Madreselva (1931)

Honeysuckle
lyrics by Luis César Amadori

Old wall of the arrabal,
your shade was my companion—
in my lackluster childhood,
your honeysuckle was my friend.
When, trembling, my first love
kissed my heart with hopes,
at your side, pure and happy,
I sang this, my first confession:

Honeysuckles in bloom, that watched my birth
and by the old wall took my love by surprise,
your humble caress is like that affection,
first and most dear that I feel…
Honeysuckles in bloom, climbing up and up,
are your tight embrace, and just as sweet…
if every year your flowers are reborn,
you can make sure my first love never dies…

The years have passed and now I ‘ve come to tell you
all about my disillusionment, my old wall:

And so I learned that you have to fake it
so you can live decently;
that love and faith are just lies
and that people laugh about your pain…
today, now that life has punished me
and has taught me its bitter creed,
old wall, with emotion
I come close to tell you just like yesterday:

Honeysuckles in bloom, that watched my birth
and by the old wall took my love by surprise,
your humble caress is like that affection,
first and most dear, that I’ve never forgotten.
Honeysuckles in bloom, climbing up and up,
are your tight embrace, and just as sweet…
if every year your flowers are reborn,
then why doesn’t my first love also return?

Carlos Gardel

Libertad Lamarque

Orquesta Ángel D’Agostino, singer Ángel Vargas

Orquesta Francisco Lomuto, singer Jorge Omar

(Spanish original after the jump)

Madreselva

Vieja pared del arrabal,
tu sombra fue mi compañera—
de mi niñez sin esplendor
la amiga fue tu madreselva.
Cuando temblando mi amor primero
con esperanzas besaba mi alma,
yo junto a vos, pura y feliz,
cantaba así mi primera confesión:

Madreselvas en flor, que me vieron nacer
y en la vieja pared sorprendieron mi amor,
tu humilde caricia es como el cariño
primero y querido que siento por él.
Madreselvas en flor, que trepando se van,
es tu abrazo tenaz y dulzón como aquel…
si todos los años tus flores renacen,
hacé que no muera mi primer amor…

Pasaron los años y mis desengaños
yo vengo a contarte, mi vieja pared:

Así aprendí que hay que fingir
para vivir decentemente;
que amor y fe mentiras son
y del dolor se ríe la gente…
hoy que la vida me ha castigado
y me ha enseñado su credo amargo,
vieja pared, con emoción
me acerco a vos y te digo como ayer:

Madreselvas en flor, que me vieron nacer
y en la vieja pared sorprendieron mi amor,
tu humilde caricia es como el cariño
primero y querido que nunca olvidé.
Madreselvas en flor que trepándose van,
es tu abrazo tenaz y dulzón como aquel…
si todos los años tus flores renacen,
¿por qué ya no vuelve mi primer amor?