Tango Lyrics in Spanish and English



TOMO Y OBLIGO

I drink and I invite (1931)
Listen to Carlos Gardel singing  TOMO Y OBLIGO
Music by: Carlos Gardel
Lyrics by: Manuel Romero
Translated by: Alberto Paz
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Last update on: 2/3/06


Carlos Gardel sang this tango in the film LUCES DE BUENOS AIRES (Lights of Buenos Aires) filmed in Paris by Paramount. Charlo with Francisco Canaro also recorded it in 1931, and Angel D'Agostino with Angel Angel Vargas recorded it in 1943. Edmundo Rivero with guitars recorded it in 1968.


Version en castellano English translation
Tomo y obligo, mándese un trago,
que hoy necesito el recuerdo matar;
sin un amigo lejos del pago
quiero en su pecho mi pena volcar.
Beba conmigo, y si se empaña
de vez en cuando mi voz al cantar,
no es que la llore porque me engaña,
yo sé que un hombre no debe llorar.

Si los pastos conversaran, esta pampa le diría
de qué modo la quería, con qué fiebre la adoré.
Cuántas veces de rodillas, tembloroso, yo me he hincado
bajo el árbol deshojado donde un día la besé.
Y hoy al verla envilecida y a otros brazos entregada,
fue para mí una puñalada y de celos me cegué,
y le juro, todavía no consigo convencerme
como pude contenerme y ahí nomás no la maté.

Tomo y obligo, mándese un trago;
de las mujeres mejor no hay que hablar,
todas, amigo, dan muy mal pago
y hoy mi experiencia lo puede afirmar.
Siga un consejo, no se enamore
y si una vuelta le toca hocicar,
fuerza, canejo, sufra y no llore
que un hombre macho no debe llorar.

I drink and I invite, have a drink,
that today I need to kill a memory;
without a friend, far from the homeland
into your chest I want to pour my pain.
Drink with me, and if it gets foggy,
now and then, my voice while I sing,
it's not that I cry because she cheats on me
I know that a man must not cry

If  the grazing land could talk, this Pampa would tell you
of the way I loved her, of the fever with which I adored her.
How many times have I knelt on my knees, trembly,
under the barren tree where one day I kissed her.
And today, seeing her debased and surrended to other arms ,
it felt like a knife stabbed me, and I was blinded by jealousy,
and I swear to you, I still can't convince myself
how I could contain myself, and I didn't kill her right there.

I drink and I invite, have a drink;
about women, it is better not to talk,
they all, my friend, give a bad payback
and today my experience can confirm it.
Follow an advice, don't fall in love
and if by chance you get your nose rubbed in it
strength, "canejo," suffer and don't cry
that a real man shouldn't cry.


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