Por una Cabeza

"Por una Cabeza"
"Por una Cabeza"
Song
Written	1935
Genre	Tango
Length	2:34
Label	RCA Victor
Composer(s)	Carlos Gardel
Lyricist(s)	Alfredo Le Pera

"Por una Cabeza" (pronounced [ˈpoɾ ˈuna kaˈβesa]) is a tango song written in 1935 with music by Carlos Gardel and lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera.^[1]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

The name is a Spanish horse-racing phrase meaning "by a head", which refers to a horse winning (or losing) a race narrowly – by just the length of its head. The lyrics speak of a compulsive horse-track gambler who compares his addiction for horses with his attraction to women.

Alfredo Le Pera was born in Brazil, son of Italian immigrants. Le Pera and Gardel died in an aeroplane crash in Medellín, on Monday, June 24, 1935.^[2]

Notable uses[edit]

"Por Una Cabeza" is featured in a famous tango scene in Martin Brest's film Scent of a Woman (1992), in the opening scene of Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993), and in James Cameron's True Lies (1994).^[3]^[4]

Lyrics[edit]

Por una cabeza
de un noble potrillo
que justo en la raya
afloja al llegar,
y que al regresar
parece decir:
No olvidés, 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,
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.

References[edit]

^ "Por una Cabeza". Todo Tango. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
^ Clavell, M. (1996) (in Spanish), Biografía. In: Los Mejores Tangos de Carlos Gardel. Alfred Publ. Van Nuys, California.
^ Schickler, David (2013). The Dark Path. Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-1594486456. ...an instrumental recording of Por una Cabeza used in the films Scent of a Woman and True Lies. The original version of the song, a hit from the 1930s by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo La Pera...
^ Thompson, Robert (2005). Tango: The Art History of Love. Vintage Books. p. 21. ISBN 978-1400095797. Finally, in Steven Spielburg's Schindler's List (1993), Liam Neeson dances, once again, to "Por una cabeza."

External links[edit]

Por una Cabeza: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Por una Cabeza's Lyrics, music, scores, versions
English translation
Performed by Itzhak Perlman on YouTube
Arranged and performed by Augustin Hadelich for violin on YouTube

[1] "Por una Cabeza". Todo Tango. Retrieved July 29, 2014.

[Clavell,_M._1996-2] Clavell, M. (1996) (in Spanish), Biografía. In: Los Mejores Tangos de Carlos Gardel. Alfred Publ. Van Nuys, California.

[3] Schickler, David (2013). The Dark Path. Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-1594486456. ...an instrumental recording of Por una Cabeza used in the films Scent of a Woman and True Lies. The original version of the song, a hit from the 1930s by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo La Pera...

[4] Thompson, Robert (2005). Tango: The Art History of Love. Vintage Books. p. 21. ISBN 978-1400095797. Finally, in Steven Spielburg's Schindler's List (1993), Liam Neeson dances, once again, to "Por una cabeza."

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	France BnF data Germany United States
Other	MusicBrainz work

Composition and lyrics[edit]

Notable uses[edit]

Lyrics[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]