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