He was the younger brother of Charlie Palmieri. When he was only 5 years old, he used to musically accompany Charlie and together they would enter and participate in many talent contests. Eddie performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 11 years old and formed his own band in 1950, when he was just 14. During the 1950s, Palmieri played in various bands, including Tito Rodriguez's.
In 1962, Palmieri formed the band La Perfecta, which included trombone player Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana. The music to the Charanga required an orchestra with a flute and violins, but Eddie also added a mixture of trumpets and trombones. He also experimented by including a touch of jazz in his recordings. He recorded, among others, Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso (What I Bring is Juicy) and Mozambique, before the group disbanded in 1968.
Palmieri's "La Perfecta" departed from the traditional Caribbean sources of salsa instrumentation by introducing a new stylistic device into the New York Latin sound. Their signature sound relied heavily on two trombones and a flute instead of trumpets. The combination helped to give La Perfecta a rich and bold sound which contributed to Palmieri's success with his new band.
In 1971, Palmieri recorded Vamonos Pa'l Monte (Going to the Mountain) with his brother Charlie at the organ. That same year he also recorded Eddie Palmieri & Friends in Concert, At the University of Puerto Rico. In 1974, Eddie won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording with The Sun of Latin Music, which is historic, as it was the first time Latin Music was recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.
In the 1990s, Palmieri had participated in various concerts and recordings with the Fania All-Stars and the Tico All-Stars; he also introduced La India with the production of Llego La India via Eddie Palmieri (La India has arrived via Eddie Palmieri), released in 1992.
Eddie actively tours the United States, Europe, South America as well as many other countries, and made his first appearance in China in 2008. He has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, one being an honorary doctorate degree from the Berklee College of Music, as well as inducted into both the Bronx Walk of Fame and the Chicago Walk of Fame.
Eddie has a career spanning over 50 years as well as a discography of 36 titles. He is one of the most influential and legendary Latin musicians.
Puerto Rico
Eddie Palmieri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Con sus aguas bendita
Yo le canto a la isla de mi encanto
Isla linda y preciosa
Sobre todas las cosas
Yo mantengo en mi mente tu memoria
Puerto Rico
Isal de gran ricesa
De palmeras y playas sin iguales
Isla tierna y pura
Y de gran hermosura
Perder fallas y cenos
Puerto Rico
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Marravillosa
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Marravillosa
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Marravillosa
Te canto a ti Puerto Rico
Islinda donde naci
Porque eres mi encanto
Como te quiero a ti
Puerto Rico
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Marravillosa
Aunce Aunce Aunce
Aunce te extrana muy lejos
Yo no me olvido de ti
Porque eres mi encanto
Coo te quiero yo a ti
Y boriquen
Isa linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Marravillosa
A ti
A ti te canto boriquen
Porque tu eres para mi
Sobre toditas la cosa
Te canto yo desde aqui
Puerto Rico
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Maravillosa
Isala lnda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Maravillosa
Isla linda y preciosa
Fabulosa
Maravillosa
The song "Puerto Rico" by Eddie Palmieri celebrates the beauty and richness of the island of Puerto Rico. The first stanza describes the island as "beautiful and lovely" and "blessed with its waters". The singer then declares his love and admiration for the island by maintaining its memory in his mind. The second stanza reinforces the island's greatness with its richness, affection, beauty, palm trees, and unparalleled beaches. The singer then emphasizes the island's purity and beauty, free from flaws and troubles. The chorus repeats the phrases "beautiful and lovely," "fabulous, wonderful," and "marvelous" to reinforce the island's greatness. The singer continues to express his love and longing for the island, stating that he will never forget it and that it will always be his "charm," his "beloved."
Line by Line Meaning
Isla linda y bonita
Beautiful and pretty island
Con sus aguas bendita
Blessed with its waters
Yo le canto a la isla de mi encanto
I sing to the island of my charm
Isla linda y preciosa
Beautiful and precious island
Sobre todas las cosas
Above all else
Yo mantengo en mi mente tu memoria
I keep your memory in my mind
Puerto Rico
Rich island
Isal de gran ricesa
Island of great richness
De carino y belleza
Of love and beauty
De palmeras y playas sin iguales
Of palm trees and incomparable beaches
Isla tierna y pura
Tender and pure island
Y de gran hermosura
And of great beauty
Perder fallas y cenos
Loses flaws and quirks
Isla linda y preciosa
Beautiful and precious island
Fabulosa
Fabulous
Maravillosa
Marvelous
Te canto a ti Puerto Rico
I sing to you, Puerto Rico
Islinda donde naci
Beautiful island where I was born
Porque eres mi encanto
Because you are my charm
Como te quiero a ti
How much I love you
Aunce te extrana muy lejos
I miss you from far away
Yo no me olvido de ti
I don't forget about you
Coo te quiero yo a ti
How much I love you
Y boriquen
And Boricua
A ti te canto boriquen
I sing to you, Boricua
Porque tu eres para mi
Because you are mine
Sobre toditas la cosa
Above all things
Te canto yo desde aqui
I sing to you from here
Writer(s): Edward Palmieri, Ismael Quintana
Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@luzguzman1430
I was born in Puerto Rico, and raised in Brooklyn, NY. As a young teenager, I learned how to dance salsa. When my son was 11, he asked me to teach him how to dance salsa. I did, and now he's a salsa instructor. That makes me the most fortunate mom ever. Wheeew Whoooo! I just love Eddie Palmieri's music. 🇵🇷
@user-oy8om4rz6f
Saludos
@alexnatal3363
This is the National Anthem for me for Puerto Rico.❤🇵🇷I’ll die for my Isla.👍🏽
@alkh3myst
THIS is the record that made me acknowledge the greatness of salsa music. I'm from the NYC suburbs and had relatives in Harlem and The Bronx, so I had been hearing and liking salsa for many years. But when WBLS started playing this record back in the day, I was blown away, and I remain a big fan of salsa to this day.
@josephpowell9496
Wow! Great Info! You probably heard during the late Frankie Crocker's shift. FC had a huge open ear for music and would play anything. I first heard this masterpiece back in the 80's on Chico Mendoza's Sunday Radio Show on WBGO. Eddie's runaway piano solo at 3:34 remains in my mind one of the greatest piano solos in all of music: there's no way a person can't dance or just groove to it! Thanks for sharing your story!
@alkh3myst
@@josephpowell9496 I miss Frankie Crocker all the time. "If Frankie Crocker isn't on your radio, your radio isn't really on!" He always ended his WBLS show by playing King Pleasure's version of "Moody's Mood for Love".
@louisatate7683
The love of my life Puerto Rico ! This island has it ALL ! I am from Venezuela and this Island satisfy the most exquisite taste Latin taste ! It has it ALL.
@ivancolon3519
Thank you for your beautiful words. Have you ever been to the Island?
@maryannvazquez1517
Eddie your song never gets old it’s so beautifully made I had my daughter hear it . Thank you so much for you creating this beautiful song I am so greatful. God Bless
@yashiny
El Maestro Vitín Paz, quien sonaba la trompeta en esta canción, recién entregó su alma al creador. Buen homenaje es escucharlo en todo su esplendor