Álvaro José Arroyo González (also known as "Joe Arroyo" or "El Joe") was a … Read Full Bio ↴Álvaro José Arroyo González (also known as "Joe Arroyo" or "El Joe") was a Colombian salsa and tropical music singer and songwriter.

Joe Arroyo was born in Cartagena. At the age of ten he was already singing in one of Cartagenas' popular music halls. His father had 40 sons with different women, a story that he usually tells.

In the year 1971 Arroyo had his biggest opportunity of becoming a nationally known artist. He was discovered by Ernesto Estrada, the bass player and singer of the band "Fruko y sus Tesos" (Fruko and his buddies) and signed up with Colombian record label Discos Fuentes. With the band he performed for ten years until in 1981 when he began his solo career leading his own band, named "La Verdad" (The truth).

Joe Arroyo became very successful by mixing salsa, merengue, soca, zouk and other Afro-American music beats in a unique style that has earned him the prefix of Sonero de la Salsa by renown critics and fans.

Born in Cartagena de Indias, 1 November 1955 – Died in Barranquilla, 26 July 2011

Echao Pa Lante
Joe Arroyo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Echa'o pa' lante
En una sola baldosa bailé
Así recuerdo que te conocí mujer
Echa'o pa' lante
En una tarde lluviosa apreté
Aunque malo fué, sentí una pena por el ayer
Ohh el ayer, cuanto sufrí y gozé
Y como todos tuve amigos que se alegraron al verme caer

Me paré, me paré
(Echa'o pa' lante y preparao')
Ahora me toca a mi darme el caché
Ellos se creen que yo no me la sé
Fijate, fijate
(Echa'o pa' lante y preparao')
Ahora si que les gané
Al chisme y hasta el no se qué
Me paré, me paré
(Echa'o pa' lante y preparao')
Oye que ella estaba muy bueno
(Echa'o pa' lante ahora tu va' ver)
(Echa'o pa' lante ahora tu va' ver)
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Ahora si que les gané
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Al chisme y hasta el no se qué
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Derroté, derroté
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Este es el pedacito que le gusta a Barranquilla la bella
(Echa'o pa' lante ahora tu va' ver)
A radio bemba pagué
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Poco me importa que no me enteré
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Fijate, fijate
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Ya olvidé, ya olvidé
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Fuera el ayer
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Tengo algo fuerte que se llama fe
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Ya olvidé, ya olvidé
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Voy pa' lante, fijate
(Ahora tu va' ver)
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Avancé y avancé
(Ahora tu va' ver)
Ahora si que les gané
(Ahora tu va' ver)

Al chisme y hasta el no se qué
(Ahora tu va' ver)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joe Arroyo’s “Echao Pa Lante” speak about moving forward despite obstacles and disregarding negativity. The phrase “Echao Pa Lante” roughly translates to “pushing forward” or “keep going,” and it serves as a recurring theme throughout the song. The singer reminisces about dancing with a woman he met on a rainy day, but he also acknowledges the difficult times he has faced in the past. He speaks of friends who rejoiced in his failures and how he had to pick himself up and keep moving forward.

The chorus is all about triumphing over adversity and making a name for oneself. The singer boasts about being “preparao” or ready to take on whatever comes his way. He states that his detractors do not know him as well as they think, and he ends up proving them wrong. He states that negative people, including those who spread gossip, cannot bring him down. The singer asserts that he has paid his dues and that he is now “avancé y avancé” or moving forward.

The song’s upbeat tempo and repetitive chorus make it a favorite of Latin music enthusiasts. It celebrates resilience and the importance of pushing forward despite the obstacles in one's path.

Line by Line Meaning

Echa'o pa' lante
Keep moving forward no matter what

En una sola baldosa bailé
I danced on one tile alone

Así recuerdo que te conocí mujer
I remember meeting you that way, my lady

En una tarde lluviosa apreté
I held on tight on a rainy afternoon

Aunque malo fué, sentí una pena por el ayer
Although it was bad, I felt sorry for the past

Ohh el ayer, cuanto sufrí y gozé
Oh, the past, how I suffered and enjoyed

Y como todos tuve amigos que se alegraron al verme caer
And, like everyone, I had friends who were happy to see me fall

Me paré, me paré
But I stood up, I stood up

(Echa'o pa' lante y preparao')
Keep moving forward and ready for anything

Ahora me toca a mi darme el caché
Now it's my turn to show off

Ellos se creen que yo no me la sé
They think I don't know what's going on

Fijate, fijate
Just watch, just watch

Ahora si que les gané
Now I've won against them

Al chisme y hasta el no se qué
Against gossip and even more than that

Oye que ella estaba muy bueno
Hey, she looked really good

(Echa'o pa' lante ahora tu va' ver)
Keep moving forward, now you'll see