Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Por una Cabeza

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Released
  
1935

Genre
  
Tango

Label
  
RCA -Víctor

Recorded
  
1935

Length
  
2:34

Por una Cabeza

Writer(s)
  
Composer: Carlos Gardel Lyricist: 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.

Contents

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.

The starting phrase in the B section may be inspired by Mozart's Rondo for violin and orchestra in C major, K. 373.

The song was originally composed in A major. It was thereafter adapted to the violin and the piano sometimes in A major, sometimes in G major.

New releases

  • 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 and 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)

    • 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.

    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

    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.

    References

    Por una Cabeza Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA