After quite a few sad songs it’s time to highlight a different type of tangos, namely those that tell us about dancing and personify the music. I don’t hear a lot of early Pugliese with Chanel in milongas, which is a shame, because I think they were a great combination and I believe Pugliese was still focusing on creating something that was actually meant for dancing. That is why I invite you to listen to one of their songs. The Tanturi/Campos version is also quite nice: the choice is completely up to you.

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Guys, the ronda is starting! (Muchachos comienza la ronda)

Guys, the ronda* is starting, (the ronda)
that the tango is inviting to form.
Who, when hearing the beginning of such
a splendid sound, wouldn’t go dance?
And like that entangle one’s emotion
in this song that penetrates our souls.
Guys, the ronda is starting,
so make sure you enter the salon.

Don’t miss a single beat of this tango
that is abducting (us) rebelliously and sweetly.
Between turns and flirtatious, courteous remarks
let us imagine ourselves living back then,
those happy days of the grey chambergo**
the garrulous piropo***,
and the streetlight (‘’farol’’) of the arrabal****.
Don’t miss a single beat of this tango,
dancing is such fun when you hear it!

(Chanel: )
those happy days of the grey hat,
the garrulous piropo,
and the streetlight (‘’farol’’) of the arrabal.
Don’t miss a single beat of this tango….
Dancing is such fun when you hear it!

(Campos: )
And like that entangle one’s emotion
in this song that penetrates our souls.
Guys, the ronda is starting,
so make sure you enter the salon.

[Hearing this sound, so typical of Buenos Aires,
my heart gets revived,
and while I am listening to this tango
I am forgetting all my pain.
This cordial little music – second to none –
penetrates our souls.
Guys, the ronda is starting,
so make sure you enter the salon.]

*The ronda is the circle tango dancers form on the dance floor.

**a chambergo is a typical gaucho hat. As you may notice, Campos includes this word from the original lyrics, but Chanel only sings ‘’grey hat’’.

*** A piropo is a flirtatious compliment that men often give to women between dances in BA (I believe the song is referring to this behaviour), and it’s also the Argentine word for whatever flirtation.

****The arrabal is often referred to in tango as a poor neighbourhood where one grew up.