Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, USA on 4 Ju… Read Full Bio ↴Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, USA on 4 June 1937 – 14 October 2006) was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He is best known for his 1975 hits "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and the subsequent remake of his own "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights".

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

Before the Next Tear Drop Falls
Freddy Fender Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If he brings you happiness
Then I wish you all the best
It's your happiness that matters most of all
But if he ever breaks your heart
If the teardrops ever start
I'll be there before the next teardrop falls

Si te quiere de verdad

Y te da felicidad
Te deseo lo más bueno pa' los dos
Pero si te hace llorar
A mé me puedes hablar
Y estaré contigo cuando triste estás

I'll be there anytime
You need me by your side
To drive away every teardrop that you cried

And if he ever leaves you blue
Just remember, I love you

And I'll be there before the next teardrop falls
And I'll be there before the next teardrop falls

Overall Meaning

In Freddy Fender's song Before the Next Tear Drop Falls, he sends a message of support and loyalty to a person he clearly has deep affection for, despite the fact that they are now in a different relationship. He begins by saying that if this new person brings her happiness, then he wishes her all the best, as her happiness is the most important thing. However, he adds that if this new person ever hurts her, causing her to cry, he will be there for her, wiping away her tears and providing comfort to her. He pledges to be there whenever she needs him, even as a friend, to remind her that he loves her and will always be there for her whenever she needs him.

This song speaks about the depth of love and loyalty that people can feel even when they are no longer in a romantic relationship. Freddy Fender does not resent or hate the new person; instead, he has moved on, but still cares for the one he used to love deeply, and wants nothing but the best for her. The song is a gentle reminder that we should always be kind and supportive of our loved ones, whether or not we are still in a relationship with them.

Line by Line Meaning

If he brings you happiness
If he makes you happy

Then I wish you all the best
I hope everything goes well for you

It's your happiness that matters most of all
Your happiness is the most important thing

But if he ever breaks your heart
If he ever hurts you emotionally

If the teardrops ever start
If you start crying

I'll be there before the next teardrop falls
I will be there to comfort you before you cry again

Si te quiere de verdad
If he really loves you

Y te da felicidad
And he makes you happy

Te deseo lo más bueno pa' los dos
I wish the best for both of you

Pero si te hace llorar
But if he makes you cry

A mé me puedes hablar
You can come to me