Well, it’s difficult to say with certainty. Firstly, because choosing the best tangos partly depends on personal taste. We’re talking about a large number of authors and different eras that tango has gone through in its evolution. However, there is no doubt that some tangos, in particular, have spread around the world and have generated diffusion and popularity globally. The following list may be somewhat arbitrary, but it generally reflects what is believed to be the most famous tangos in the world, or at least the most recognized worldwide.
10-most famous Tangos in the world
This is a list of the most famous tangos; it’s not ordered by relevance, but it’s simply a list of the most recognized tangos worldwide.
1 – El Choclo
Composed by Ángel Villoldo, it premiered in 1903, although the melody is attributed to Casimiro Alcorta five years earlier. It is one of the most popular pieces and refers to corn, as it is known as “choclo” in the southern cone. However, some scholars suggest that the authors refer to the male reproductive organ since one of the origins of tango was the brothels.
2 – Fuga y Misterio
This work by Astor Piazzolla clearly demonstrates the composer’s ability to take tango beyond popular boundaries, as this author was characterized by exploring new territories in terms of sound quality. So much so that some people even criticized his works for not being tango. Big mistake.
3 – Mano a mano
With lyrics by Celedonio Flores, this tango was composed by the great Carlos Gardel and José Razzano in 1920. It was first recorded three years later and stands out because Flores was inspired by a story written by Fernando Nunziatta, who suffered from tuberculosis.
4 – A media luz
Undoubtedly one of the most famous compositions in tango history and one of the most covered by different artists. The lyrics of ‘A media luz’ were conceived by Carlos César Lenzi, while the music was composed by Edgardo Donato. This song was presented in 1925 in Montevideo during the performance of ‘Su majestad la revista’.
5 – Cambalache
Created during the Infamous Decade, a period of severe economic crisis in Argentina, ‘Cambalache’ was first sung by Sofía Bozán at the request of its author, Enrique Santos Discépolo. This song was part of the soundtrack of ‘El alma del bandoneón’ and shows a criticism of what was happening in the country in 1934, the year it was composed. Of course, after the aforementioned Infamous Decade, a military government would come that would prohibit many expressions typical of tango.
6 – La Cumparsita
This Uruguayan tango is one of the most famous worldwide, while in its country it is even considered the popular and cultural anthem (it was approved in a 1988 law). Gerardo Matos was the creator of its melody and lyrics, although later he asked Roberto Firpo for help in making some musical arrangements. Matos conceived it as a march at the end of 1915 to accompany the Carnival parade.
7 – Malena
Composed by Lucio Demare with lyrics by Homero Manzi in 1941, ‘Malena’ is one of the most beautiful tangos ever created. It was included in the soundtrack of a movie called ‘El viejo Hucha’, and much later a film was released in our country titled ‘Malena es un nombre de tango’.
8 – Por una cabeza
Another of the most famous, sung, and performed compositions is ‘Por una cabeza’ that Carlos Gardel composed in New York in 1935 with lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera. In it, Gardel refers to the expression used in horse racing, where the winner’s luck can be decided by just a head, just as it happens in life and in romantic relationships.
9 – Volver
Another of Carlos Gardel’s great songs is ‘Volver’, which we have heard endlessly simply because it is a fantastic composition. It dates from 1934, and Gardel also collaborated with Le Pera on this one.
10 – Nostalgias
We end the review of some of the best tangos in history with this work by Enrique Cadícamo and music by Juan Carlos Cobián, dating from 1935, the year of the death of the legendary Carlos Gardel.
