Don Juan (Ernesto Ponzio song)
Song
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Don Juan – or Don Juan (el taita del barrio) – is an Argentine tango, whose music was composed (at least in his greater part) by Ernesto Ponzio, and lyrics written afterwards by Ricardo Podestá.[1][2] Jorge Luis Borges referred to his friend Ponzio's composition as "one of the earliest and best tangos".[3]
It was composed in 1898 or later,[4] and the oldest known recording comes from 1910.[1] It was registered with SADAIC in 1941 (the Society had been founded less than a decade before).[2]
Lyrics
The tango begins ""En el tango soy tan taura / que cuando hago un doble corte / corre la voz por el Norte / si es que me encuentro en el Sur" Borges commented on these lyrics as bravado.[5] Borges's translator (Weinberger 1999) translated these lyrics in his translation of Borges as "When I tango I'm so tough / that, when I whirl a double cut / word reaches the Northside / if I'm dancing in the South..".[6]
History
There are several versions on the origin of the song, as well as of his title; almost all coincide in that it was composed in Mamita, and is usually agreed that it was during the year 1898.[1]