This Friday, August 19th, Sandro he would be 77 years old. And it is worth recalling here an anecdote of the millionaire Aristotle Onassis which has a certain relationship with the following note.

Once, during a service in the lobby of a famous Parisian hotel, the Greek tycoon was questioned what was the secret of its success. Onassis looked away from the reporter and pointed to the side: “See that lamp over there?” (the reporter turned) – Yes.

– Well, I saw her for the first time …

This small but true anecdote generally applies to visionaries, regardless of the field in which they work. And Roberto Sánchez, Sandro, was no exception. Impulsive, obsessive, perfectionist and tireless worker, got up after noon and went to bed at dawn. El Gitano’s musical work is well known and his records have sold millions of copies across the continent.

But beyond the twenty hymns we all remember, he recorded a handful of songs that in many cases obeyed his musical taste.

Rock, beat music, tango, bolero and folklore were genres that appeared mixed on many of his albums or sung live, proving that he was one of the first to do so crossings (crossing of different musical styles) before anyone else and in a natural way. Today we go through some of those songs that she loved to sing and that not everyone knows.

From Bob Dylan to Gardel

Blowing in the wind. Published by CBS on the EP soul and fire from 1966 and included as a bonus track in the reissue of the 1997 and 2004 album of the same name.

Absolutely free version, to say the least, of the Bob Dylan classic. It was never known for certain whether the Spanish version was by Sandro or instead belonged to the eccentric record entrepreneur and producer known as Ben Molar (Moisés Smolarchik Brenner), who at the time was in charge of literally and literally destroying the Beatles lyrics. passing them in Spanish.

The truth is that Sandro covered Dylan at a time when, at least in Argentina, those who knew him were some musicians from La Cueva (Moris, Javier Martínez, Pajarito Zaguri) and the few hippies who hung around Plaza San Martín.

In a part of Blowing in the wind Sandro sings: There are those who spend money for pleasure / And there are those who cannot eat / Sick children who want to play / And they are in a wheelchair / They don’t talk anymore / Because it’s the same / The wind blows.

Until now Bob Dylan did not comment.

his eyes closed (included in Spectacular Sandrosince 1971).

One of the many songs chosen from the repertoire of another of his idols: Carlos Gardel. Sandro’s fanaticism for Morocho del Abasto was reflected at different times, with several songs chosen by Banfield’s idol.

In the movie Young boy (Leo Fleider, 1970) when his grandmother’s character, La Capitana (the priceless Olinda Bozán) dies in his arms, he sings them my poor dear mother.

Sandro also performed live The day you love me. He did it in August 1994 during the reopening of the Maipo Theater. Eleonora Cassano and Julio Bocca danced to his live version of that tango and later Sandro included it in his show “El hombre de la rosa” in 2001.

my distant land appears in another of his films: Destiny of a whim (Leone Fleider, 1972). In the 70s a version circulated that said that Sandro had bought one of the guitars belonging to José María Aguilar, one of Carlos Gardel’s guitarists. But the authenticity of that tool has never been reliably verified.

Venezuelan folklore and tango

Old horseby Sandro and Los Tucu Tucu.

Sandro only once sang this classic which has been translated into twelve languages ​​and performed by numerous internationally renowned artists and musical ensembles (around 300 versions exist), including Celia Cruz, Julio Iglesias, Juan Gabriel, Celso Piña, Raphael, Rubén Blades, Tania Libertad, Armando Manzanero , Ry Cooder, Plácido Domingo, Horacio Guarany, Joan Manuel Serrat and the Gipsy Kings.

Old horse is a popular Venezuelan song, with lyrics and music by Simón Díaz recorded in 1980 and sung by Sandro on his television program Dear Sandrowhich premiered on Canale 13 on Thursday 2 August at nine in the evening.

Passionatetango by Jorge Caldara and Mario Soto.

Sandro made a live version of this tango for his show “Gracias … 35 años de amores y pasiones”, he sang it in public for the first time on September 18, 1998 at his debut in Rosario and he dedicated it to his idols, Alberto Morán and Osvaldo Pugliese.

According to the book sandro from america, of licensed journalist and biographer Graciela Guiñazú, Sandro said: “I started going to Bar Pancho when I was ten, because I had an impressive premature development and it seemed like fourteen or fifteen to me. On the upper floors of the café lived Alberto Morán, a great tango singer. He was my teacher, I always say that he was the first idol to drag along so much with women, I was still a kid, I was 12 or 13, and we went to dance where the Apulian orchestra played ”.

Passionate It is a tango created in 1951 whose lyrics belong to the lyricist and composer Mario Soto while the music is by the bandoneonist, director and composer Jorge Caldara, and has been recorded by several orchestras. A Sandro has always been passionate about tango.

Maria Elena Walsh and The animals

Like the cicada.

There is this a cappella and live version of the song by María Elena Walsh on YouTube sung by Sandro together with Mercedes Sosa. The song first appeared on the self-titled album released by Walsh in 1973. Sandro sang it as the opening of his show “Historia viva” in 1996, while Mercedes recorded it on the album. Serenade for the land of the onesince 1979.

