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Song

Pena mulata

Music by Sebastián Piana, lyrics by Homero Manzi. 3 recordings in our catalogue, 1941–1974.

Who recorded it

Every version3

Earliest we hold: Carlos Di Sarli, 1941

  1. Carlos Di SarliRoberto Rufino1941
  2. Cuarteto Típico Roberto Firpo1941
  3. Miguel Villasboas1974

Versions of Pena mulata recorded 1941–1974

Pena mulata was composed by Sebastián Piana.

Pena mulata is a milonga.

Pena mulata was published in 1940.

The lyrics of Pena mulata are by Homero Manzi.

The song

The piece as people name it, whoever plays it.

3 orchestras recorded it

14 Dances filmed to it

Who wrote it

Music
Sebastián Piana
Words
Homero Manzi
Written
not yet cited · help fill it
First played
not yet cited · help fill it

Source: TangoCloud catalogue

Lyrics

Español

Pena mulata que se desata bajo la bata de broderí. Dolor de milonga que apenas prolonga con queja tristonga la noche de abril. Como un espejo Bruñido y viejo brilla el pellejo del bailarín. Clavel escarlata que el ansia delata temblando en la bata su mancha carmín. Tu madre murió de amores en el Barrio del Tambor. Le abrió caminos de ausencia el puñal de un cuarteador. Tu padre murió a la sombra por vengar esa traición. Mulata, nació tu estrella en un cielo de crespón. Luz de locura brilla en la oscura mirada dura del bailarín. Alcohol de añoranza que al son de la danza calienta venganzas debajo la crin. Pobre morena, brotó en tus venas una serena flor carmesí. Rencor en acecho, pincel del despecho pintando en tu pecho la mancha carmín. Tu madre murió de amores, alma blanca y piel carbón. Mulata, fueron sus labios el rencor de un cuarteador. Tu padre murió a la sombra por vengar esa traición. Mulata, nació tu estrella en un cielo de crespón. Pena mulata que se desata bajo la bata de broderí. Dolor de milonga que apenas prolonga con queja tristonga la noche de abril.

English · machine translation

Mulatto sorrow that is unleashed under the robe of broderí. Pain of milonga that barely prolongs with saddening complaint the night of April. Like a mirror Burnished and old shines the skin of the dancer. Scarlet carnation that longing betrays trembling in the gown its carmine stain. Your mother died of love in the Barrio del Tambor. She opened paths of absence the dagger of a cutter. Your father died in the shadow to avenge that betrayal. Mulata, your star was born in a sky of crepe. Light of madness shines in the dark hard look of the dancer. Alcohol of longing that to the sound of dance heats up revenge under the mane. Poor brunette, it sprang up in your veins a serene crimson flower. Lurking rancor, brush of spite painting on your breast the crimson stain. Your mother died of love, white soul and charcoal skin. Mulatto, her lips were the rancor of a quarrelsome man. Your father died in the shadow to avenge that betrayal. Mulata, your star was born in a sky of crepe. Mulatto sorrow that is unleashed under the gown of broderie. Pain of milonga that barely prolongs with saddening complaint the night of April.

Every version

Computed from the catalogue, not yet written by anyone

The catalogue holds 3 recordings of this song by 3 orchestras, 1941 to 1974.
1940’50’60’70
Recordings of Pena mulata by year, taller the more they are danced · 3 of 3 recordings carry a year · read Nov 2, 2026

3 recordings · our catalogue, dances filmed on TangoTube · 9 more we know of

a version people dance tono Dances matched yet: something to listen to

Choose A and B on two recordings to hear them one after the other.

  1. Carlos Di SarliEarliest we holdMost dancedPena mulataCarlos Di SarliRoberto RufinomilongaRCA Victor
    13 dances
    1941
  2. Cuarteto Típico Roberto FirpoPena mulataCuarteto Típico Roberto Firpomilonga
    1 dance
    1941
  3. Miguel VillasboasPena mulataMiguel Villasboasmilonga
    No match yet
    1974
  4. Mercedes SimoneNot in our catalogueMay 291941
  5. -unspecified guitars-Not in our catalogueHéctor Palacios · Jun 171941
  6. Juan CambareriNot in our catalogueJul 171951
  7. Juan CambareriNot in our catalogue1953
  8. Emilio BrameriNot in our catalogueMercedes Simone1966
  9. Héctor PalaciosNot in our catalogue
  10. Malena MuyalaNot in our catalogue
  11. Mercedes SimoneNot in our catalogue
  12. Juan CambareriNot in our catalogue
All recordings of Pena mulata

One recording

A dated take, with its sound and the couples dancing it.

Carlos Di Sarli

Pena mulataCarlos Di SarliRoberto RufinomilongaRCA Victor

Couples filmed dancing this recording · 13 Performances

Danced to it

Music from 1941–1974 · danced on film 2009–2022

20092022
By the year it was danced; each dance counts once, however many channels filmed it

2009: 1, 2010: 1, 2014: 2, 2017: 1, 2018: 2, 2019: 2, 2022: 3

Where it is danced

The places our videos show it danced, by performances filmed there.

  1. Plaza DorregoSan Telmo
    1 performance

Filmed sets

One Couple dancing three or four songs at one Occasion, every song known. What was danced on film, not what a DJ played.

The one complete set on film

  1. Julio Bassan and Paula Ballesteros

    Maldita Milonga · In upload order: nobody has said the order danced

    1. 1Pena mulataCarlos Di Sarli, 1941
    2. 2Gallo ciegoOrquesta Forever Tango, 1998
    3. 3N.N.Osvaldo Pugliese, 1952
    4. 4El último adiósRodolfo Biagi, 1940
    Watch it on TangoTube

Read more

every sentence cites a published fact

Data: recordings, facts and sources

Composer1

Composed by Sebastián Piana

In other catalogues3

TodoTango · tema/562

tango.info · T0370169702

MusicBrainz · 04eb543e-4c43-4cec-b9c9-712a3068f486source

Is a1

Is a Milonga

Published1

Published 1940

Lyricist1

Lyrics by Homero Manzi

Listen

  1. Pena mulataCarlos Di SarliRoberto RufinomilongaRCA Victor
  2. Pena mulataCuarteto Típico Roberto Firpomilonga
  3. Pena mulataMiguel Villasboasmilonga

Ask Tangopedia

Answers only from cited facts, each with its source.