Ventura and his orchestra, the "Combo Show", added rock and roll elements to the genre in the early 1960s, influenced by the early stars of American rock (including Elvis Presley). His hits include "Patacón pisao", "Pitaste", "El elevador", "La agarradera", "Capullo y Sorrullo", and "El tabaco," and has recorded over 100 albums. He continued to record into the 1990s.
Ventura became involved in politics in 1962, joining the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD). He was Vice Mayor of Santo Domingo under Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez from 1982 to 1986, and was Mayor from 1998 to 2002.
Matilde Lina
Johnny Ventura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un mediodía que estuve pensando
En la mujer que me hacía soñar
Las aguas claras del Río Tocaimo
Me dieron fuerzas para cantar
Llegó de pronto a mi pensamiento
Esa bella melodía
Y como nada tenía
La aproveché en el momento
La aproveché en el momento
Este paseo es de Leandro Díaz
Este paseo es de Leandro Díaz
Pero parece de Emilianito
Tiene los versos muy chiquiticos
Y bajiticos de melodía
Tiene una nota muy recogida
Que no parece hecho mío
Y era que estaba en el río
Pensando en Matilde Lina
Pensando en Matilde Lina
Este sentimiento se hizo más grande
Este sentimiento se hizo más grande
Que palpitaba mi corazón
El bello canto de los turpiales
Me acompañaba esta canción
Canción del alma, canción querida
Que para mí fue sublime
Al recordarte Matilde
Sentí temor por mi vida
Sentí temor por mi vida
Si ven que un hombre llega a la Jagua
Si ven que un hombre llega a la Jagua
Coge camino y se va pa'el Plan
Está pendiente que en la Sabana
Vive una hembra muy popular
Es elegante todos la admiran
Y en su tierra fama
Cuando Matilde camina
Hasta sonríe la Sabana
Hasta sonríe la Sabana
In Johnny Ventura's song Matilde Lina, the lyrics depict the singer thinking about the woman who makes him dream. As he is sitting on the banks of the Rio Tocaimo, he is suddenly inspired by a beautiful melody that pops into his head. He notes that the melody seems to belong to Leandro Diaz but also feels like it could be from Emilianito. He describes the melody as having small, low notes that seem to be picked up from the surroundings of the river. The singer then admits to feeling fear for his life when he thinks about Matilde Lina, as she is a very popular and elegant woman.
The lyrics are essentially depicting the power of inspiration and how even the seemingly insubstantial things all around us, like a melody that pops into our heads or the natural surroundings of a river, can lead to something beautiful and meaningful. The singer is partially afraid of Matilde Lina, as she seems to hold so much power over him and others around her, but also seems to find her irresistible.
Line by Line Meaning
Un mediodía que estuve pensando
On a midday while I was thinking
En la mujer que me hacía soñar
About the woman who made me dream
Las aguas claras del Río Tocaimo
The clear waters of the Tocaimo River
Me dieron fuerzas para cantar
Gave me the strength to sing
Llegó de pronto a mi pensamiento
Suddenly came to my mind
Esa bella melodía
That beautiful melody
Y como nada tenía
And since I had nothing
La aproveché en el momento
I used it in the moment
Este paseo es de Leandro Díaz
This is a song by Leandro Diaz
Pero parece de Emilianito
But it seems like it belongs to Emilianito
Tiene los versos muy chiquiticos
It has very small verses
Y bajiticos de melodía
And a somewhat low melody
Tiene una nota muy recogida
It has a very subdued note
Que no parece hecho mío
That doesn't seem like something I made
Y era que estaba en el río
But that's because I was by the river
Pensando en Matilde Lina
Thinking about Matilde Lina
Este sentimiento se hizo más grande
This feeling grew bigger
Que palpitaba mi corazón
That made my heart beat faster
El bello canto de los turpiales
The beautiful singing of the orioles
Me acompañaba esta canción
Accompanied this song
Canción del alma, canción querida
Beloved song of the soul
Que para mí fue sublime
That was sublime to me
Al recordarte Matilde
When I remembered you, Matilde
Sentí temor por mi vida
I felt fear for my life
Si ven que un hombre llega a la Jagua
If you see a man arrive in Jagua
Coge camino y se va pa'el Plan
Take a path and go to the Plan
Está pendiente que en la Sabana
Be aware that in the Savanna
Vive una hembra muy popular
Lives a very popular woman
Es elegante todos la admiran
Everyone admires her elegance
Y en su tierra fama
And in her land, she's famous
Cuando Matilde camina
When Matilde walks
Hasta sonríe la Sabana
The Savanna even smiles
Writer(s): LEANDRO DIAZ
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.