Song commentary

&

lyric translation

The story of Pa’ que bailen los muchachos

Anibal Troilo was an Argentine bandoneon player, arranger and bandleader, whose work still keeps us dancing at milongas around the world. He also was an inspired composer, creator of pieces made to last forever. Pa’ que bailen los muchachos, To make the lads dance is one of his masterpieces.

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos draws numerous analogies between milonga and life, between tango and love. As the chorus puts it: ¡La vida es una milonga!, life is a milonga. The song tells the story of a man who plays the bandoneon, so that all his friends can dance all night, loosing themselves in the tango embrace and beat.

He also plays to forget that his love is now taken with someone else. He refuses to give in to jealousy and still plays, knowing that by doing so, he’ll give her a chance to dance with her new lover. The sentence: “those who suffer from jealousy show how much they care” shows his dilemma.

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos has been translated by Tanguito, Argentine Tango Academy in London. We hope you enjoy this translation. If you have any comments, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

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The song

You can view the video to listen to the music and read the translation at the same time or read the translation at the bottom of this page.

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos lyrics

in Spanish & English

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
vi’a’ tocarte, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!
Bailen todos, compañeros,
porque el baile es un abrazo:
Bailen todos, compañeros,
que este tango lleva el paso.
Entre el lento ir y venir
del tango va
la frase dulce.
Y ella baila en otros brazos,
prendida, rendida,
por otro amor.
To make the lads dance

To make the lads dance,
I’m gonna play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!
Come on, dance, friends,
because the dance is an embrace:
Come on, dance, friends,
step on the beat of this tango.
Between the slow coming and going
of tango goes
the sweet phrase.
And she dances in other arms,
hooked, captivated,
by another love.
No te quejes, bandoneón,
que me duele el corazón.
Quien por celos va sufriendo
su cariño va diciendo.		 Don’t complain, bandoneon,
my heart is in pain.
Those who suffer from jealousy
show how much they care.
No te quejes, bandoneón,
que esta noche toco yo.
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
hoy te toco, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!		 Don’t complain, bandoneon,
tonight, I am the one playing.
To make the lads dance,
today, I play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!
Ella fue como una madre,
ella fue mi gran cariño…
nos abrimos y no sabe
que hoy la lloro como un niño…		 She was like a mother,
she was my great affection…
We opened up to one another, and you don’t know
that today I cry for her like a child…
Quién la va a saber querer
con tanto amor,
como la quise.
Pobre amiga, pobre piba,
¡qué ganas más locas
de irte a buscar!		 Who will know how to love her
with as much love,
as I did.
Poor friend, poor girl,
How crazy I am to still want
to go find you!
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
via’ tocarte, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!		 To make the lads dance,
I gonna play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!
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