Leonardo " Flaco" Jiménez began performing, at the age of seven, with his father, Santiago Jimenez, who was a pioneer of conjunto music and began recording at age fifteen as a member of Los Caporales. He played in the San Antonio area for several years, and then began working with Douglas Sahm in the 1960s. Sahm, better known as the founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet, played with Jiménez for some time. Flaco then went on to New York City and worked with Dr. John, David Lindley, Peter Rowan, Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan. He appeared on Cooder's world music album Chicken Skin Music and on the Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge. This led to greater awareness of his music outside America and, after touring Europe with Ry Cooder, he returned to tour in America with his own band, and on a joint bill with Peter Rowan. Jiménez, Peter Rowan and Wally Drogos were the original members of a band called The Free Mexican Airforce.
Jiménez won a Grammy Award in 1986 for Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio, one of his father's songs. He was also a member of the Tejano fusion group Texas Tornados, with Augie Meyers, Doug Sahm and Freddy Fender. The Texas Tornados won a Grammy Award in 1990, and Jiménez earned one on his own in 1996, when his self-titled album Flaco Jiménez won the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance. In 1999, Flaco earned another Grammy Award for Best Tejano Performance for Said and Done (released by Barbed Wire Records), and one for Best Mexican-American Performance as a part of supergroup Los Super Seven. Jiménez has also won a Best Video award at the Tejano Music Awards and earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from Billboard Latin Magazine for "Streets of Bakersfield" with Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens.
Jiménez appeared in the movie Picking Up the Pieces, with Woody Allen and Sharon Stone, and also featured on the soundtrack. His music has featured in the soundtrack for other movies such as Y Tu Mamá También, The Border, Tin Cup, and Striptease. The Hohner company collaborated with Jiménez to create the Flaco Jimenez Signature Series of accordions.
His brother, Santiago Jiménez, Jr., is also an accomplished accordionist who has recorded extensively.
Jiménez's latest CD, Ya Volvi De La Guerra, was issued in 2009 by Fiesta Records.
Don't Worry Baby featuring Los Lobos
Flaco Jimenez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starin' out at the night
You've got so many troubles
On your nervous mind
But don't worry baby
It's gonna work out fine
You hear the sound of footsteps
You picked up the receiver
You didn't know what for
Then you saw the shadow
Steppin' through the door
Well don't worry baby
What the world may bring
Well don't worry baby
It won't change a thing
Life is a fly
And then you die
Standin' near by the window
Starin' out at the night
You see your lover leanin'
Against the old street light
But don't worry baby
It's gonna be alright
He was tossin' and turnin'
And he couldn't sleep
It ain't sure to bother
And it was just a dream
So where was he goin'
Headin' down the street
Well don't worry baby
What the world may bring
Well don't worry baby
It won't change a thing
Life is a fly
And then you die
The song "Don't Worry Baby" immediately evokes feelings of reassurance, comfort and care. The lyrics are directed at someone who is plagued with worries and anxieties, probably unable to sleep and just staring out of their window into the dark of the night. This person is described as having many troubles on their mind, potentially big and life-altering issues or perhaps small and insignificant worries that just keep piling up. They can hear footsteps sneaking across their floor, and they are so fearful that they pick up the receiver of their phone, but they don't know why. Then, they see a shadowy figure walking in through the door, heightening their sense of fear and uncertainty. The singer of the song chooses to offer words of comfort and hope, telling the person not to worry because everything is going to work out just fine. They also hint that worrying about things beyond human control is fruitless because life is unpredictable, and at the end of it all, humans"fly and then die."
As the song progresses, the source of the person's worry is revealed, as they see their lover leaning against an old street light. This is possibly the reason that they are not sleeping because they are worried about this person's safety or the state of their relationship. Once again, the singer reassures them that everything is going to be okay. They suggest that the person's lover is okay and that it was just a dream that caused them to lose sleep. They conclude that worrying about the world and its uncertainties will not change anything. Life is unpredictable and fleeting, and it is essential to enjoy all fleeting moments of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Standin' there by the window
You are standing by the window and looking outside.
Starin' out at the night
You are staring at the dark night outside.
You've got so many troubles
Your mind is troubled with various problems.
On your nervous mind
Your mind is anxious and tense.
But don't worry baby
Do not worry, my dear.
It's gonna work out fine
Things will turn out well eventually.
You hear the sound of footsteps
You hear the sound of someone walking towards you.
Stealing 'cross the floor
The footsteps are gradually approaching you.
You picked up the receiver
You answered the ringing phone.
You didn't know what for
You are uncertain about why the phone rang.
Then you saw the shadow
You noticed someone's shadow approaching you.
Steppin' through the door
Someone entered the room through the door.
Well don't worry baby
Do not be anxious, my dear.
What the world may bring
Regardless of what the world may bring.
It won't change a thing
Your worries will not alter the situation.
Life is a fly
Life is short.
And then you die
And eventually, you will pass away.
You see your lover leanin'
You catch a glimpse of your lover leaning.
Against the old street light
Your lover is leaning against a lamppost.
It's gonna be alright
Everything will be fine eventually.
He was tossin' and turnin'
He was restless and could not sleep.
And he couldn't sleep
He was unable to sleep.
It ain't sure to bother
It should not trouble you.
And it was just a dream
His restlessness was caused by a dream.
So where was he goin'
Where was he headed?
Headin' down the street
He was walking down the street.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CESAR ROSAS, LOUIS FRAUSTO PEREZ, T-BONE BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind