In 1959, Fender recorded the blues ballad "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." The song became popular in 1959, but he was beset by legal troubles after he and a band member were arrested for possession of marijuana. After a two years in Louisiana's Angola prison farm, he was released through the intercession of Gov. Jimmie Davis, also a songwriter and musician. Davis requested that Fender stay away from music while on probation as a condition of his release. By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in Texas working as a mechanic, and attending a local junior college, while only playing music on the weekends.
Number One Pop and Country
In 1974, Fender recorded "Before The Next Teardrop Falls." The single was selected for national distribution, and became a number one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. His next four singles, including a remake of "Wasted Days", all hit the number one spot on the Billboard Country charts. During the next few years, Fender had several major country hits, including the No. 1 hits "Secret Love" (1975) and "You'll Lose a Good Thing" (1976).
Texas Tornados
In the 1990s, Fender teamed up with fellow Tex-Mex musicians Doug Sahm, Flaco Jimenez and Augie Myers to form the Tex-Mex supergroup the Texas Tornados, whose work was widely acclaimed. Following the death of Sahm, the production of the Tornadoes slowed.
Los Super Seven
Freddy Fender continued to still be on top with a groundbreaking collaboration with several musical legends to produce another supergroup, Los Super Seven which consisted of David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, drums, bass, percussion, requinto, hidalguera); Rick Trevino, Joe Ely (vocals, guitar); Flaco Jimenez (vocals, accordion); Cesar Rosas (vocals, six-string bass, guitar, guitarron, jarana); Freddy Fender (vocals, acoustic bass); Ruben Ramos (vocals). This Super Seven effort won a Grammy in 1999.
On February 4, 1999, Freddy's star was installed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2004, the Texas Folklife Resources produced a widely acclaimed sell-out show at the Paramount in Austin, Texas " Fifty Years of Freddy Fender", where Freddy was honored and then performed to a packed house. Also in 2004, Freddy's hometown of San Benito Texas honored Freddy with his likeness emblazoned on their new watertower with "Hometown of Freddy Fender". Freddy would later say that this honor meant more to him than any other accolade he had ever won.
Freddy Fender's Masterpiece...
La Musica De Baldemar Huerta
Freddy delves deeply into the music of his forefathers: the boleros and rancheras that would have played in the ghettos of his native San Benito, Texas, and that he sang as a youth in border-town cantinas. Especially gorgeous are "Adios Muchachos," a melancholy meditation on final farewells, and the delicate opener, "Rayito de Luna." El Be Bop Kid isn't just back; he sounds reborn. Freddy won his last Grammy for this album.
Freddy Fender underwent a kidney transplant in 2002 donated by his daughter and a transplant of the liver in 2004. Nonetheless, his condition continued to worsen. He was suffering from an "incurable cancer" in which he had tumors on his lungs. On December 31, 2005, Fender performed his last concert and resumed chemotherapy.
Fender has Passed on...
Rest in Peace, Vaya Con Dios
Freddy Fender passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2006, after a long battle with lung cancer. He is buried in his Hometown of San Benito, Texas.
Plans are underway for a Freddy Fender Museum to be located in his beloved hometown, San Benito, Texas. Check back at: www.freddyfendermuseum.org or
www.freddyfender.com
Rancho Grande
FREDDY FENDER Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Allá donde vivía
Había una rancherita
Que alegre me decía
Que alegre me decía
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
Como los que usa el ranchero
Te los acabo de cuero
Allá en el rancho grande
Allá donde vivía
Había una rancherita
Que alegre me decía
Que alegre me decía
Cuando se muera mi suegra
Que la entierren boca abajo
Que si quiere salirse
Que se vaya mas abajo
Allá en el rancho grande
Allá donde vivía
Había una rancherita
Que alegre me decía
Que alegre me decía
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
Como los que usa el ranchero
Te los comienzo de lana
Te los acabo de cuero
The lyrics to "Rancho Grande" by Freddy Fender depict life on a ranch in Mexico, specifically highlighting the relationship between a rancherita (female rancher) and the singer. The rancherita promises to make the singer a pair of calzones (pants) like those worn by the rancher. She explains that she will start them with wool and finish them with leather, giving the listener a glimpse into the traditional clothing styles of the region. The second verse takes a more lighthearted turn, as the rancherita jokes that when her mother-in-law dies, she wants her buried upside down so that if she tries to escape, she'll go even deeper into the ground.
