Por una Cabeza

Por una Cabeza (1935)  (1935)  Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera

"Por una cabeza", meaning "by a head [of a horse]" in Spanish, is a popular tango song composed in 1935 by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera.— Excerpted from Por una Cabeza on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

By a head, it's madness! Alfredo Le Pera Carlos Gardel Gardel.jpg Carlos Gardel - Por Una Cabeza.ogg

Carlos Gardel in 1933.

English

Spanish

By a head, it's madness! That horse seemed a sure thing 'Til the final stretch, when It slackened, and lost. As it walked back by I Thought I heard it say: "Pal, you know you wouldn't lose If you just wouldn't play."   By a head, it's madness That girl seemed a sure thing! She whose burning kisses Set my heart a-race Always she was lying About true love everlasting Yet I cannot help it: I'd risk it all on her!   By a head! It is madness But the lies of her kisses Just begged to be believed And while I was deceived It burned away all sadness!   But if she forgets me I've lost! What's to live for? Ah, life is a thousand Empty, broken promises - So why live at all?   Why must I keep losing By a head? It's madness! Always swear today I'll stop pushing my luck. Even when I win Soon it's lost - but then To think of her kisses Brings me back to her again!   I'm done with these races. No more foolish gambles Never more return To see the bitter end! But then, next week a filly Seems once more to be a sure thing. Gamble and I'll lose: But what else can I do?   By a head, it is madness...

Por una cabeza De un noble potrillo Que justo en la raya Afloja al llegar Y que al regresar Parece decir: No olvides, hermano, Vos sabés no hay que jugar...   Por una cabeza, Metejón de un día, De aquella coqueta Y risueña mujer Que al jurar sonriendo, El amor que está mintiendo, Quema en una hoguera Todo mi querer.   Por una cabeza Todas las locuras, Su boca que besa Borra la tristeza, Calma la amargura.   Por una cabeza Si ella me olvida Qué importa perderme, Mil veces la vida Para qué vivir...   Cuántos desengaños, Por una cabeza, Yo juré mil veces, No vuelvo a insistir, Pero si un mirar Me hiere al pasar, Su boca de fuego, Otra vez, quiero besar.   Basta de carreras, Se acabó la timba, Un final reñido Yo no vuelvo a ver, Pero si algún pingo Llega a ser fija el domingo, Yo me juego entero, Qué le voy a hacer.   Por una cabeza...

Literal translation

By a head of a thoroughbred horse

who slackens in the final stretch,

and afterward when it returns seems to say:

"Remember, brother, you don't lose when you don't play."

 

Lost again by a head: the infatuation of a day

for a flirt who promises while she smiles

and tells lies about love

yet my whole heart burns for her.

 

By a head!

It's madness

but a lying mouth that kisses

still drives away sadness

and soothes the bitterness.

 

By a head!

If she forgets me

I'll lose everything that matters.

Life is a thousand broken promises--

but why live at all?

 

How many disappointments were lost by a head?

I swore a thousand times to stop pushing my luck.

It's no pleasant sight to watch a man lose.

Yet I remember the burn from her lips and want another kiss.

 

I'm done with races. No more foolish chances.

I won't return to see the bitter end.

But then next Sunday I'll think some filly is a sure thing.

I'll gamble; I'll find out. What else can I do?

Wikisource editions of the sheet music

PDFs

• Por una Cabeza, Cuerden edition (PDF)
• Por una Cabeza, translated into English by Adam Cuerden (PDF)

Spanish DjVu

English DjVu

Licensing

The singable translation is ©2008 Adam Cuerden, who simply asks for attribution when it is used. The original work is public domain:

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in its home country on the URAA date (January 1, 1996 for most countries). The author died in 1935, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 75 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.