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.
Merenguero Hasta la Tambora
Johnny Ventura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
no es cosa de ahora
yo soy merenguero
hasta la tambora
lo mio no es nuevo
no es cosa de ahora
yo soy merenguero
y me gusta el bolero
la salsa de ahora
y soy merenguero
hasta la tambora
y me gusta el bolero
la salsa de ahora
y soy merenguero
hasta la tambora
coro: merenguero hasta la tambora
a bailar con guira y tambora
coro: merenguero hasta la tambora
si te vas no te vayas sola
coro: merenguero hasta la tambora
a bailar hasta que llegue la aurora
hasta la tambora
The lyrics of Johnny Ventura's "Merenguero Hasta la Tambora" celebrate the artist's love for merengue music. He declares that he is not new to this genre of music and has been a merengue enthusiast for a long time. The title of the song itself, which translates to "Merengue Player Until the Drums," indicates that Ventura is a die-hard fan of merengue, and he will play the drums without fail to dance to this music.
Ventura acknowledges that he also enjoys other genres of music like bolero and salsa, but his love and passion for merengue surpasses them all. The repetition of the phrase "hasta la tambora" in the chorus emphasizes his unwavering love for merengue, and that he will keep dancing all night long, not stopping until the sun comes up.
Overall, the song is an ode to merengue, and Ventura is passionate about sharing his love for this genre of music with others. He speaks of the infectious beat that only merengue can provide, a beat that plasters itself onto the body of anyone that hears it.
Line by Line Meaning
lo mio no es nuevo
What I do is not new or recent
no es cosa de ahora
It's not something that started recently
yo soy merenguero
I am a merengue musician
hasta la tambora
And I live and breathe it, it's my passion
y me gusta el bolero
I also enjoy listening to bolero music
la salsa de ahora
And contemporary salsa music
y soy merenguero
But at the end of the day, I am still a merengue musician
coro: merenguero hasta la tambora
Chorus: I am a merengue musician through and through
a bailar con guira y tambora
Let's dance to the beat of the guira and tambora
si te vas no te vayas sola
If you leave, don't leave alone
coro: merenguero hasta la tambora
Chorus: I am a merengue musician through and through
a bailar hasta que llegue la aurora
Let's dance until dawn
hasta la tambora
Until the beat of the tambora stops
Writer(s): JOSEITO MATEO
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.