Line by Line Meaning
Allá en el rancho grande
In that huge ranch situated at a far distance
Allá donde vivía
Lived a girl there
Había una rancherita
A young and charming ranch girl lived there
Que alegre me decía
Who used to greet me cheerfully
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
I will make you the pants
Como los que usa el ranchero
Similar to the one used by the ranch owner
Te los comienzo de lana
I will start making them with wool
Te los acabo de cuero
And finish them with leather
Cuando se muera mi suegra
If my mother-in-law dies
Que la entierren boca abajo
Bury her upside down
Que si quiere salirse
So that if she wants to come out
Que se vaya mas abajo
She will go deeper instead
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Silvano Ramos, Maurice Vandair
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hippierocker9830
Allá en el rancho grande,
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
como los que usa el ranchero
te los comienzo de lana
te los acabo de cuero.
Allá en el rancho grande
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Cuando se muera mi suegra
Que la entieren boca abajo
Que si quiere salirse
Que se vaya mas abajo
Allá en el rancho grande,
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
como los que usa el ranchero
te los comienzo de lana
te los acabo de cuero.
@adamv4951
Spanish Lyrics:
Allá en el rancho grande, allá donde vivía
(ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, epa, arriba cuñado)
Había una rancherita
que alegre me decía, que alegre me decía:
"Te voy a hacer tus calzones (ay chaparras cómo abundan!) como los que usa el ranchero.
Te los comienzo de lana. Te los acabo de cuero."
Allá en el rancho grande, allá donde vivía
(allá donde vivía!) Había una rancherita
que alegre me decía, que alegre me decía.
Cuando se muera mi suegra (all right!)
Qué la entierren boca abajo (qué se muera la vieja!)
Y si se quiere salir, qué se vaya mas pa' bajo
English:
Out there in the big ranch where I used to live (ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, epa, bring it, brother-in-law)
There was a little ranch girl who happily said to me, who happily said to me, "I am going to make some underpants for you (oh tiny [girls] how abundant!) . Like the ones the rancher wears. I'll start making them with with wool and finish with leather."
Out there in the big ranch where I used to live (out there where he used to live!)
There was a little ranch girl who happily said to me, who happily said to me...
When my mother-in-law dies, I hope they bury her face down (let the old woman die!). And if she tries to get out, she'll just go down deeper.
@josephinefuentez5405
Alla en el rancho grande, alla donde vivia
Habia una rancherita, que allegre me decia
Que allegre me decia
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
Como los que usa el ranchero
Te los comienzo de lana
Te los acabo de quero
Su mama le dice a Julia
Su mama le dice a Julia
Que te ha dicho ese senor
Ay ay ay ay ay
Mama no me dijo nada
Mama no me dijo nada
Solo me hablo de amor
Ay ay ay ay
El gusto de los vaqueros
Es tener una muchacha
Para salir a la plaza
Why da le vuelo a la hilicha
Alla en el rancho grande, alla donde vivia,
Habia una rancherita, que allegre me decia
Que allegre me decia
Te voy a hacer tus calzones,
Como los que usa el ranchero,
Te los comienzo de lana,
Te los acabo de quero
Alla en el rancho grande, alla donde vivia
Habia una rancherita, que allegre me decia
Que allegre me decia
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
Como los que usa el ranchero
Te los comienzo de lana
Te los acabo de quero
Source: LyricFind
@racingfan126
I don't know much spanish, but I love hearing Freddy Fender sing and I love hearing him incorporate Spanish in his songs! Another great who is missed!
@hectorrey9822
Hermosos temas en la voz de Freddy Fender. desde Argentina Saludos.
@scarletsunshine5975
I love this!!! It makes me think of my parents. I can see them dancing now, just like they did when they were here.
@MoonlightDawnMoolightDawn
I grew up listening to Freddy Fender... still love to hear him sing!
@tomassanchez146
This song brings back the memories of my mom that we lost in April. The days she would talk of our heritage of large ranches in New Mexico with families that were here before the pilgrims ever came to America.
@toneyo4794
As kid from Belen, New Mexico this was one of the first songs I learned in school. I miss that Hispanic small town feeling.
@hippierocker9830
Allá en el rancho grande,
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
como los que usa el ranchero
te los comienzo de lana
te los acabo de cuero.
Allá en el rancho grande
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Cuando se muera mi suegra
Que la entieren boca abajo
Que si quiere salirse
Que se vaya mas abajo
Allá en el rancho grande,
allá donde vivía,
había una rancherita,
que alegre me decía;
que alegre me decía:
Te voy a hacer tus calzones
como los que usa el ranchero
te los comienzo de lana
te los acabo de cuero.
@wdb3110
The man had talent, and could really put on a good show.
@robertdiaz4038
I Love This Man. Rest In Music Heaven. 🙏🎤
@Czr559
1 of the greatest Mexican American singer till this day