Tango y Cultura Popular ® English Edition TyCP Special | Page 60

for this song roots, is
analyzing the 1923 one-
act farce written by Alberto
Weisbach and Manuel
Romero, called “El rey del
cabaret” that had Mireya as
protagonist, a young woman
who spent her nights dancing
Tango, drinking champagne
and breaking hearts, but
-unlike the song- the story
had a happy ending, since
Mireya gets married to a
young man from a wealthy
family. Two years later
Manuel Romero writes
the tango Tiempos Viejos,
and the story tells about
the “Rubia Mireya”. There
was also a woman born in
Panama and some said she
was the one “of the tango
song”, her name was Mireya
Moscoso, she was married
to the president of Panama
Arnulfo Arias.
Manuel Romero was a
“multi-skilled” man, he was
theater and film director,
also wrote several scripts,
and about 150 tangos.
Uruguayan-Argentinian,
Francisco Canaro, became
rich as a consequence of his
large amount of successful
recordings. Did they both
create this fair-haired Tango-
woman? There existed
countless blond Mireyas in
people’s minds and many
longed to dance like her.
Lola Candales
era La Morocha
In Tango’s diffuse origins,
when there was a mixture of
rhythms, and women sang
Spanish farces, La Morocha
60
makes an appearance and
becomes an immediate
success. Lyrics by Ángel
Villoldo, music by Enrique
Saborido. The inspiring muse
was the Uruguayan popular
singer Lola Candales, who
sang it for the first time
in 1905, at Ronchetti’s
Reconquista Bar. It was
recorded in Paris, on the
voice of Flora Rodriguez de
Gobbi, sponsored by the
Buenos Aires’ famous shop
Gath & Chaves.
Its catchy rhythm was such
a success that the Fragata
Sarmiento (ship) Orchestra
took five thousand scores
and spread them around
each and every place they
played in.
It all began one night;
while Saborido was ecstatic
watching Lola’s amazing
performance; when he was
dared to create a tango
for her to sing. Saborido
accepted the challenge and
started working on it. That
very night he composed the
music, then went to see his
friend Ángel Villoldo, and told
him all about it so he could
help with the lyrics.
The following day, music and
lyrics were ready, so they
went after Lola.
They rehearsed several
times, and that same night,
they presented La Morocha
to the gang. Lola sang it, and
it was an absolute success.
Everyone at the club stood
and clapped, and they had to
play it eight times.