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
Crazy Baby
Freddy Fender Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tears keep coming down
I can't find my baby
I wonder she left town
Rain rain rain rain
I'd like to see my girl again
She broke my heart in two
Rain rain rain rain
My pillow's soaking wet
I can't find her in the morning
She's not home yet
The rain keeps falling
Tears keep coming down
I couldn't find my darling
I wonder she left town
Rain rain rain rain
My pillow's soaking wet
Where is she in the morning
She's not home yet
Rain rain rain rain
Rain rain rain rain
Rain rain rain rain
The lyrics to "Crazy Baby" by Freddy Fender convey a sense of longing and heartbreak. The singer is searching for his lost love, wondering where she has gone and why she left. The rainfall serves as a metaphor for the tears that the singer continues to shed. He cannot forget his love, and the memory of her continues to haunt him.
The repetition of the phrase "rain rain rain rain" creates a sense of despair, as if the singer has been stuck in this emotional storm for a long time. The fact that his pillow is soaking wet suggests that he has been crying himself to sleep night after night. Despite the pain and heartache that his lost love has caused, the singer still yearns to see her again.
Overall, the lyrics to "Crazy Baby" paint a picture of a man who has been deeply hurt by love. He is searching for answers, hoping to find some kind of closure. The heavy rainfall and constant tears serve as a symbol of his emotional turmoil, while the repetition of certain phrases emphasizes the depth of his despair.
Line by Line Meaning
The rain keeps falling
The continuous falling of rain has been consistent just like his heartbreak and despair
Tears keep coming down
He has been crying continuously from the pain caused by his lover not being around
I can't find my baby
He has lost sight of his lover and she is nowhere to be found
I wonder she left town
He is questioning whether his lover has left him and the town they had reside together
Rain rain rain rain
The repetition of the word rain emphasizes the continuous and never-ending sorrow he is feeling
I'd like to see my girl again
He misses his lover and desires to be with her again
She broke my heart in two
His lover left him and caused him unbearable heartbreak
And caused me so much pain
He is experiencing great agony and pain from the departure of his lover
My pillow's soaking wet
He has been crying himself to sleep every night, with his tears wetting the pillows
She's not home yet
She is still not back as he has been waiting for his lover's return
I couldn't find my darling
He has been desperately searching for his lover, but she is nowhere to be found
Where is she in the morning
He is wondering where his lover is every morning as she hasn't come back yet
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BUCK ROGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alicia Cordova
Love this song! I can see my mom and dad dancing to this, all lowrider style. 😍💃🕺🎶
S.P. Blue
Hi jpm14308, I am a big fan of Freddy Fender's music. His Tex-Mex sound struck a chord with those of us who came of age during the late 1950s & early 60s. One of his little known regional hits from that era was Holy One (on Duncan label), followed by the original Wasted Days & Wasted Nights. His later re-recording of the same tune, along with Before The Next Teardrop Falls is what he may best remembered for today but ... Holy One was special. Thanks! SPBlue55
Martha
My Dad's name was Freddy and he listened to Freddy!!! May the Freddies live on!!!
S Pacheco
What a loss of this great talent. I really love his style, music, and him as an artist. You go Freddie!
Pepito Lopez
Gracias por su aceptación ami gran dimensión talentoso que tengo para la musica que mas que ser mía se las otorgo a todos ustedes que me acompañan gracias
PATT ESPINOZA
Chingona rola, viva Freddy, viva EL PASO. God bless his family.
Leonora Rodriguez
I love it !! I love to hear more of his music. I have never Heard of his older songs like to hear more of them
laslos3
I never heard Freddy's early stuff. thank you so much for posting it! RIP brother...
bobby long
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!
larafox66
i think I have listened to this song a million times - some years ago! thanks for posting! I still love it!