Burying this cry that comes from deep within me,
which arrives at my lips charged with rancor,
I return to your side, hands tied,
just to tell you everything is over,
that I no longer care about your laughter or your weeping,
that by force and courage I mastered my heart,
that today more than ever, looking at you closely,
I see you really, as you are.

The Witch
Yesterday you were queen of all my being
Today, the spell broken, you’re no more than a woman.
The Witch
A mountain of caprices which enslaved me,
today is a landscape, covered with horror.

I return to the simple and honorable life,
I return to a caress that is noble and loyal
and maybe one day, my soul cured,
by the force of manliness, I’ll raise a home.

Then, scarcely, will I have redeemed myself
but you, then, who knows what you’ll be,
a bit of winter, full of evils,
a bit of life, a little cough.

Ahogando este grito que sube del pecho,
y llega a los labios cargao de rencor,
yo vuelvo a tu lado, atadas las manos,
pero pa' decirte que todo acabó,
Que ya no me importa tu risa o tu llanto,
que a fuerza 'e coraje vencí al corazón,
y que hoy como nunca mirándote cerca,
te veo realmente, así como sos.

La Bruja,
que ayer fuera reina de todo mi ser,
hoy, roto el encanto, no es más que mujer.
La Bruja,
montón de caprichos que me esclavizó,
hoy es un paisaje, cubierto de horror.

Me vuelvo a la vida sencilla y honrada,
me vuelvo a un cariño que es noble y leal,
y puede que un día, curada mi alma,
a fuerza de hombría levante un hogar.

Entonces, acaso, me habré redimido,
y vos, para entonces, quién sabe si sos,
un cacho de invierno cargado de males,
un resto de vida, un poco de tos.

Translation notes: Scholars better than me have written about the machista nature of certain tango lyrics. As a tango dancer, I love to get into the lyrics on this blog. But as a feminist, I must say wow! This one’s not messing around.

The lyrics, a man’s perspective, blatantly calls her former lover a Witch. Then he alludes to having a purer love in the future. What about his actions? How would the woman in question describe him? What were her reasons for leaving? No responsibility is placed on the man in these lyrics, he escapes that be being ensorceled. And if what they were doing was so impure, why did he continue?

I’m so glad we tangueras can dance in 2019; and not during the era of the salem witch trials… nor during the era whenever these were written.

I’m also glad we’ve reclaimed the word witch. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but we simply won’t be offended if you call us a name that implies we aren’t doormats.

That’s why I made the picture so cheerful. The witch is laughing at your old ideas.

Tango themes: Betraying women

Image by Webflippy from Pixabay
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay