Troilophilia – On this grey afternoon

Probably one of Troilo’s most known, most played and most loved tracks, En esta tarde gris (On this grey afternoon). Fiorentino’s voice shines through and the track has a mix of rhythm and pace, and the deep message of sorrow and solitude. Troilo’s versions are light-years ahead of other orchestas who attempted to play this track. Yes, you read it right, versionS. There is a version that rarely gets played in milongas, recorded almost 30 years after that gem with Fiorentino. And it is about this version that I want to talk about. The version with the infamous “El Polaco”.

You hear it and from the word go the music is completely over the top! The pace is much slower, and the instruments are much more noticeable. They go up to almost delusional and sometimes low like in a depressive state. Sometime oppressive and sometimes oppressed.

The other difference is that Goyeneche starts singing straight away, using the might of his broad voice, unlike Fiorentino, who gave the track a whole cycle until he started to start with this beautiful enchanting tones.

Check here the you tube clip

En esta tarde gris

Que ganas de llorar

en esta tarde gris,

en su repiquetear

la lluvia habla de ti.

Remordimiento de saber

que, por mi culpa, nunca,

vida, nunca te veré.

Mis ojos al cerrar

te ven igual que ayer,

temblando al implorar

de nuevo mi querer,

y hoy es tu voz que vuelve a mí

en esta tarde gris…

Although this track is sang by male voices, they illustrate the thoughts of a woman, who has fallen in love by a man who left…

She is saying, I want to cry in the grey afternoon, the sound of the rain falling reminds me of you, I regret knowing that, for my fault, I will never, never see you again…” When my eyes close, I see you just like if it was yesterday, and I hear your voice in this grey afternoon.

Ven,

– triste me decías –

que en esta soledad

no puede más el alma mía…

Ven,

y apiádate de mi dolor,

que estoy cansada de llorar,

de sufrir y esperarte

y hablar siempre a solas

con mi corazón.

Ven,

pues te quiero tanto,

que si no vienes hoy

voy a quedar ahogada en llanto…

No,

no puede ser que siga así,

con este amor clavado en mí

como una maldición.

“Come”, sadly you asked me. And in this solitude my soul can’t bear it any longer. She continues, Come and take pity on my pain, because I am tired of crying, of suffering waiting for you, and of always talking alone with my heart. Come, I love you so much, and if you don’t come today I will drown in my tears. It cannot carry on like this, with this love stuck to me, like a curse.

Usually I end my posts saying that I do not understand why this or that track is not played more often. Not this time. I am actually quite glad that I hear this very seldom. I have only played this version twice in the 300+ sets I have DJed. This track is an A bomb. It should only be played at the right milonga of the right event when the right people are there. Or you will risk an empty dance floor. Remember of the first rule of DJing – you play for the dancers!

Advertisement