Music of a wonderful world

[Tango] Famous Tango Songs: Recommended Popular Tracks

Representative, Elysion Philharmonic Orchestrasai-kisaragi
Heisei College of Music, Composition Course. Studied composition and conducting under Keizo Ideta, piano under Chinami Kira, and arts management under Takuma Konishi. With a focus on community and music, I work to revitalize my hometown of Saga Prefecture. While performing as a double bassist with wind ensembles and orchestras across Kyushu, I participated on double bass in the “Orchestra Without Borders” orchestra camp of the professional game and anime music ensemble Eminence Orchestra, held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in September 2012. During CAPCOM’s Kyushu Tour in 2016, I not only performed as an orchestra member but also served on the production staff. I currently serve as the managing representative for the game and anime performance groups Elysion Philharmonic Orchestra (Saga Prefecture) and Fukuoka Game Music Wind Orchestra (Fukuoka Prefecture), and handle conducting, arranging, and public relations.
Piano-playing singer-songwriter / Executive Committee Member, Special Music Festival in Rinku OsakaHousui Sachiyo
I learned to hit the keys on a toy piano, started Electone lessons at six, and began piano at ten. I loved the piano so much that I declared, “I want to go to a music college!” and from junior high I studied vocal music, ear training, and music theory (though I never even took the entrance exam in the end). In my childhood, my saxophone-playing father introduced me to jazz, and my mother to rockabilly. I was utterly obsessed with classical music in junior high. In high school, my grandmother took me to hear live tango performances, and before I knew it I’d become an eclectic listener. Lately, influenced by my high-school-aged daughter, I’ve been listening to koto music and nagauta. I hold the rather rare qualification of ‘Music Proficiency Test Level 3, Western Music track.’

A tango whose passionate rhythm and wistful melodies stir the heart.

Born on the street corners of Argentina, this music is now loved all around the world.

Have you ever felt a strange nostalgia or a flutter in your heart just by hearing the poignant tone of the bandoneon? Perhaps you’ve heard that memorable phrase in a movie or commercial and found yourself wanting to dive deeper into the world of tango.

In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of classic and famous tango pieces.

Whether you’re listening for the first time or already familiar with tango, you’re sure to discover something new.

We hope you’ll find a new favorite track!

[Tango] Tango Masterpieces: Recommended Popular Songs (21–30)

Adiós NoninoÁstor Piazzolla

André Rieu – Adiós Nonino (Farewell father)

Adiós NoninoÁstor Piazzolla

This is a piece that Piazzolla composed and dedicated to his father after receiving news of his father’s death while on tour.

The title, “Nonino,” means “grandpa” in Italian and was his father’s nickname.

It’s like saying, “Goodbye, grandpa.” A very beautiful, heart-wrenching piece.

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Roxanne’s Tango (El Tango de Roxanne)Gianni Ferrio

Tango – Roxanne

Roxanne's Tango (El Tango de Roxanne)Gianni Ferrio

This is “El Tango de Roxanne,” used as a musical number in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge.

In fact, it’s an arrangement of Sting’s classic song “Roxanne.” The original “Roxanne” was composed with tango in mind, so this arrangement feels very natural.

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JealousyJacob Gade

Jacob Gade – Jalousie

JealousyJacob Gade

This piece was composed by Jacob Gade, who began his career as a violinist.

It is said that the massive success of this song led him to devote himself exclusively to composition thereafter.

Moreover, after his death, the royalties were reportedly used to fund the development of young musicians—attesting to just how big a hit it was.

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Antique Shop (Cambalache)Julio Iglesias

JULIO IGLESIAS “Cambalache”

Antique Shop (Cambalache)Julio Iglesias

If you only listen to the sound, it’s a lively tune, but the lyrics are quite biting, etched with words that criticize society.

Perhaps what makes it stylish is how it’s delivered so smoothly, without coming off as snide.

The vocalist is Julio Iglesias.

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Orchids Beneath the MoonVincent Youmans

MALANDO – Orchids in the Moonlight: Orchids Blooming in the Moon’s Shadow

Orchids Beneath the MoonVincent Youmans

This song was created as an insert song for the musical film “Flying Down to Rio.” Along with the theme song “Carioca,” it became a popular tune, and today “Orchid in the Moonlight” has become a standard number in continental tango.

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Yira, Yira (Yira! Yira!)Enrique Santos Discépolo

Ranko Fujisawa Fujisawa Ranko_ YIRA... YIRA Jiira... Jiira

Yira, Yira (Yira! Yira!)Enrique Santos Discépolo

One of the classic masterpieces of Argentine tango.

The title “Yira yira” is said to be a word you won’t find in dictionaries, and seems to mean something like “to spin around” or “to wander aimlessly.” Slang and coined expressions are used throughout, and the content is quite world-weary.

Its atmosphere, so vivid it feels almost raw, calls to mind Portugal’s fado and French chanson.

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El ChocloÁngel Villoldo

Ikuko Kawai: El Choclo

El ChocloÁngel Villoldo

It has lyrics and numerous vocal and instrumental performances, but it’s also a piece that is often played without vocals.

Many ensembles perform it.

The video introduced here is a mix version where you can listen to El Choclo by multiple ensembles at once.

The title means “corn” in Spanish, but its connection to the lyrics is unclear.

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