Los Mareados

The music for 'Los Mareados' was originally composed by Juan Carlos Cobián in 1922 as an instrumental piece titled 'Los Dopados.' Enrique Cadícamo later added the famous lyrics in 1928, renaming it 'Los Mareados.' The 1942 recording by Aníbal Troilo's orchestra with vocalist Francisco Fiorentino made it an immortal classic.

The title translates to 'The Dizzy Ones' or 'The Drunk Ones,' referring to the state of intoxication and emotional despair. The lyrics describe a protagonist who is physically and mentally reeling from a devastating heartbreak. It is a quintessential tango theme of drowning one's sorrows in alcohol.

The song is notable for its evocative portrayal of intoxication and despair within the context of lost love, specifically the lingering pain of an abandoned lover. Cadícamo's lyrics feature the iconic farewell line, 'Por la ruta del adiós...' (Down the route of goodbye). It captures the essence of romantic fatalism that defines golden-age tango.

While the song was composed in the 1920s, it was Aníbal Troilo's 1942 recording with singer Francisco Fiorentino that transformed it into a definitive tango anthem. Troilo's bandoneón playing and orchestration gave the track a dramatic weight that the original 1920s recordings lacked. This version remains the standard by which all other covers are judged.