Song
Cara sucia
1917: 1, 0; 1931: 1, 0; 1932: 1, 0; 1937: 1, 0; 1952: 1, 0; 1955: 1, 1; 1957: 1, 69
Carlos Di Sarli recorded it in 1952 and 1957. One other orchestra recorded it more than once.
How we know
Takes in our catalogue by the same orchestra in different years; the canon’s first orchestra is named.
Cara sucia was composed by Francisco Canaro.†† The lyrics of Cara sucia are by Juan Andrés Caruso.† Cara sucia: Cara sucia began life as a brothel tango with a bawdier title and lyric, which Canaro was already performing in the 1910s; the lyric heard in 1955 is a cleaned-up version. and A brothel tango from about 1870 by Casimiro Alcorta; Francisco Canaro published the score as 'arranged by' him, and Di Sarli's version is now the best known.††
Credit
- Music
- Francisco Canaro
- Lyrics
- Juan Andrés Caruso
Source: TangoCloud catalogue
Every recording
7 recordings · our catalogue, dances filmed on TangoTube · 7 more we know of
Choose A and B on two recordings to hear them one after the other.
- Carlos Di SarliInstrumental · Music Hall · Sep 15Not danced on film yet1952
- Carlos Di SarliMost dancedInstrumental · RCA Victor · Jul 1269 dances1957
- Francisco CanaroEarliest we holdInstrumental · AtlantaNot danced on film yet1917
- Francisco CanaroAgustin Irusta · Odeon · Jun 8Not danced on film yet1932
- Francisco CanaroRoberto Maida · Odeon · Jul 6Not danced on film yet1937
- Francisco CanaroJuan Carlos Rolon · Odeon · Mar 81 dance1955
- Juan CanaroErnesto Famá · Oct 5Not danced on film yet1931
- Vicente LoducaNot in our catalogueInstrumental1925
- Carlos Di SarliNot in our catalogueInstrumental1942
- Los señores del tangoNot in our catalogueInstrumental1956
- Los señores del tangoNot in our catalogueInstrumental1957
- Roberto FirpoNot in our catalogueInstrumental
- Vicente LoducaNot in our catalogueInstrumental
- Los señores del tangoNot in our catalogueInstrumental
Lyrics
Español
Cara sucia, cara sucia, cara sucia Te has venido con la cara sin lavar, Esa cara tan bonita y picarona Que refleja una pasión angelical. Si tu cara fuera espejo de tu alma Siempre sucia la debías de llevar Y mis labios tuvieran que ser la fuente Donde tu cara se tendría que lavar. Anda a lavarte la cara En la fuente del amor, Y que el brillo de tus ojos Igualen siempre a tus labios rojos... Andá a lavarte la cara Que deslumbra como el sol, Y hasta el mismo San Antonio pecaría Cara sucia, cara sucia, Confesándote su amor. Por tu audacia y tu figura de pillete Por tu modo coquetón de caminar, Por tu traza de traviesa pizpireta Por tu modo malicioso de mirar. Por tu rubia ensortijada cabellera Por tu modo encantador de conversar, Es motivo para que todos los mozos Cara sucia, te critiquen al pasar.
English · machine translation
Dirty face, dirty face, dirty face, dirty face You've come with your face unwashed, That pretty, naughty face That reflects an angelic passion. If your face were a mirror of your soul You should always wear it dirty And my lips would have to be the fountain Where your face would have to wash. Go wash your face In the fountain of love, And may the brightness of your eyes May they always match your red lips... Go wash your face That dazzles like the sun, And even Saint Anthony himself would sin Dirty face, dirty face, Confessing his love for you. For your audacity and your pileated figure For your flirtatious way of walking, For your mischievous, mischievous, mischievous way of walking. For your mischievous way of looking. For your blond curly hair For your charming way of conversing, It's a reason for all the waiters Dirty face, criticize you in passing.
Danced to it
Music from 1917–1957 · danced on film 2008–2025
2008: 2, 2009: 1, 2010: 6, 2011: 4, 2012: 2, 2013: 2, 2014: 5, 2015: 9, 2016: 7, 2017: 2, 2018: 2, 2019: 5, 2020: 5, 2021: 1, 2022: 5, 2023: 5, 2024: 5, 2025: 7
Where it is danced
The places our videos show it danced, by performances filmed there.
What we don't know yet3 of 4 known
The year it was written.
Data: recordings, facts and sources
Composer1
Composed by Francisco Canaro
Supported · 2Dates1
Compuso1884
Single sourceEras and styles1
Belongs to habanera anónima titulada Dame más1884
Single sourceIn other catalogues2
tango.info · T0370008404
Single sourceTodoTango · tema/4444
Single sourceLyricist1
Lyrics by Juan Andrés Caruso
Single sourceNotes2
Cara sucia began life as a brothel tango with a bawdier title and lyric, which Canaro was already performing in the 1910s; the lyric heard in 1955 is a cleaned-up version.
Single sourceA brothel tango from about 1870 by Casimiro Alcorta; Francisco Canaro published the score as 'arranged by' him, and Di Sarli's version is now the best known.
Single sourceListen
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