Champagne tango

Esas minas veteranas
que siempre se conformaban,
que nunca la protestaban
aunque picara el buyón,
viviendo así en su cotorro
pasando vida pibera
en una pobre catrera
que le faltaba el colchón.

¡Cuántas veces a mate amargo
el estomago engrupía
y pasaban muchos días
sin tener para morfar!
La catrera era el consuelo
de esos ratos de amargura
que, culpa 'e la mishiadura
no tenía pa' morfar.

Se acabaron esas minas
que siempre se conformaban
con lo que el bacán les daba
si era bacán de verdad.
Hoy sólo quieren vestidos
y riquísimas alhajas,
coches de capota baja
pa' pasear por la ciudad.

Nadie quiere conventillo
ni ser pobre costurera,
ni tampoco andar fulera...
Sólo quieren aparentar
ser amigo de fulano
y que tenga mucho vento
que alquile departamento
y que la lleve al Pigall.

Tener un coche,
tener mucama
y gran 'chapó'
y pa' las farras
un gigoló;
pieza alfombrada
de gran parada,
tener sirvienta
y... ¡qué se yo!
Y así...
de esta manera
en donde quiera
'champán tangó'.

English translation

Those veteran mines
who always conformed,
who never protested
even if the buyon bit,
living like this in their cotorro
spending their lives in their cotorro
in a poor catrera
that lacked a mattress.

How many times with bitter mate
the stomach would grow fat
and many days went by
without having anything to eat!
The catrera was the consolation
of those bitter moments
that, because of the mishiadura
I didn't have enough to eat.

No more of those mines
who were always satisfied
with what the bacán gave them
if it was really cool.
Today they only want dresses
and rich jewelry,
low top cars
to drive around the city.

Nobody wants to live in a tenement
nor to be a poor seamstress,
nor to be a tramp...
They only want to pretend
to be so-and-so's friend
and who has a lot of wind
who rents an apartment
and to take her to the Pigall.

To have a car,
have a maid
and big 'chapó
and for the parties
a gigolo;
carpeted room
of great stop,
have a maid
y... I don't know!
And so...
in this way
wherever you want
'champagne tango'.