Por una cabeza is a very famous tango composed in 1935 by Carlos Gardel on a text by Alfredo Le Pera .
This work was originally composed in A major 1 . It was then adapted to the violin and the piano sometimes in A major 2 , 3 , sometimes in G major 4 , 5 . The main motif is probably inspired by Mozart’s work: the Rondo in C major for violin and orchestra, KV 373 (some stanzas in the middle of Mozart’s work ). [ref. necessary] 6

 

Lyrics

The Spanish title means “just for a head”, to mean “of a horse”. The song is indeed about a compulsive gambler on horse racing that compares then his addiction for horses with his attraction to women:

Por una cabeza of a noble potrillo
that justo in the raya afloja al llegar
y that al regresar parece decir:
no olvides, hermano,
your sabes, no hay that jugar …
Por una cabeza, metejon of a dia,
of aquella coqueta y risueña mujer
that al jurar sonriendo,
el amor que esta mintiendo
quema in una hoguera todo mi querer.
Por una cabeza
todas las locuras
su boca that besa
borra the sadza,
the amargura calmed.
Por una cabeza
if ella me olvida
that imported perderme,
mil veces the vida
para that vivir …
Cuantos desengaños, por una cabeza,
yo swear mil veces no vuelvo to insist
pero if a mirar me yesterday al pasar,
su boca de fuego, otra vez, quiero besar.
Basta de carreras, get together the timba,
a reñido final yo no vuelvo a ver,
pero if algun pingo llega at serija el domingo,
yo me juego entero, that the voy to hack.

Translation

Just for a head

Just for the head
From a racy colt
Who, on arrival,
Flanche on the line,
And who, coming back,
Looks like I’m saying
You know, my brother,
Do not play.
Just for the head,
Toad of a day,
From this coquette
And mocking woman,
Who swearing, smiling,
A liar love,
Burns in a pyre
All my passion.
Just for his head,
All these follies.
His mouth, his kisses,
Erase the sadness,
Calm the bitterness.
Just for his head
If she misses me
What does it matter to lose
A thousand times,
Why, for whom to live?
How many deceptions
Just for his head,
A thousand times I swore
Not to insist.
But if his look
Hurts me by the way,
His fiery lips
Will attract me again.
The turf, I’m tired,
The bets are over.
Arrivals on the wire
I do not want to see that anymore!
But if I have a pipe
Of course for Sunday
I will play it winner,
We can count on me !!!

Apparitions

Cinema

  • Schindler’s List
  • The Time of a Weekend , on which Colonel Frank Slade dances with Donna
  • Delicatessen
  • True Lies
  • The King’s Fools
  • Bad Santa
  • A dream wedding
  • Naked

Perfume of woman

Notes and references

  1. ↑ YouTube , Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera – Por una Cabeza (in A major)  [ archive ]
  2. ↑ Wiktionary , scores of “Por una Cabeza” (in A major)
  3. ↑ YouTube , Miguel Gragera – “Por Una Cabeza” (in A major)  [ archive ]
  4. ↑ YouTube , Carlos Gardel – “Por una cabeza” with score (in G major)  [ archive ]
  5. ↑ YouTube , “Por Una Cabeza” in True Lies (in G major)  [ archive ]
  6. ↑ Youtube , ” Mozart – Rondo in C for Violin and Orchestra, K. 373 ”  [ archive ] , (accessed June 20, 2017 ]