"Por una Cabeza" is perhaps the most famous tango in history, composed in 1935 by the legendary with lyrics by his longtime collaborator Alfredo Le Pera . The title, which translates to "By a Head," refers to a horse winning a race by the narrowest of margins—a metaphor for a man’s compulsive attraction to women and gambling. The Legacy of a Masterpiece
: Beyond Gardel’s original recording, the piece has been famously interpreted by classical greats like Itzhak Perlman and John Williams , and more recently arranged for solo violin by Augustin Hadelich .
: Today, it remains a staple for formal dance scenes and is widely considered the definitive example of the tango genre for audiences worldwide.
The song was originally written for the film Tango Bar , which was one of Gardel's final projects before his tragic death in a plane crash in Medellín, Colombia, later that same year.
"Por una Cabeza" is perhaps the most famous tango in history, composed in 1935 by the legendary with lyrics by his longtime collaborator Alfredo Le Pera . The title, which translates to "By a Head," refers to a horse winning a race by the narrowest of margins—a metaphor for a man’s compulsive attraction to women and gambling. The Legacy of a Masterpiece
: Beyond Gardel’s original recording, the piece has been famously interpreted by classical greats like Itzhak Perlman and John Williams , and more recently arranged for solo violin by Augustin Hadelich .
: Today, it remains a staple for formal dance scenes and is widely considered the definitive example of the tango genre for audiences worldwide.
The song was originally written for the film Tango Bar , which was one of Gardel's final projects before his tragic death in a plane crash in Medellín, Colombia, later that same year.