Ya sale el tren by Luis Rubistein

Ya sale el tren is a Tango written by Luis Rubistein and composed by Luis Rubistein.

Story behind the Tango Ya sale el tren

“Ya sale el tren” translates to “The Train is Leaving” in English. The song paints a vivid scene of a heart-wrenching farewell at a train station. The narrator is saying goodbye to his ailing beloved, his “poor sick girlfriend,” as she boards the train. The agony is tangible as he describes the squealing wheels that echo his inner turmoil and the helpless goodbye wave with his handkerchief. The profound despair of possibly never seeing his love again encapsulates the song’s emotional landscape.

Symbolism of Ya sale el tren

The train in “Ya sale el tren” symbolizes inevitable separation and the march of fate. It’s an agent of both connection and separation, beautifully encapsulating the paradox of human relationships and the pain of parting. The act of waving the handkerchief is a deeply poignant symbol of farewell, a gesture filled with hope and sorrow. Furthermore, the mention of the beloved’s “dancing pupils” and laughter contrasts sharply with the narrator’s hidden torment, illustrating the façade one often maintains in dire times to protect loved ones from the harsh truth.

Ya sale el tren in historic Context

Set against the backdrop of Argentina in 1943, a period marked by political instability and the onset of Juan Perón’s rise to power shortly after, “Ya sale el tren” reflects a time of emotional and societal turmoil. The individual pain recounted in the tango could be seen as a metaphor for the larger societal disruptions occurring at the time, with the train metaphorically carrying away the old certainties of life, leaving behind a populace grappling with rapid changes and uncertainty.

Luis Rubistein

Luis Rubistein was a tango lyricist and composer known for expressing deep emotional undercurrents in his works, often reflecting the social and personal narratives of his time.