Palmieri's parents emigrated to New York from Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1926 and settled down in Spanish Harlem, a Hispanic ghetto located in Manhattan. As a child, Palmieri, (who was born Carlos Manuel Palmieri), taught himself to play the piano by ear. He went to school in the city's public school system but, when he was 7 years old, his father enrolled him at The Juilliard School, where he took piano lessons. By the time Palmieri was 14 years old, he found himself with his 5 year old brother, Eddie participating in many talent contests and together they won many prizes. It was at this time that his godfather introduced him to the music of the Latin bands - an experience which inspired him to become a musician.
In 1943, when still only 16 years old and still in high school, he made his professional debut as a piano player for the Osario Selasie Band. He graduated from High School in 1946, and immediately went to play for various bands. He made his recording debut with the song "Se Va La Rumba" as a member of the Rafael Muñoz Band.
In October 1947, Tito Puente, the musical director of the Fernando Alvarez Band, was impressed with Palmieri and hired him to play for his band at the Copacabana Club; here he played with Tito until 1953 and during the 1950s he played with various bands. Besides having played with Tito Puente, he played with Pupi Campo's Band and worked on Jack Paar's CBS daytime television show. Palmieri also formed a couple of bands which performed at the Palladum Ballroom - these were however shortlived because of a lack of work. During this time, he also worked as an accompanist for other bands.
Palmieri worked for several years in Chicago, but returned to New York and formed a band called "Charanga La Duboney". While performing at the Monte Carlo Ballroom, Palmieri heard a young man by the name of Johnny Pacheco playing the flute - the playing so impressed him that he hired him on the spot. The mixture of Pacheco's flute with the strings of the violins in Palmieri's band led to the 1960s Charanga craze in the United States. Palmieri was signed by the United Artists Record company and had several Latino hits. Palmieri did however suffer various setbacks - first Pacheco left the band and then United Artists cancelled his contract because of a conflict of interest with their other recording star, Tito Rodriguez. This led to Palmeiri's signing with the Alegre Records label and with whom he had two best selling "hits" with "Como Bailan La Pachanga" and "La Pachanga Se Baila Asi".
When the Charanga craze declined in popularity, Palmieri switched to the new trend, the Boogaloo, by replacing the flute and violins with three trumpets and two trombones, he also dropped the word "Charanga" from his bands name and it became renowned simply as "La Duboney". In 1965, he scored a hit with "Tengo Maquina y Voy a 60" (Going like 60) and in 1967 with "Hay Que Estar En Algo/Either You Have It or You Don't". In 1968, Palmieri recorded "Latin Bugalu" under the Atlantic Records label, which was also released in the United Kingdom.
In the 1970s, Palmieri worked as the musical director for Tito Puente's television show "El Mundo de Tito Puente" (Tito Puente's World). He also taught and lectured about Latin music and culture at various educational institutions. After reorganizing his band, Palmieri played the organ and recorded "La Hija de Lola" (Lola's daughter) and "La Vecina" (The neighbor). In 1971, he provided his organ playing talents to some of his brother's recordings.
La Hija De Lola
Charlie Palmieri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a la hija de lola
que ya no sale y siempre esta triste y sola
ya las vecinas estan murmurando
tan alegre que era ella
y ahora siempre esta callada
tal parece que la nina
a dao una mala pisada
a la hija de lola
que ya no sale y siempre esta triste y sola
ella que era
la alegria del barrio
tan bonita muchachita
todos la querian tener
y ahora que esta como esta
nadie la quiere querer
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
y la mama anda preguntando
que cosa le ha pasado a mi lola a mi lola
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
lolita asi gritaba yo quiero ver al hombre
que ha desgraciado mi vida
las malas lenguas dice por ahi
que la culpa de todo
la tiene el coqui
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
y el gigante de las altas y las negras
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
juega chocolate
repite: que le ha pasado a la hija de lola (5 veces)
a la hija de lola
ay bendito que le ha pasado a
la hija de lola
y los vecino estan preguantando y what happened
a la hija de lola
a mi me dejan fuera de este lio
no se que le ha pasado
a la hija de lola
pero senores que cosa le ha pasado
a la hija de lola
ay no no no no que yo no se que le paso
a la hija de lola
The song La Hija De Lola by Charlie Palmieri tells the story of a young woman who has drastically changed from her once joyful demeanor. The song begins with the neighbors questioning what has happened to Lola's daughter as she no longer leaves the house and appears constantly sad and alone. The once bright and cheerful girl has become quiet and withdrawn, leading some to suspect that something terrible has happened to her.
The chorus repeats the question of what has happened to Lola's daughter, with the mother also asking the same question. Lola's daughter is described as the belle of the neighborhood who everyone wanted to be around. However, since the tragedy that has befallen her, she has become unloved and unwanted, with people talking about her behind her back. The singer intrudes with his own emotions, shouting out for the man who ruined his life to come forward, indicating that Lola's daughter may have been abused. The song ends with the repeated questioning of what has happened to this once happy girl, leaving the listener to ponder the possible tragedy that has taken place.
Line by Line Meaning
Que le ha pasado senores
What has happened, gentlemen?
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
que ya no sale y siempre esta triste y sola
that she no longer goes out and is always sad and alone
ya las vecinas estan murmurando
the neighbors are already whispering
tan alegre que era ella
how cheerful she used to be
y ahora siempre esta callada
and now she's always quiet
tal parece que la nina
it seems that the girl
a dao una mala pisada
has taken a wrong step
pero que que le ha pasado senores
but what has happened, gentlemen?
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
que ya no sale y siempre esta triste y sola
that she no longer goes out and is always sad and alone
ella que era
she who was
la alegria del barrio
the joy of the neighborhood
tan bonita muchachita
such a beautiful girl
todos la querian tener
everyone wanted to have her
y ahora que esta como esta
and now that she is like this
nadie la quiere querer
no one wants to love her
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
what has happened to Lola's daughter
y la mama anda preguntando
and the mother is asking
que cosa le ha pasado a mi lola a mi lola
what has happened to my Lola, my Lola
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
what has happened to Lola's daughter
lolita asi gritaba yo quiero ver al hombre
Lolita shouted like this, 'I want to see the man'
que ha desgraciado mi vida
who has ruined my life
las malas lenguas dice por ahi
rumor has it
que la culpa de todo
that the fault lies with
la tiene el coqui
the Coqui has it
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
what has happened to Lola's daughter
y el gigante de las altas y las negras
and the giant of the tall and the black
que le ha pasado a la hija de lola
what has happened to Lola's daughter
juega chocolate
play chocolate
repite
repeat
: que le ha pasado a la hija de lola (5 veces)
what has happened to Lola's daughter (5 times)
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
ay bendito que le ha pasado a
oh bless, what has happened to
la hija de lola
Lola's daughter
y los vecino estan preguntando y what happened
and the neighbors are asking, 'What happened?'
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
a mi me dejan fuera de este lio
they leave me out of this mess
no se que le ha pasado
I don't know what happened
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
pero senores que cosa le ha pasado
but gentlemen, what has happened
a la hija de lola
to Lola's daughter
ay no no no no que yo no se que le paso
oh no no no no, I don't know what happened
Contributed by Harper S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@LuisSanchez-bz9uq
Ese Vitin si que le pegaba duro. Temes y por que ahora? era lo que escuchabamos en los campos de la zona cafetera de Colombia donde no llegaba nada del exterior. Mientras tanto nos perdiamos de estos temazos. Pero al que le van a dar le guardan y seria en Cali donde conoceria esta faceta del Unico y distinto Vitin Aviles. Como se le parece su voz a la del Cheo Feliciano. Que combinacion con Charlie Palmieri. TKS Lucky Louie for posting it.
@diegocalderon6745
El mejor pianista de la historia de la salsa xomo suena ese órgano 👌👌👌👌👌🤍
@elneneray6679
El Gigante de las Blancas y las Negras. El gran Charlie Palmieri.
@EduardoLopez-ph4ei
Esta musica jamas pasara de moda! Hoy 19 Oct 2020 no se vislumbra una generacion de relevo con esta maravillosa estilo y calidad musical. Aplausos para estos musicos y cantantes!
@marianalafacherita9463
ja ja la estoy escuchando 16 de octubre 2021
@elcemi1
¡Charlie Palmieri y Vitín Avilés....! ¡Que combinación...! De las mejores combinaciones salseras que han existido...! ¡Que Dios los tenga en el cielo,dónde tienen a todos gozando...! Weeeeppaaaaa....!!! Caguas (La4ta) en NY
@jonathanlerma7448
Para mi no habrán músicos de este nivel en la salsa jamás y de pronto otros géneros
@jonathanlerma7448
Tampoco
@marianitosl54
Soberbio, extraordinario.
@andresperez2023
Mi primer lp
22 años palmieri