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From album
Honestidad brutal
Andrés Calamaro · 1999 · Track 11
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The story behind
This song carries the weight of a tango that doesn't sound like tango, and that's where its magic lies. Naranjo en flor doesn't mention street corners or *compadritos*, but instead speaks of trees in bloom, running water, and a landscape that seems plucked from another time. The lyrics, written by Homero Expósito in 1944, broke away from what was expected of a tango at the time: there's no nostalgia for the neighborhood nor allusions to city life, but rather images that evoke nature and melancholy. The result was so different that those who premiered it — Aníbal Troilo with Floreal Ruiz — needed three weeks of rehearsal to find the right tone. What many saw as a rarity ended up becoming one of the most remembered pieces in the genre.
The music was composed by Virgilio Expósito, Homero's brother, and premiered that same year in three nearly simultaneous versions: in July, it was recorded by the orchestra of Pedro Laurenz with Jorge Linares; in September, by Enrique Rodríguez with Armando Moreno; and in November, by Troilo with Floreal Ruiz. But the interpretation that ultimately consecrated it was that of Roberto Goyeneche, "El Polaco", who gave it a dramatism and depth that turned Naranjo en flor into a symbol of tango. Even Andrés Calamaro included it in his repertoire years later, proving that this piece transcends eras and styles. Goyeneche's version remains the reference, though other artists like Bajofondo or Gustavo Nocetti have also left their mark.