The meeting of these two legends of our music took place on October 5, 2006, when Roberto Sánchez presented the poetry album: SSecretly words of love (to be listened to in dim light …)which was to be the last of his career.

In the Jorge Luis Borges Room of the National Library, Sandro received a surprise visit from Mercedes Sosa. He presented him with the platinum record for album sales; him a huge bouquet of flowers. Together they sang a cappella like the cicada (a song that meant a lot to both of us) and the zamba To the garden of the Republic.

house of the Rising Sun. (EP and album In the heat of Sandro and Los de Fuegosince 1965)

A famous anonymous American rural theme whose origins date back to the 16th century and that the British group Animals made his in 1964.

There are countless versions of this song, including those of Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi, Dolly Parton and also of the white stripes. Sandro decided to include a Spanish version on his 1965 album In the heat of Sandro and Los de Fuegorecorded between January and June of that year, which in no way respects the original texts, again for example by Ben Molar.

A curiosity is that in this topic Sandro plays the organthat although (unlike Eric Burdon’s version and The Animals) it’s not a flagship instrument here, it does so in a very dignified way.

solid gold bracelet. Sandro and Jairo (from Jairo’s album the railway2004).

A rock and roll in the best Bo Diddley style, with the main role of the tom tones of the drums, whose music is by Jairo, while the lyrics are by Daniel Salzano. The keyboards are borne by Lito Vitale.

Sandro and Jairo met in the television studios of Canal 13 in the early 1960s and an eternal friendship was born between them. The song starts with Sandro laughing and the lyrics show him as a real rocker driving a vintage Impala car.

Beatles and Frank Sinatra

Love me (love me to do)included in PE SAndro and those of the firesince 1964 and also in Sandro’s presentationof 1997.

Almost always identified (at least initially) with Elvis Presleythis reporter was curious to rummage through Sandro’s personal disco, discovering that in truth the author of Pink Rose (with Oscar Anderle) I had more Beatles records than Elvis..

Sandro’s fanaticism for Los Cuatro de Liverpool was reflected in an abundant handful of versions the Gitano distributed on his albums between 1964 and 1966: I will get you, A world without love “(World without love), A Hard Days Night falls, Little child (all inside Sandro and fire1965).

More: Money can’t buy me love (can’t buy me love) (single 1964). She is a woman (She is a woman), Ticket for the race, From my window (From a window), I will follow the sun (all in the album In the heat of Sandro and Los de Fuego1965). We can fix it) (single 1966). Nowhere, man (EP 1966).

He also made an impossible version of let it be singing live in an English that Tarzan himself would hardly understand (on September 5, 1971, in the recital “La super noche” on Canal11, according to Mabel Armentía, one of Sandro’s historical “Nenas”).

Mary Jane(of the disc Sandro 1976 and remastered The usual, the golden years2006 published in the United States).

Sandro was a fan of Argentine folk music and has shown it on many occasions. Mary Jane is a well-known song of coastal music, to the rhythm of chamamé, written and recorded by Ramón Sixto Ríos, of Entre Ríos, in the 1940s.Achieved enormous national and international success with recordings by Ramona Galarza in 1967 and Los Chalchaleros in 1973.

It is an unrequited love song, considered together Zamba of my hope as the most famous of popular music and one of the thirteen most popular popular music in our country. The texts have been translated into nine languages ​​and the theme has been treated by more than 90 interpreters from different parts of the world.

Strangers in the nightfrom the album Classic1994.

Sandro in crooner style long before Bryan Ferry, George Michael and Rod Stewart. His version of this song by Ivo Robic adapted by Bert Kaempfert, which was popularized all over the world Frank Sinatra it is simply colossal. The Nelson Riddle-style arrangements enhance the performance and the singer already from the cover (dressed in a tuxedo and shirt with bow tie, holding a glass of champagne) heralds what we will hear. Sophisticated and elegant.

one yapa

There’s a lot of shaking (Whole Lotta Shakin ‘Goin’ On). Sandro with Elvis Presley, album “Duetos”.

An unexpected set Sandro would have liked to do in life with El Rey. It might not be, but thanks to technology, Sandro’s voice mixes with Elvis, one singing in Spanish and the other in English.

The battle of these two titans can be heard on the album Duetsproduced by Carlos Dáttoli in 2018. This rock written by musician Dave Williams in 1955 was popularized around the world by explosive pianist Jerry Lee Lewis.

Sandro recorded three different versions of the song. The first in 1963 together with the original formation of Los de Fuego. The second as a musical closure of the film I went up I’ll take you (1980, 90 minute of the film) recorded at the Teatro Coliseo, where the musicians accompanying him tear off his clothes and he is dressed in his iconic black-rayed silver jumpsuit.

The third is known as “the version with the congas” and features excellent work by guitarists Ricardo Lew and Herbert Orlando. Curiosity: Sandro originally recorded his version eight years before Elvis..

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