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Song

Milonguero viejo

Music by Carlos Di Sarli, lyrics by Enrique Carrera Sotelo. 14 recordings in our catalogue, 1928–2004.

Who recorded it

Every version14

Earliest we hold: Osvaldo Fresedo, 1928

  1. Carlos Di Sarli1940194419511955
  2. Lucio Demare1956
  3. Osvaldo FresedoErnesto Famá19281959
  4. Juan MaglioCarlos Viván1928
  5. Horacio Salgan19571965
  6. Orquesta Escuela de Tango2000

Versions of Milonguero viejo recorded 1928–2004

Milonguero viejo was composed by Carlos Di Sarli.† The lyrics of Milonguero viejo are by Enrique Carrera Sotelo.† Milonguero viejo: Di Sarli composed Milonguero Viejo in the 1920s for Osvaldo Fresedo, as thanks for Fresedo's help. and A Di Sarli sextet recording of Milonguero viejo, his tribute to Fresedo, was never made: by the time Di Sarli got into the studio in November, Fresedo had left for Paris and the song, a minor hit, was no longer fashionable.††

The song

The piece as people name it, whoever plays it.

8 orchestras recorded it

139 Dances filmed to it

Who wrote it

Music
Carlos Di Sarli
Words
Enrique Carrera Sotelo
Written
not yet cited · help fill it
First played
not yet cited · help fill it
Its words name
La Paternal

Source: TangoCloud catalogue

Lyrics

Español · Underlined words are lunfardo: tap one for its meaning.

El barrio duerme y sueña al arrullo de un triste tango llorón; en el silencio tiembla la voz de un mozo cantor. La última esperanza flota en su canción, en su canción maleva y en el canto dulce eleva toda la dulzura de su humilde amor. Linda pebeta de mis sueños, en este tango llorón mi amor mistongo va cantando su milonga de dolor, y entre el rezongo de los fuelles y el canyengue de mi voz, ilusionado y tembloroso vibra humilde el corazón. Sos la más linda del pobre arrabal, sos la musa maleva de mi inspiración; y en los tangos del de La Paternal sos el alma criolla que llora de amor. Sin berretines mi musa mistonguera chamuya en verso su dolor; tu almita loca, sencilla y ha enloquecido mi pobre corazón. El barrio duerme y sueña al arrullo del triste tango llorón; en el silencio tiembla la voz del mozo cantor; la última esperanza flota en su canción, en su canción maleva y el viento que pasa lleva toda la dulzura de su corazón.

English · machine translation

The neighborhood sleeps and dreams to the lullaby of a sad weeping tango; in the silence trembles the milonga voice of a young singer. The last hope floats in his song, in his evil song and in the sweet song it raises all the sweetness of his humble love. Pretty little pebeta of my dreams, in this weeping tango my mistongo love sings its milonga of pain, and between the rezongo of the bellows and the canyengue of my voice, illusioned and trembling humble heart vibrates. You are the prettiest paica of the poor suburb, you are the evil muse of my inspiration; and in the tangos of the Pibe of La Paternal you are the Creole soul that cries for love. Without berretines my mistonguera muse shamuya in verse your pain; your crazy, simple and milonguera little soul has driven my poor heart crazy. The neighborhood sleeps and dreams to the lullaby of the sad weeping tango; in the silence trembles the milonguera voice of the singing boy; the last hope floats in his song, in his evil song and the passing wind carries all the sweetness of his heart.

Every version

Computed from the catalogue, not yet written by anyone

The catalogue holds 14 recordings of this song by 8 orchestras, 1928 to 2004.
1920’30’40’50’60’70’80’90’00
Recordings of Milonguero viejo by year, taller the more they are danced · 14 of 14 recordings carry a year · read Nov 2, 2026

14 recordings · our catalogue, dances filmed on TangoTube · 7 more we know of

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

The leader is Carlos Di Sarli, with 98% of the 139 filmed dances matched to a version of this song.

2 more dances name this song but not which version, so no share counts them. “No match yet” means no filmed dance is tied to that version so far, not that nobody dances it. Dances whose music we have not identified are left out.

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

  2. Los Señores del TangoMilonguero viejoLos Señores del TangoinstrumentaltangoColumbia
    2 dances · 1%
    1962
  4. Juan MaglioMilonguero viejoJuan MaglioCarlos Vivántango
    No match yet
    1928
  5. Lucio DemareMilonguero viejoLucio DemaretangoArt-FONO
    No match yet
    1956
  7. Orquesta Escuela de TangoMilonguero viejoOrquesta Escuela de Tangotango
    No match yet
    2000
  9. Ignacio CorsiniNot in our catalogueFeb 291928
  10. Juan Félix MaglioNot in our catalogueCarlos Viván · Apr 21928
  11. Carlos Di SarliNot in our catalogue1943
  12. Argentino GalvánNot in our catalogue1958
  13. Leopoldo FedericoNot in our catalogue1981
  14. Atilio StamponeNot in our catalogue
  15. Leopoldo FedericoNot in our catalogue
All recordings of Milonguero viejo

