10 All Time Classic Songs from Argentina

If you love music then you’ll have a lot of fun learning Spanish. From Spain to Cuba and from Mexico to Chile you'll find that each Spanish-speaking country has a rich musical heritage.

Argentina has its very own brand of music, influenced by the country's history and spiced with its love for tango. Here are our top picks for classic Argentine songs:

1. El Día Que Me Quieras – Carlos Gardel

This is one of the most famous songs in the history of tango. The music and lyrics are fantastic but we wouldn’t recommend it for beginners, as it is pretty difficult to make out the words. The fact that the version sung by tango icon Gardel was recorded in the 1930s means that the sound quality isn’t all that great, but the restrained passion and longing in his voice still shine through.

2. Mariposa Teknicolor – Fito Paez

Onto a more modern song now, this is a brilliant song to study more advanced Spanish with as the lyrics are fairly complicated and he sings parts of it really quickly. You’ll feel fantastic when you can finally sing “ellas cocinaban el arroz / se levantaba sus principios /de sutil emperador”

3. Gracias a La Vida – Mercedes Sosa

This is one of the most inspiring Argentine songs and one of the easiest to learn too. Sosa was a legendary singer songwriter and this is one of her most famous efforts.

4. Color Esperanza – Diego Torres

Torres has sung some terrific soulful pop songs and this is arguably his best. It is a hopeful, positive song which turns up on the TV a lot.

5. De Música Ligera – Soda Stereo

You can’t beat a bit of fairly heavy rock when you're learning a language, can you? There are some great Argentine rock banks and Soda Stereo is arguably the best of them. The lyrics are short and relatively simple, although you might spend some time trying to work out what “Ella durmió al calor de las masas, y yo desperté queriendo soñarla" really means.

6. Rosa Rosa – Sandro

While Sandro passed away a couple of years ago, the sensation that he was in the '60s and '70s lives on.

7. Caminito – Various Artists

Another classic tango song here, Caminito has been sung by many artists throughout the decades. While tango might not be your cup of tea, if you're in Buenos Aires trying to learn Spanish you might as well give the dancing a go.

8. La Felicidad – Palito Ortega

We have the image of this singer being a bit like an Argentine Cliff Richard but don’t hold that against him. He is famous for singing lively pop songs and this is a classic from yesteryear. You won’t be able to resist singing along with this one while doing funky 60s dance moves.

9. La Flor Más Bella – Memphis La Blusera

The Argentines can do blues as well. This is a great song for singing along with and practising the unique Argentine “sh” sound on the “ll”, as you sing “Ella es la flor más bella / vagando por las estrellas / brilla más que el sol”.

10. La Cumparsita – Various Artists

It seems only right that we finish off with another classic tango song, and this one just snuck in ahead of Volver and Cambalache, even if it is technically from Uruguay. If you grew up in the UK a good few years back you might immediately picture robots making mashed potatoes when you hear this instantly recognisable tune. While most versions seem to be instrumental there are versions out there containing sad, lonely lyrics. How many people will have danced to this tune in Buenos Aires over the years?

Are you ready to enjoy Argentine classics? They’ll sound a whole lot better once you have a little knowledge about the language. Why not test your current level of Spanish with our free Spanish level test? Or contact us to find classes in your area!