Malena

The song "Malena" performed by Carlos Gardel, the iconic figure of the tango genre, is a poignant portrayal of a woman whose life and emotions are deeply intertwined with the essence of tango music. The lyrics describe Malena as someone who sings tango like no other, infusing each verse with her heart and soul. The reference to her voice being perfumed with the 'yuyo' (weeds) of the suburbs and her sorrowful connection to the bandoneón, a key instrument in tango music, paints a picture of a woman whose identity is rooted in the gritty reality of the urban landscape.

The song suggests that Malena's voice may have acquired its dark, melancholic tone during her childhood, hinting at a past filled with stories that only surface when she's under the influence of alcohol. The imagery of her singing with a 'voice of shadow' and the mention of her sadness evokes a sense of a deep, personal loss or unfulfilled desire. The lyrics poetically describe the emotional power of her song, which carries the coldness of a final meeting and the bitterness of memory. The narrator admits to not knowing if her voice is the expression of sorrow but acknowledges that her tangos make her seem more virtuous, perhaps more so than the narrator themselves.

The physical description of Malena, with dark eyes, tight lips, and cold hands, further emphasizes the theme of suffering and the scars left by life's hardships. Her tangos are personified as forsaken creatures wandering the muddy alleyways, symbolizing the neglected and desolate aspects of the human condition. The song concludes with the image of Malena singing with a broken voice, reinforcing the motif of pain and the haunting presence of the bandoneón in her life.