Whenever I heard it, in real life or on The Sopranos, it always sounded like the “d” is rolled like an “r”. I guess it must have been an aural illusion - on my part.
Por Una Cabeza is about a horse-track gambler who compares his love for horse racing to his love for women. “By a head” refers to a horse losing a race in that manner. I suppose it’s more romantic than “by a nose.”
Losing by a head of a noble horse
who slackens just down the stretch
and when it comes back it seems to say:
don’t forget brother,
You know, you shouldn’t bet.