Feliciano was raised and educated in the city of Ponce, which is located in the southern part of Puerto Rico. As a child, he was nicknamed "Cheo" by his family - a name which means Jose and is a term normally only used by close friends and family. However, the name stuck and became part of his everyday name (using the nickname avoids confusion with Jose Feliciano, another major Puerto Rican singer to whom he is not related). At a young age he was influenced by the bolero music of the "Trio Los Panchos". When he was only eight years old he formed his first group with his friends and named it "El Combo Las Latas". They were so poor that their musical instruments were made out of cans. Cheo attended the Free School of Music in Ponce after finishing his primary education where he studied and became a percussionist.
In 1952, Feliciano moved with his family to New York City and settled down in Spanish Harlem. Here he auditioned as a percussionist in the "Ciro Rimac's Review" band - giving him his first professional musical job. Bandleader Tito Rodriguez, heard Feliciano play and offered him a job in his orchestra; this he accepted but after playing for some time with Tito, he left the band to play the conga for Luis Cruz. Despite leaving he always remained on friendly terms with Tito. Feliciano also played perussionist for "Kako y su Trabuco" orchestra. He was also a roadie for Mon Rivera.
In 1955, Tito Rodriguez found out that Joe Cuba was in need of a singer for his sextet. Aware that Feliciano was also a talented singer, Tito recommended that he try out for the position. Feliciano auditioned and became a vocalist for the Joe Cuba Sextet. He was the rare baritone among salsa singers, and his deep voice and quick wit as an improviser made him a favorite among the Latino public.
On October 5, 1957, Feliciano made his professional singing debut with the song "Perfidia" (he was also married on that same day). He sang for the sextet for a total of 10 years. During those years, he enjoyed successes with the following "hits",:
* "A la Seis" (At Six),
* "Como Ríen" (How They Laughed),
* "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)" and
* "El Ratón" (The Rat), which he composed.
Feliciano was also an anti-war activist during the Viet Nam War era.
In 1967, Cheo joined the Eddie Palmieri Orchestra and sang for them for 2 years. However, an increasing addiction to heroin threatened his life and career. He decided to cure himself "cold turkey" and eventually join Puerto Rico's rehabilitation center, Hogares CREA. He credits Tite Curet Alonso, the author of most of his hits and his best friend, with pushing him through his rehabilitation. As a result, Feliciano is a candid (and vehement) anti-drug spokesperson, who has volunteered to assist in the rehabilitation of fellow salsa artists who fall prey to drug addiction.
In 1972, Feliciano came back to music and made album "Cheo", his first solo recording, which broke all sales records in the Latino music market. The album included:
* "Anacaona" and
* "Mi Triste Problema" (My Sad Problem).
During the 1970s, Feliciano recorded for the "Fania Record Co." and had "Hits" with "Amada Mia" (My Love) and "Juan Albañil". He also participated in the first salsa opera "Hommy".
In 1982, Feliciano formed his own recording company called "Coche Records" and in 1985 he became the first singer of tropical themes to perform at the Amira de la Rosa Theater in Barranquilla, Colombia. In 1987, Feliciano landed the role of Roberto Clementes father in the musical "Clemente".
In 1990, he recorded his first album of boleros title "Los "Feelings" de Cheo". Feliciano traveled and performed in many Latin American countries including Cuba and Venezuela. In Venezuela, he had a reencounter and performed with Eddie Palmieri. In 1995, Feliciano won a Platinum Record Award for "La Combinación Perfecta" (The Perfect Combination).
In 2000, Feliciano recorded "Mil Voces, Mil Recuerdos" (A Thousand Voices, A Thousand Memories) as a tribute to various Puerto Rican singers. The album was named among the 20 outstanding recordings of the year by the National Fundation of the Popular Culture of Puerto Rico. In 2002, Feliciano recorded "Cheo en la Intimidad".
During the years, Cheo Feliciano has received the following recognitions:
* 1975-The Golded Cup-Venezuela,
* 1976-"Most Popular Artist" by Latin New York magazine,
* 1977-Daily News Front Page Award "Best Latin Vocalist",
* 1985-Owl of Gols-Panama, The Silver Chin Award-Miami, A Golden Agueybana Award-Puerto Rico,
* 1983-Honorable Son of Ponce and 1984,
* 1999-A Tribute in his honor from the Puerto Rican Senate.
Cheo Feliciano currently resides in Puerto Rico and continues to record boleros. He is also the anti-drugs spokesperson for the Government of Puerto Rico.
El Ratón
Cheo Feliciano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que no puede vacilar
Si donde quiera que se mete
Su gata lo va a buscar
De noche brinca la verja
Que esta detrás de mi casa
A ver si puede fugarse
Y no tan pronto, no tan pronto esta de fiesta
Silvestre felino
Tiene que echar a correr
Esto si es serio mi amigo
Oye que lió que lió se va a formar
Cuando mi gatito sepa
Y es es tan simple la razón
Él que a su gata le cuenta que él que a su gata le cuenta
No es nada más que un ratón un ratón
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
Como se cuela una rata como se cuela un ratón
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
Cierra la puerta Claudina que se te cuela el ratón
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
Yo tenia una libre queso y me la comió el ratón
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
Arriero que camina eh
Cárgale semillas a la maraca pa que suenen
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Échale semilla a las maracas pa que suenen
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Échale semilla a esas maracas oye chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Y hace rato esta sonando sonando chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Y hace rato como esta hablando caballero
Y cha chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha ay
Rata
The first verse of Cheo Feliciano's "El Ratón" talks about a cat who can't have fun because wherever he goes, his female cat tracks him down. The cat tries to escape at night, jumping over the fence behind the singer's house, hoping to have some freedom away from his watchful cat. The chorus expresses how serious the situation is for the cat, who needs to run away, as he is just a mouse. The second part of the song introduces a new theme by using onomatopoeia to mimic the sound of the maracas. The lyrics suggest adding seeds to them to make them sound louder, and the rest of the song is an ode to the maracas, urging them to sound louder, to the rhythm of the Chacucha cuchu cucha cucha.
The song conveys the concept that things are not always as they seem and that life can be complicated, just like the cat who wanted to play around but couldn't because of his clingy girlfriend. Moreover, the song is a fun tune that celebrates the Latin American culture of maracas and other percussion instruments.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi gato se esta quejando
My cat is complaining
Que no puede vacilar
That he can't dance
Si donde quiera que se mete
If wherever he goes
Su gata lo va a buscar
His female cat will look for him
De noche brinca la verja
At night, he jumps over the fence
Que esta detrás de mi casa
That's behind my house
A ver si puede fugarse
To see if he can escape
Sin que ella lo pueda ver
Without her seeing him
Y no tan pronto, no tan pronto esta de fiesta
And not so soon, not so soon he's partying
Silvestre felino
Wild cat
Tiene que echar a correr
Has to start running
Esto si es serio mi amigo
This is serious, my friend
Oye que lió que lió se va a formar
Listen, what a mess is going to happen
Cuando mi gatito sepa
When my little cat knows
Y es es tan simple la razón
And the reason is so simple
Él que a su gata le cuenta que él que a su gata le cuenta
He who tells his female cat
No es nada más que un ratón un ratón
That he's nothing more than a rat, a rat
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
(Any mesh will release a rat, listen from any mesh)
Como se cuela una rata como se cuela un ratón
How a rat sneaks in, how a mouse sneaks in
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
(Any mesh will release a rat, listen from any mesh)
Cierra la puerta Claudina que se te cuela el ratón
Claudina, close the door or the rat will sneak in
