Update: Live version of the song (with subtitles) added below.

Who says tango always has to be sad? Sure, it is melancholic music in general, but its lyricists covered a variety of topics and some orchestras, like Canaro’s, included more ‘cheerful’ songs than others. Like I wrote last time: there’s more to tango than broken hearts and autumn rain, and this time we will look at a more ‘uplifting’ aspect of love… something I won’t spoil for you now, better just find out for yourself below. However, tango wouldn’t be tango without a slight hidden edge of melancholy, but again, I prefer you find out in this lyric yourself, or maybe disagree… comments are welcome.

Cuando el corazón (When your heart…)
Lyrics: Carmelo Santiago
Composition: Francisco Canaro

Una estrella que cayó del firmamento,
hecha carne por milagro de la vida.
¡En momentos en que mi alma estaba herida!
con sus luces mi destino iluminó.
Hoy no siento ya el dolor de mis heridas,
todo es alegría, un canto al amor.

A star fell from heaven
and miraculously became a woman.
Just when my soul was in torment,
her shining light lit my path.
Now, I no longer feel the hurt of my wounds,
everything is joy, an ode to love.

Cuando el corazón…
cuando el corazón nos habla de un amor,
revive la fe, florece la ilusión.
Cuando el corazón recuerda a una mujer
la vida es gozar y el vivir querer.
Cuando el corazón palpita con ardor,
todo es vida y luz, en todo hay emoción;
canto a la esperanza, fe en el porvenir;
amar a una mujer eso es vivir.

When your heart…
when your heart speaks of love,
your faith is restored, your hope revived.
When your heart remembers a woman,
life is a delight and to live is to love.
When your heart beats with fervour,
life is full of light, everything evokes emotion,
a song of hope, faith in the future,
loving a woman, now that’s real living!

Unsung part:
(Cascabeles de cristal hay en tu risa
y caricia en el calor de tu mirada,
en tu boca de coral está engarzada
de un beso de ternura angelical.
Una estrella que cayó del firmamento,
inspiró mi verso, con su titilar.)

(Your laugh rings out like crystal bells,
and the warmth of your look caresses me,
your mouth of coral is embellished
by a kiss of angelic tenderness.
A star fell from heaven
and inspired my poem with its twinkling.)