"A sad thought that one can dance," called an Argentine poet the tango. The dance, which arrived in Europe around the time of World War I, was condemned by the Pope, and Prussian officers were forbidden to dance it. In this volume, Dieter Reichardt explores the historical and cultural development of the tango in its countries of origin, Argentina and Uruguay, recounting the stories of great singers and the Krefeld native Heinrich Band, whose bandoneon, named after him, became the most important instrument in tango music. A large part of the book consists of tango lyrics in the original Spanish alongside their translations, which speak of dreams and hopes, love and eroticism, reflecting the realities of tango enthusiasts.