Come On
lyrics by Rodolfo Sciammarella
From the depths of my tears
and pains, I ask God
to listen to my appeal
and my lamentation,
to ease the suffering
that exists in my life,
and to grant me
love’s resignation.
With this sentiment
that has become a passion
my poor heart
is trying to ignore
that to go on like this,
we will have to live
with the shame
of this humiliation…
Yesterday I told you,
just like today, just like always,
come on, come on, my heart!
And you didn’t want to pay me any mind
and that was the downfall
of having your illusion
weep forevermore.
Today you wouldn’t be abandoned, heart,
today you wouldn’t be cowering in the corner, heart.
Yesterday I told you,
just like today, just like always—
Leave her and come on, come on,
oh my heart…
Orq. Carlos Di Sarli, singer Alberto Podestá
(Spanish original after the jump)
Vamos
Del fondo de mis lágrimas
y penas, pido a Dios
que escuche mi implorar
y mi lamentación:
que alivie este sufrir
que hay en mi vivir,
y pueda darme la resignación
de amor.
Con este sentimiento
que se ha hecho una pasión,
no quiere comprender
mi pobre corazón
que de seguir así
tendremos que vivir
con la vergüenza
de una humillación.
Ayer te dije, igual que hoy,
igual que siempre—
¡Vamos, vamos, corazón!
Y no quisiste hacerme caso
y fue el fracaso
de estar llorando
para siempre tu ilusión.
Hoy no estarías, corazón, abandonado,
hoy no estarías, corazón, arrinconado…
Ayer te dije, igual que hoy,
igual que siempre—
¡Dejala y vamos, vamos
corazón!
Poesía de gotán: The Poetry of the Tango 
Hm I was a bit confused reading this
– What is “to grant myself the resignation of love”? – do you mean “allow me to resign myself from love” – ie give up love
– “corazon” sounds a bit funny as “heart” : wouldnt it be “soul” in English? Difficult one though
Otherwise I enjoyed it thanks 🙂
Posted by Captain Jep | 11.26.2009, 8:32 AMGlad you enjoyed the translation, and you asked some very good questions!
Often, the original Spanish versions are quite ambiguous—since they are lyrics/poetry, the tangos often use odd words and slightly strange syntax in order to fit melodies and rhyme schemes. For the most part, I strive to make the English versions clear where the Spanish is clear, and slightly ambiguous where the Spanish is ambiguous. One of the great things about lyrics and poetry is that they are often intentionally obscure. Thus, you may interpret “to grant me the resignation of love” as you did, though another possible reading is that the singer is asking God to alleviate his heartache by having the love that pains him “resign” (as in, retire), from his heart.
As far as the choice of word for “corazón” goes, the reason I stuck with the literal “heart” is because there is another word (alma) that literally translates as “soul,” and it also frequently appears in the tangos, so I like to keep that distinction, even between different songs.
Besides, “heart” has a long history in the English poetic tradition as well…Shakespeare’s sonnet 133 (“Beshrew that heart”) uses the word five times in 14 lines.
Hope that helps clear up my word choice!
Posted by poesiadegotan | 11.26.2009, 8:57 AMGlad to see how people like you two keep alive the soul and passion of Tango, as for me I’m living in Australia for the last 31 years[ my first 32 in Bs As] and carried with me the tango in my Heart. If helps in your discussion about translate words and meanings, think Poets are living Hearts they don’t listen to reasons nor understanded, they only suffer. The brain may solve ecuations and complex problems, but never suffer ence don’t understend Tango. The Heart does!!
Posted by Miguel | 03.06.2010, 1:09 PMI may have many faults in writing English or even some in Spanish, but Señores with all due respect not many in understanding the meaning of a Tango song. You see I’ve lived in Bs As the first 31 years of my life! and I’ve as many Tangos in my heart as break up’s . I’m sure you know what I mean.
Posted by Miguel | 03.06.2010, 1:23 PM