Rivera, nicknamed "Maelo", born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, was the first of five children born to Luis and Margarita Rivera. His father, Luis, was a carpenter and his mother a housewife. As a child, Rivera was always singing and banging on cans with sticks. He received his primary education at the Pablo G. Goyco elementary school and then went on to learn carpentry at a vocational school. He shined shoes to help his family financially and when he was 16 years old, he worked as a carpenter. During his free time he would hang around the corner with his best friend Rafael Cortijo and sing songs.
In 1948, Rivera and Cortijo joined El Conjunto Monterrey, where Rivera played the conga and Cortijo the bongos. Rivera was unable to work full-time as a musician, due to the fact that he worked as a carpenter.
In 1952, Rivera joined the U.S. Army but, was quickly discharged as he didn't speak English. When he returned to Puerto Rico he went to work with the Panamerican Orchestra, thanks to the recommendation of his friend Cortijo. Rivera recorded and scored his first "hits" with the songs "El Charlatan", "La Vieja en Camisa" (The Old Lady in a Shirt) and "La Sazon de Abuela". However, an incident between Rivera and another band member over a girl, led to his departure from the band.
Cortijo's Combo continued to gain fame and so did Rivera's reputation as a lead singer. Benny More visited the island and was impressd with Rivera's voice, he baptized Rivera "El Sonero Mayor" (The Premiere Improviser). The band went to New York City and played in the famed Palladium Ballroom, where the orchestras of Tito Rodriguez, Tito Puente and Charlie Palmieri also played.
In 1959, Rivera, together with Cortijo and his Combo, participated in the European produced movie titled "Calipso", starring Harry Belafonte. He traveled with Cortijo's Combo, which also included Rafael Ithier and Roberto Roena, to Europe, Central and South America. Rivera was suspected of being involved with an illegal drug transaction during a trip to Panama. He was arrested upon his arrival to Puerto Rico, convicted and sentenced to jail. This event led to the break-up of Cortijo's Combo. Shortly after, Rafael Ithier, regrouped some of the former members and formed El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.
Upon his release from jail, Rivera formed his own band called Ismael Rivera and his Cachimbos. The successful band lasted for eight years. Rivera reunited with Cortijo and recorded "Juntos Otra Vez" (Together Again). Later, Rivera went solo and did well with the recordings of "El Sonero Mayor" and "Volare (salsa style)". He was to score his greatest "hit" with "Las Cara Lindas (De Mi Gente Negra)" (The Pretty Faces (Of My Black People) written by Tite Curet Alonso. One of his last public performances was in Paris, as an opener for Bob Marley in 1979.[3]
The death of his childhood friend, Rafael Cortijo in 1982, affected him emotionally to the point that he couldn't sing in the tribute to Cortijo celebrated at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. Rivera was actively involved in the creation of a historical museum which depicts the contributions made to the cultural life of Puerto Rico by the black Puerto Ricans.
Rivera was a faithful pilgrim of the Black Christ procession in Portobelo, Panama, from 1975 to 1985,
and even wrote a song about the Black Christ, known affectionately as "El Nazareno".
Ismael Rivera died on May 13, 1987 in the arms of his mother Margarita, from a heart attack. Celia Cruz recorded a tribute to Ismael Rivera and so did Dario y su ComboRican. On September 27, 2001, the Puerto Rican Senate approved the law #134 declaring October 5 as "Ismael Rivera Day". In Villa Palmeras, Santurce, Puerto Rico, there is a plaza named "Plaza de los Salseros" which has a statue and plaque dedicated to Ismael.
El Nazareno
Ismael Rivera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
yo estaba en un vacilón
fui a ver lo que sucedía
Cuando ya me divertía
y empezaba a vacilar
no sé de dónde una voz vine a escuchar
Qué expresión tiene tu rostro
se refleja la alegría
es El Nazareno
que te da consejos buenos
a quién, no mires a quién
dale la mano al caído y si acaso
bien malo ha sido dale la mano también
Hazle bien a tus amigos
y ofréceles tu amistad
y verás que a ti lo malo
nunca se te acercará
y en cambio todo lo bueno
contigo siempre estará
¡Óyelo!
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
me dijo, me dijo que había mucho bueno conmigo
y mucho malo también me dijo
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
Que siguiera cantando cositas lindas y bonitas para ustedes
que son mis queridos amigos
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
dale pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante,
Maelo no dejes que te tumben, te planten
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
El Nazareno me dijo,
El Nazareno me dijo
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
¡Óyelo bien!
Oye bien mi amigo, ¡Oye!
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
Con Sororo, con la ... y Cuñón,
voy pa' Portobelo a cargar el negrón
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
El Nazareno me dijo,
el negrito lindo de Portobelo me dijo
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
¡Mira Rigo!
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
¡Que viva el triste negro de Puertobelo!
