Por una Cabeza
| "Por una Cabeza" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Released | 1935 |
| Recorded | 1935 |
| Genre | Tango |
| Length | 2:34 |
| Label | RCA -Víctor |
| Composer(s) | Carlos Gardel |
| Lyricist(s) | Alfredo Le Pera |
|
| |
"Por una Cabeza" is a tango song with music and lyrics written in 1935 by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera respectively.[1]
Composition and lyrics
The name is a Spanish horse-racing phrase meaning "by a head", which refers to a horse winning a race by the length of one head. The lyrics speak of a compulsive horse-track gambler who compares his addiction for horses with his attraction to women.
Alfredo Le Pera was an Argentine, born in Brazil, son of Italian immigrants. Le Pera and Gardel died in an airplane crash in Medellín, on Monday, June 24, 1935.[2]
The starting phrase in the B section may be inspired by Mozart's Rondo for violin and orchestra in C major, K. 373.[3][4][5]
The song was originally composed in A major.[6] It was thereafter adapted to the violin and the piano sometimes in A major,[7][8] sometimes in G major.[9][10]
New releases
| "Por una cabeza" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Il Divo | ||||
| from the album Amor & Pasión | ||||
| Released | October, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2015, México | |||
| Genre | Classical crossover | |||
| Label | Sony Music, Syco Music and Columbia Records. | |||
| Writer(s) | Carlos Gardel, Alfredo Le Pera | |||
| Producer(s) | Julio Reyes Copello | |||
| Il Divo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
- Andrea Bocelli, Cinema (October 2015)
- Il Divo, a classical vocal group of four male singers. They also recorded a music video for the song.
- Diego el Cigala on your album Romance de la luna Tucumana (2013).
- Da Carrera feat. Carlos Gardel, "Por una cabeza" Remake (2012)
- Aida Cuevas for album "De corazón a corazón... Mariachi Tango". (2010).
- Jerry Rivera tribute to Gardel (2007).
- Andrés Calamaro on your album Tinta roja (2006).
- Itzhak Perlman y John Williams. Adaptation for violin, album Cinema Serenade, to film Scent of a Woman.
- Carlos Gardel he made the first recording in March 1935. Also sings on two occasions in the film Tango Bar (1935)
Uses in popular culture
The tango has since been performed by numerous tango orchestras.
During a state visit, U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama danced to the tune with Mora Godoy and José Lugones, respectively, in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 23, 2016.[11][12]
John Williams arranged a version of the piece that appears on the album "Cinema Serenade" with the violin solo performed by Itzhak Perlman
Lyrics in public domain
 |
Wikisource has sheet music and full lyrics in Spanish and English: |
Por una cabeza
de un noble potrillo
que justo en la raya
afloja al llegar,
y que al regresar
parece decir:
No olvidés, hermano,
vos sabés, no hay que jugar.
Por una cabeza,
metejón de un día
de aquella coqueta
y risueña mujer,
que al jurar sonriendo
el amor que está mintiendo,
quema en una hoguera
todo mi querer.
Por una cabeza,
todas las locuras.
Su boca que besa,
borra la tristeza,
calma la amargura.
Por una cabeza,
si ella me olvida
qué importa perderme
mil veces la vida,
para qué vivir.
Cuántos desengaños,
por una cabeza.
Yo juré mil veces,
no vuelvo a insistir.
Pero si un mirar
me hiere al pasar,
su boca de fuego
otra vez quiero besar.
Basta de carreras,
se acabó la timba.
¡Un final reñido
yo no vuelvo a ver!
Pero si algún pingo
llega a ser fija el domingo,
yo me juego entero.
¡Qué le voy a hacer..!
Por una cabeza,
todas las locuras.
Su boca que besa,
borra la tristeza,
calma la amargura.
Por una cabeza,
si ella me olvida
qué importa perderme
mil veces la vida,
para qué vivir.
See also
References
- ↑ "Por una Cabeza". Todo Tango. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- ↑ Clavell, M. (1996) (in Spanish), Biografía. In: Los Mejores Tangos de Carlos Gardel. Alfred Publ. Van Nuys, California.
- ↑ http://www.tyalgumfestival.com.au/TFCM/C2_Concert_Notes.html
- ↑ http://www.miamimusicproject.org/files/dancing.pdf
- ↑ http://imslp.org/wiki/Por_una_Cabeza_%28Gardel,_Carlos%29
- ↑ YouTube, Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera - « Por una Cabeza » (in A major)
- ↑ Wikisource, Scores of « Por una Cabeza » (in A major)
- ↑ YouTube, Miguel Gragera - « Por Una Cabeza » (in A major)
- ↑ YouTube, Carlos Gardel - « Por una cabeza » with score (in G major)
- ↑ YouTube, « Por Una Cabeza » in True Lies (in G major)
- ↑ http://www.aol.com/article/2016/03/24/watch-president-obama-dance-the-tango/21332772/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl35%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D1332727587
- ↑ Vincent, Isabel; Fredericks, Bob. "Meet Obama's sexy tango partner". New York Post. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
External links
- "Por una cabeza". Comparación con "Rondó para violín y orquesta K 373" (Mozart). Por Marcelo O. Martínez.
- Por una Cabeza's Lyrics, music, scores, versions
- Por una Cabeza's Lyrics
- English translation
- Performed by Itzhak Perlman on YouTube