relentless dance. In the melody, you hear the echoes of bygone bravado, a testament to enduring tenacity and grit. This piece vividly paints the portrait of a storied life, where every note recounts tales of resilience and unyielding spirit.

Tango

Style

Florindo Sassone

Orchestra

Rodolfo Lemos

Singer

Yaguarón

Author

Germán Teisseire

Composer

1975/1/1

Date

Rodolfo Lemos
Rodolfo Lemos
Florindo Sassone
Florindo Sassone

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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.

Viejo malevo recorded by other Orchestras

Viejo malevo recorded by other Orchestras

1975/1/1 – Cuesta abajo – Hector Varela
1975/1/1 – Milonga de barrio – Hector Varela
1975/1/1 – Susurro de bandoneon – Hector Varela
1975/1/1 – Angustia de un perdon – Florindo Sassone
1975/1/1 – Aquella calesita – Florindo Sassone
Viejo malevo – 1952/11/21 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Hector Pacheco
Viejo malevo – 1975/1/1 – Florindo Sassone – Rodolfo Lemos

Lyrics Translation of the Tango Viejo malevo

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

Letra del Tango Viejo malevo

Llorás malevo la pena,

que como abrojo se prendió en tu corazón.

De tu machaza pinta brava, nada queda,

y hoy, una sombra del pasado sólo sos.

Sufrís viviendo el recuerdo

de las mujeres que admiraron tu valor,

María Elena, Rosa, Elvira, Margarita,

y muchas otras que te amaban con pasión.



Los años, se han ido,

pasaron como cuentas de un rosario.

Te sentís vencido

y ese es tu calvario.

¡Echalo al olvido!

¡Qué maula que sos!

Tu fama, tu menta,

no han muerto y vivirán en la barriada,

donde en cada puerta

una enamorada,

cuatrerió en tus labios,

celosa de amor.



Las canas dan a tu frente

glorias nuevas de un vida más feliz,

y los purretes acarician dulcemente

el arabesco de tu vieja cicatriz.

Te brindan hoy los cantores

milongas criollas de guapeza y pasión,

y en el puntear de las bordonas, tus amores

tejen recuerdos de nostálgica emoción.

English lyrics of the Tango "Viejo malevo"

You weep, tough man, for the sorrow,
which like a burr clung onto your heart.
From your macho, fierce look, nothing remains,
and today, you are just a shadow of the past.

You suffer living in the memory
of the women who admired your courage,
María Elena, Rosa, Elvira, Margarita,
and many others who loved you passionately.

The years, they have gone by,
passed like beads on a rosary.
You feel defeated,
and that is your ordeal.
Cast it into oblivion!
How weak you are!
Your fame, your mint,
have not died and will live on in the neighborhood,
where at every door
a lover,
stole kisses from your lips,
jealous of love.

Gray hairs grant your forehead
new glories of a happier life,
and the kids sweetly caress
the arabesque of your old scar.
Today, the singers offer you
milongas of bravery and passion,
and in the strumming of the bass strings, your loves
weave memories of nostalgic emotion.

Viejo malevo by Yaguarón

Viejo malevo is a Tango written by Yaguarón and composed by Germán Teisseire.



Story behind the Tango Viejo malevo

The song “Viejo malevo” focuses on an aged man reflecting on his past and how life’s struggles and passions have shaped him. “Malevo” refers to a tough or bold man, often with a certain air of bravado, typical of the Argentine compadrito or street-tough. The lament of his lost bravado is a poignant symbol of the passing of time and the softening of old fighters. Key phrases such as “Llorás malevo la pena” and “Ya no sos una sombra del pasado” emphasize his ongoing internal suffering and his faded presence compared to his former self.



Symbolism of Viejo malevo

The repeated references to the malevo’s past lovers and the nostalgic reminiscence of his young days contribute to the central theme of aging. Each woman named—María Elena, Rosa, Elvira, Margarita—symbolizes periods of his life and the passions they carried. The transformation is symbolically engraved in his face, “las canas” and “el arabesco de tu vieja cicatriz” serving as physical evidence of his rugged life and turbulent history. These lyrics poetically underscore the emotional and physical marks that time imprints on individuals.



Viejo malevo in historic Context

Written in 1975 in Argentina, a period marked by political tension and societal change preluding the Dirty War, “Viejo malevo” uses the figure of the malevo to reflect broader cultural sentiments. The yearning for the days of youthful vigor and the lamentation over what is lost resonate deeply, perhaps mirroring the nation’s own introspection and nostalgia for better times amidst contemporary upheavals. This setting possibly casts the malevo’s personal decline as a metaphor for the societal shifts occurring around him.



Yaguarón

Yaguarón was an influential figure in Argentine tango, famed for his evocative lyrics that often encapsulated the spirit and struggles of common people.