Abstract
A study of cultural aspects of drinking analyzes the lyrics and titles of 82 Argentinian sung tangos, written between 1914 and 1977, in terms of references to drinking and drunkenness. Champagne, as the drink of the brothel or the cabaret, is the most commonly mentioned beverage, and is associated with status and parties. But the primary motivations given for drinking, usually by a male narrator, are negative: to forget—particularly to forget a lost love—and to drown sorrows. Paradoxically, the alcohol is often seen as facilitating remembering and as making one sad. The song's narrator often presents himself as a drunkard, seen through others' eyes; but he gets drunk “not just for the pleasure,” but to express his feelings of nostalgia, sadness and loss in love.
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