One recording

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

Carlos Di Sarli

Milonguero viejoCarlos Di SarlitangoRCA Victor
Open this recording

Couples filmed dancing this recording · 130 Performances

Carlitos Espinoza & Agustina PiaggioWorld Champion · Tango de Pista 20192023 · 3:11

Danced to it

Music from 1928–2004 · danced on film 2008–2026

20082026
By the year it was danced; each dance counts once, however many channels filmed it

2008: 2, 2010: 7, 2011: 3, 2012: 2, 2013: 6, 2014: 6, 2015: 1, 2016: 4, 2017: 7, 2018: 2, 2019: 4, 2020: 1, 2021: 3, 2022: 11, 2023: 15, 2024: 15, 2025: 11, 2026: 3

Through the decades

  1. The 2000sDetlef Engel & Melina Sedó2008
  2. The 2010sSebastian Jimenez & Maria Inés BogadoMilonga La Baldosa · 2010
  3. The 2020sCarlitos Espinoza & Agustina Piaggio2023

Where it is danced

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

  1. Cátulo TangoBalvanera
    4 performances
  2. Club Social y Deportivo Glorias ArgentinasMataderos
    1 performance
  3. El BesoBalvanera
    1 performance
  4. MarabúSan Nicolás
    1 performance
  5. Salón El Pial (La Baldosa)Flores
    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.

3 of 15 complete sets on film

  1. Maria Inés Bogado and Sebastian Jimenez

    Milonga La Baldosa, 2010 · In the order danced: the video titles number them

    1. 1Milonguero viejoCarlos Di Sarli, 1955
    2. 2La brujaJuan D'Arienzo, 1959
    3. 3El vals soñadorMiguel Caló, 1942
    4. 4Reliquias porteñasFrancisco Canaro, 1938
    Watch it on TangoTube

  2. Agustina Piaggio and Carlitos Espinoza

    Viva La Pepa, 2022 · In the order danced: the video titles number them

    1. 1Milonguero viejoCarlos Di Sarli, 1955
    2. 2El corazón me engañóJuan D'Arienzo, 1940
    3. 3Estampa de varónJuan D'Arienzo, 1938
    4. 4PasionalOsvaldo Pugliese, 1952
    Watch it on TangoTube

  3. Adriana Laplaca and Marcelo Perez

    In upload order: nobody has said the order danced

    1. 1La taperaEdgardo Donato, 1936
    2. 2Milonguero viejoCarlos Di Sarli, 1955
    3. 3MandriaJuan D'Arienzo, 1939
    4. 4Milonga bravaFrancisco Canaro, 1938
    Watch it on TangoTube

In their words

  • A Di Sarli sextet recording of Milonguero viejo, his tribute to Fresedo, was never made: by the time Di Sarli got into the studio in November, Fresedo had left for Paris and the song, a minor hit, was no longer fashionable.

    What was said, in our words

    Michael Lavocah · Tango 1928

  • Di Sarli composed Milonguero Viejo in the 1920s for Osvaldo Fresedo, as thanks for Fresedo's help.

    What was said, in our words

    Dag Stenvoll · Tango 1955

  • There's one song that I love, I don't listen to it that often, it's not from Troilo, but it's Milonguero Viejo — I love it.

    Hay una canción que amo, no la escucho tan seguido, no es de Troilo, pero es Milonguero Viejo — la amo.Tangopedia translation

    Clarisa Aragón · Sultanic Live Stream (Interview) with Clarisa Aragón

    open at 37:31

Read more

What we don't know yet3 of 4 known

The year it was written.

Data: recordings, facts and sources

In other catalogues2

tango.info · T0370019149

TodoTango · tema/435

Composer1

Composed by Carlos Di Sarli

Lyricist1

Lyrics by Enrique Carrera Sotelo

Notes2

Di Sarli composed Milonguero Viejo in the 1920s for Osvaldo Fresedo, as thanks for Fresedo's help.

A Di Sarli sextet recording of Milonguero viejo, his tribute to Fresedo, was never made: by the time Di Sarli got into the studio in November, Fresedo had left for Paris and the song, a minor hit, was no longer fashionable.

Listen

  1. Milonguero viejoOsvaldo FresedoErnesto FamátangoOdeon
  2. Milonguero viejoJuan MaglioCarlos Vivántango
  3. Milonguero viejoCarlos Di SarliinstrumentaltangoRCA Victor
  4. Milonguero viejoCarlos Di SarliinstrumentaltangoRCA Victor
  5. Milonguero viejoCarlos Di SarliinstrumentaltangoMusic Hall
  6. Milonguero viejoCarlos Di SarlitangoRCA Victor
  7. Milonguero viejoLucio DemaretangoArt-FONO
  8. Milonguero viejoHoracio SalgantangoAntar-Telefunken (Montevideo)
  9. Milonguero viejoOsvaldo FresedoinstrumentaltangoColumbia
  10. Milonguero viejoLos Señores del TangoinstrumentaltangoColumbia
  11. Milonguero viejoHoracio SalgantangoPhilips
  12. Milonguero viejoOrquesta Escuela de Tangotango

Ask Tangopedia

Answers only from cited facts, each with its source.