¡Oye bien mi amigo, oye bien!
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
En la Iglesia de San Felipe de Portobelo
está el negrito que cargamos con celo
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
El Nazareno me dijo, el negrito lindo me dijo
El Nazareno me dijo,
que cuidará a mis amigos
pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante y no dejes
que te tumben, te planten
The song "El Nazareno" by Ismael Rivera talks about a man who was enjoying himself in a party, but then he hears a voice telling him to look at the hypocrisy around him. The voice belongs to the "Nazareno," who advises the man to give a helping hand to those who have fallen, regardless of who they are. The Nazareno says that by doing good to his friends and offering them his friendship, bad things will stay away from him while good things will always be with him. The song also mentions the singer's trip to Portobelo, where he met the "negrito lindo" (the beautiful little black guy), who also tells him that the Nazareno will watch over his friends.
The main message of the song is to remind people to be kind to others and not be blinded by hypocrisy. The Nazareno serves as a symbol of guidance and good advice for the singer, which he passes on to his friends through his music. The song is not only about enjoying life but also about being responsible and caring for others.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo estaba en un vacilón
I was hanging out
yo estaba en un vacilón
I was hanging out
fui a ver lo que sucedía
I went to see what was going on
Cuando ya me divertía
When I was already having fun
y empezaba a vacilar
and starting to goof off
no sé de dónde una voz vine a escuchar
I don't know from where a voice came to my ears
Qué expresión tiene tu rostro
What expression does your face have
se refleja la alegría
It reflects happiness
y está rodeado de tanta hipocresía
and is surrounded by so much hypocrisy
es El Nazareno
It's the Nazarene
que te da consejos buenos
who gives you good advice
a quién, no mires a quién
To whoever, don't discriminate
dale la mano al caído y si acaso
give a helping hand to those who fall and even if
bien malo ha sido dale la mano también
they've been really bad, give a hand anyway
Hazle bien a tus amigos
Do good for your friends
y ofréceles tu amistad
And offer them your friendship
y verás que a ti lo malo
And you will see that bad things
nunca se te acercará
will never come near you
y en cambio todo lo bueno
And on the other hand, all the good
contigo siempre estará
will always be with you
¡Óyelo!
Listen to him!
El Nazareno me dijo,
The Nazarene told me,
que cuidará a mis amigos
that he will take care of my friends
me dijo, me dijo que había mucho bueno conmigo
he told me, he told me that there was a lot of good with me
y mucho malo también me dijo
And also a lot of bad, he told me
Que siguiera cantando cositas lindas y bonitas para ustedes
To keep singing cute and beautiful things for you all
que son mis queridos amigos
who are my beloved friends
dale pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante,
keep moving forward, forward, forward, like an elephant,
Maelo no dejes que te tumben, te planten
Maelo, don't let them knock you down or plant you
Oye bien mi amigo, ¡Oye!
Listen up my friend, listen!
Con Sororo, con la ... y Cuñón,
With Sororo, with ... and Cuñón,
voy pa' Portobelo a cargar el negrón
I'm going to Portobelo to carry the black one
¡Mira Rigo!
Look, Rigo!
¡Que viva el triste negro de Puertobelo!
Long live the sad black man of Portobelo!
En la Iglesia de San Felipe de Portobelo
In the Church of San Felipe in Portobelo
está el negrito que cargamos con celo
is the little black man we carried with great care
pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante y no dejes
keep moving forward, forward, forward, like an elephant and don't let
que te tumben, te planten
them knock you down or plant you
Contributed by Juliana I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Hewhogreetswithfjre
tú que estás leyendo esto, vas hacer exitoso yo creo en ti
@Davidsgr_
Amén 🙏
@rubenfontalvotorres2593
Gracias, Lo mismo te deseo en abundancia que se te retorne
@arleycabrera6932
Nl entiendo porque cuando se habla de los soneros de calidad no se habla de Ismael Rivera . Para mi personalmente es el mas grande
@luisfernandovelasqueztoro6924
Siempre se le ha reconocido como el sonero mayor
@user-if6xy8jd9j
Tengo 60 años toda una vida escuchando salsa de la vuena Barranquillero de pura sepa
@josediaz-my9kw
tengo 41 años y me criaron con esa musica y te puedo decir que era la mejor epoca del mundo en venezuela
@andrewslusi
Igual yo, Tantos recuerdos de la niñez, mis tíos escuchando esa música. Que época tan linda !!!
@jonanderpontetv8513
En el CALLAO Peru escuchándola desde el vientre de nuestras madres 🇵🇪🤝✌
@marlenezamora5218
Tengo 20 años. Conocí esta canción gracias a las sugerencias de Youtube. Mis papás no son salseros , pero a mi me encanta la salsa. Y hasta yo puedo reconocer un temazo cuando lo escucho. Saludos a todos desde Nueva York! 🩷🩷🩷