The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 5 Jun 2000
to 6 Jun 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
To: Recipients of TANGO-L digests <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 03:01:13 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 5 Jun 2000 to 6 Jun 2000 (#2000-154)
There are 3 messages totalling 136 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Updated New York City tango server
2. El Choclo (2)
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 11:45:35 EST
From: "Stephen T. Chin-Bow" <CHIN-BOW @SACC.HSCBKLYN.EDU>
Subject: Updated New York City tango server
Hi everyone-
I just moved my site from http://hallux.medschool.hscbklyn.edu/~chin-bow/...
to http://www.TangoCentral.com/elchino
I also moved Danel and Maria's site from http://members.xoom.com/tangotimes
to http://www.TangoCentral.com/bailemostango
I will keep Danel and Maria's old site in place, but I will not update it very
often (the new server is faster and does not have any ads).
I know that some links on my site are out of date. In the transfer I was not
able to find the time to make the changes. If you know of outdated links
please send me email and I will make the corrections in the next update..
Thanks-
Stephen Chin-Bow
elchino @TangoCental.com
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 14:28:11 -0700
From: Ruddy Zelaya <ruddy.zelaya @ENG.SUN.COM>
Subject: Re: El Choclo
Dario,
El Choclo (choclo=3Dgreen ear of corn) has had 3 sets of lyrics.
The first one was written by its composer, Angel G. Villoldo, between
the years 1903-1905. I have no idea what they are. The second was
written by Juan C. Marambio Catan and was recorded (a shortened
version) by Angel D'Agostino with Angel Vargas in 1941. You can hear
that version in the El Bandoneon CD of D'Agostino with Angel Vargas.
Lastly, the third set of lyrics was written by Enrique Santos Discepolo
in 1947. This was (is?) the most popular of all three versions and the
most recorded by tango singers. As to why it was named that way, you
would have to find the original version and take a look for hints if
any. As you already know, the Discepolo version has nothing to do with
ears of corn. The Catan version uses the word twice. The first time it
is disclosed as the nickname of the singer, who is narrating a bloody
duel where he killed his lover's lover:
Fu=E9 aquella noche,
que todavia me aterra,
cuando ella era m=EDa,
jug=F3 con mi pasi=F3n,
y en el duelo a muerte,
con qui=E9n rob=F3 mi vida,
mi daga gaucha,
parti=F3 su coraz=F3n,
y me llamaban,
el choclo compa=F1ero,
tall=E9 en los entreveros,
seguro y fajador,
pero una china,
envenen=F3 mi vida,
y hoy lloro a solas,
con mi tr=E1gico dolor.
and in the last verse of the song:
Tango querido, viejo choclo que me embarga,
con la caricia de tus notas tan sentidas,
quiero morir bajo el arrullo de tus quejas,
cantando mis querellas, llorando mi dolor.
Having said that, however, there is this story attributed to Francisco
Canaro in his radio program "El Medallon del Tango" in 1954:
"El Choclo was the result of a bet made by its author, Angel
Gregorio Villoldo in an old bodegon [low class eating establishment]
where they served "olla podrida" [a kind of stew made out of meat,
fowl, pork, sausages and vegetables]. This consisted of a large kettle
where the stew was kept hot, and for 5 cents the customers were allowed
to dip in a laddle and they could eat what they took out. Because
the establishment was famous for the choclos (corn cobs) that they put
in the stew, and because of the bet that was made in that place [as to
what would come out in the laddle, stew or corn cob], the tango is
called El Choclo."
By the way, the original art for the cover of the music sheet
displays an ear of corn and a bespectacled gentleman holding a=20
walking stick and wearing a long coat (no sight of a large kettle
though ;-). It is reproduced in several books including "Tango!:
The Dance, the Song, the Story" (Ed. Simon Collier) Cooper, Azzi, Martin.
--
ruddy
>>Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000 20:08:56 -0400 (EDT)
>>From: Dario Mendiguren <C21DARI @AOL.COM>
>>Subject: El Choclo
>>To: TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>>MIME-version: 1.0
>>Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>>X-Comment: mitvma.mit.edu: Mail was sent by imo-r20.mx.aol.com
>>
>>Dear Tango friends:
>>
>>Could anybody tell me why the famous tango "El Choclo" (music from Migue=
l
>>Angel Villoldo, words from Enrique Santos Discepolo) was named that way?
>>
>>Thank you Dario
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 14:48:10 -0700
From: Ruddy Zelaya <ruddy.zelaya @ENG.SUN.COM>
Subject: Re: El Choclo
Correction. In my previous message I said:
"The first time it is disclosed as the nickname of the singer,
who is narrating a bloody duel where he killed his lover's lover"
After re-reading the lyrics it is not clear in my mind that he killed
his lover's lover. "y en el duelo a muerte con quien robo mi vida"
[and in the death duel with whom that stole my life] is ambiguos.
It could be interpreted as the other man who stole his lover and with
whom he had a knife duel, or it could be the cheating lover that he
killed for stealing his life. I think that it is the latter given
the gist of the rest of the lyrics but I can't be 100% sure.
--
ruddy
End of TANGO-L Digest - 5 Jun 2000 to 6 Jun 2000 (#2000-154)
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