Alejandro Washington Alé Podestá was born on September 22, 1924 in San Juan.
He started singing at school and simultaneously on a radio show directed by one of his teachers. It was a children’s recreation, it was called “Rayito de sol”. Each student contributed some fashionable song and little Alejandro, who had already admired Carlos Gardel, learned quickly Zorzal’s lyrics and poured them into those auditions. For that reason they began to call him Gardelito.
This video is an interview with English subtitles made by Pepa Palazon, Tengo una pregunta para vos series.
“I owe a lot to tango, I owe my children, my family, my well-being. I never excelled, but there was never a lack of work, the love of you, the Argentine public. You have never made me feel less. Tango gave me life, it is adoration what I feel for my music, my country and for the people from my country”
Alberto Podesta
ALMA DE BOHEMIO
Bohemian’s soul (1928)
LYRICS by: Miguel Bucino
MUSIC by: Roberto Firpo
TRANSLATION by: Alberto Paz
Spanish
Que saben los pitucos,
lamidos y sushetas,
que saben lo que es tango,
que saben de compas?
Aqui esta la elegancia,
que pinta, que silueta,
que porte, que arrogancia,
que clase pa’bailar.
Asi se baila el tango,
mientras dibujo el ocho,
para estos filigranas,
yo soy como un pintor.
Ahora una corrida,
una vuelta, una sentada.
Asi se baila el tango,
un tango de mi flor.
Asi se baila el tango,
sintiendo en la cara,
la sangre que sube a cada compas,
mientras el brazo,
como una serpiente,
se enrosca en el talle,
que se va a quebrar.
Asi se baila el tango,
mezclando el aliento,
cerrando los ojos
para oír mejor,
como los violines le dicen al fuelle,
porque desde esa noche,
Malena no canto.
Asi se baila el tango,
mientras dibujo el ocho,
para estos filigranas,
yo soy como un pintor.
Ahora una corrida,
una vuelta, una sentada.
Asi se baila el tango,
un tango de mi flor.
English
What do they know the dandies, the trendy rich boys with their affected manners!
What do they know about tango, what do they know about rhythm!
This is what elegance is. What a look! What a silhouette!
What a bearing! And arrogance! So much style to dance!
This is how to dance tango, while I draw the figure eight;
for all these intricate moves, I am like a painter.
Now a corrida, a giro, a sentada.
This is how to dance tango, a tango of my flower!
This is how to dance tango,
feeling on your face,
blood that rises
at each beat,
while your arm,
like a snake,
coils itself around the waist
that is about to break.
This is how to dance tango,
breaths mix,
eyes close
to listen
to the violins
and the bandoneons wondering
why Malena did not sing tonight…
This is how to dance tango, while I draw the figure eight;
for all these intricate moves, I am like a painter.
Now a corrida, a giro, a sentada.
This is how to dance tango, a tango of my flower!
This post is made to help to the diffusion of Tango.
