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.
El Pantalon Blue Jean
Flaco Jimenez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Es la nueva moda y tienen razon
No se ponen medias usan calsetin
Andan muy de moda en Pantalon Blue Jean
Salen del escuela y suben al camion
Todas muy bonitas con su pantalon
Luego por las noches se van a un drive-in
Ayer por la manana una boda vi
Vestidos en la moda que se usa aqui
Padrinos y madrinas era gran festin
Hasta el padrecito andava en Blue jeans
Es la nueva hola para que negar
En el Estados Unidos o' cual quer lugar
Toditos con la moda que no tiene fin
Andamos luciendo en Pantalon Blue Jean
The lyrics of Flaco Jimenez's El Pantalon Blue Jean highlight and celebrate the new trend of wearing blue jeans as pants by all the girls. It starts by acknowledging that it is a popular trend, and it is reasonable as all girls look good in them. The lyrics then continue by indicating that the girls do not wear stockings but prefer to wear socks that are in fashion with the blue jeans. This trend is prominent as the girls leave school and get on the bus wearing blue jeans.
The song's lyrics continue by highlighting that in the evenings, the girls go to drive-ins, and they wear blue jeans that are so tight. Flaco then describes a wedding he saw in the morning where everyone was dressed in the new blue jeans trend, including the priest who officiated the ceremony. The chorus emphasizes that it is a new era and a rising trend that is sweeping across the US and any other place. The song concludes by reiterating that every person looks fabulous in blue jeans.
Overall, El Pantalon Blue Jean is a celebratory and joyful song that embraces the rise of blue jeans as a popular trend. It highlights how jeans are now an acceptable attire not only for casual events but also for more formal occasions. The song's lyrics also celebrate diversity as the trend spreads across various regions.
Line by Line Meaning
Todas las muchachas usan Pantalon
All the girls are wearing pants
Es la nueva moda y tienen razon
It's the new fashion and they are right
No se ponen medias usan calsetin
They don't wear stockings, they wear socks
Andan muy de moda en Pantalon Blue Jean
They are very fashionable in blue jeans
Salen del escuela y suben al camion
They leave school and get on the bus
Todas muy bonitas con su pantalon
All very pretty in their pants
Luego por las noches se van a un drive-in
Later at night they go to a drive-in
Muy entalladito en Pantalon Blue Jean
Very tight in blue jeans
Ayer por la manana una boda vi
Yesterday morning I saw a wedding
Vestidos en la moda que se usa aqui
Dressed in the fashion that is used here
Padrinos y madrinas era gran festin
Godparents were a great feast
Hasta el padrecito andava en Blue jeans
Even the priest was wearing blue jeans
Es la nueva hola para que negar
It's the new wave, why deny it
En el Estados Unidos o' cual quer lugar
In the United States or any other place
Toditos con la moda que no tiene fin
Everyone with the fashion that has no end
Andamos luciendo en Pantalon Blue Jean
We are showing off in blue jeans
Contributed by Callie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@k3luci
You can tell in the video that it was a good day.. I want to go back to the good days when my grandpa was alive
@mikephillips8538
Let's take a ride together
@bigdre1981
MAN!!!! u just have to love that vintage sound!! that full body bajo that fender jazz bass that hohner and those drums... THE BEST SOUND!!!
@gilarriaga2630
Vivo en california Chulada de video apenas conosi. El valle de texas esta chulada san benito pharr rio grande i todos los pueblos del valle saludos a todos puro texas i jalisco
@JMDinOKC
Flaco took an instrument that was despised and disregarded by the highfalutin and made it do great things, proving that if you have the talent and the will to make the music you love the people will respond.
@dillardo
That's my dad playing the bajo.
@pedroaguilarjr.9838
Christopher Dillard the bajo sexto?
@TheDoReMiFaSolLaTiDo
@Pedro Aguilar No, the bass
@sashadelarosa5198
My dad Ruben Valle is on the bass
@AVictoriaCastillo
Wow! I had not seen this video of Flaco before. someone just sent it to me.,was way before I managed him.I was living in Amarillo promoting all Country Music back then. What a difference in years make in a person. Great music and great Artist,my good friend, Flaco.