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
(Any mesh will release a rat, listen from any mesh)
Yo tenia una libre queso y me la comió el ratón
I had a piece of cheese and the rat ate it
(De cualquier malla sale un ratón oye de cualquier malla)
(Any mesh will release a rat, listen from any mesh)
Arriero que camina eh
Mule driver who walks
Cárgale semillas a la maraca pa que suenen
Load maracas with seeds so they sound
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Échale semilla a las maracas pa que suenen
Add seeds to the maracas to make them sound
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Cachucha cuchu cucha cucha
Échale semilla a esas maracas oye chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Add seeds to those maracas, listen to chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Y hace rato esta sonando sonando chacucha cucha cucha cucha
And has been sounding, sounding chacucha cucha cucha cucha for a while
Y hace rato como esta hablando caballero
And it's been a while since it's been talking, sir
Y cha chacucha cucha cucha cucha
And cha chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha ay
Chacucha cucha cucha cucha ay
Rata
Rat
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jose Feliciano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheJedibankai
Mi gato se esta quejando
que no puede vacilar
si donde quiera que se mete
su gata lo va a buscar
De noche brinca la verja
que esta detrás de mi casa
a ver si puede fugarse
sin que ella lo pueda ver
Y no tan pronto no tan pronto esta de fiesta
Silvestre felino
tiene que echar a correr
esto si es serio mi amigo
Oye que lio que lio se va a formar
cuando mi gatito sepa
y es es tan simple la razon
El que a su gata le cuenta que el que a su gata le cuenta
no es nada mas que un raton un raton
Coro:
(De cualquier maya sale un raton oye de cualquier maya)
como se cuela una rata como se cuela un raton
cierra la puerta Claudina que se te cuela el raton
yo queria una libre queso y me la comio el raton
arriero que camina eh
echale semilla a la maraca pa que suenen
chacucha cuchu cucha cucha
echale semilla a las maracas pa que suenen
echale semilla a esas maracas oye chacucha cucha cucha cucha
y hace rato esta sonando sonando chacucha cucha cucha cucha
y hace rato como esta hablando caballero
y cha chacucha cucha cucha cucha
chacucha cucha cucha cucha
@TheJedibankai
Mi gato se esta quejando
que no puede vacilar
si donde quiera que se mete
su gata lo va a buscar
De noche brinca la verja
que esta detrás de mi casa
a ver si puede fugarse
sin que ella lo pueda ver
Y no tan pronto no tan pronto esta de fiesta
Silvestre felino
tiene que echar a correr
esto si es serio mi amigo
Oye que lio que lio se va a formar
cuando mi gatito sepa
y es es tan simple la razon
El que a su gata le cuenta que el que a su gata le cuenta
no es nada mas que un raton un raton
Coro:
(De cualquier maya sale un raton oye de cualquier maya)
como se cuela una rata como se cuela un raton
cierra la puerta Claudina que se te cuela el raton
yo queria una libre queso y me la comio el raton
arriero que camina eh
echale semilla a la maraca pa que suenen
chacucha cuchu cucha cucha
echale semilla a las maracas pa que suenen
echale semilla a esas maracas oye chacucha cucha cucha cucha
y hace rato esta sonando sonando chacucha cucha cucha cucha
y hace rato como esta hablando caballero
y cha chacucha cucha cucha cucha
chacucha cucha cucha cucha
@andreapinzon823
FLEX _ BANKAI
@marcoguevara496
El Maestro
@josemdos
FLEX BANKAI t
@MIGNONED
Decisiones
@luisangel4035
Piero viejo mi querido viejo
Bb MLM.
Mmm,
@janethsalgado3621
No se porque siempre que escucho el comienzo de esta canción me transporta a una calle solitaria con una luz tenue, caminando a hurtadillas mirando para todos lados y como si fuera una película, al final de la calle veo una puerta y al abrirla escucho "échale semilla a la maraca pa que suene" Definitivamente esta es la clase de música que te hace vibrar, bailar, cantar, gozar e imaginar.Un saludo salsero desde Bogotá Colombia.
@surfconcrete18
siempre pensé lo mismo, pero en un callejón sin salida rodeado de contenedores grandes de basura, luz tenue y parpadeando, y un gato asomado en una de esas ventanas de esas edificaciones viejas neoyorquinas
@chmendez
Comienzo es pura armonía Jazz. Temazo.
@andresvalencia4837
Lo mismo me pasa la salsa hace sentir cosas