Santiago was born in San Juan. After residing in various neighborhoods in the city he moved to the Nemesio Canales public housing project in his youth; he was eventually nicknamed "El Grifo de Canales" ("The kinky-haired, fair-skinned-one of Nemesio Canales") by close friends and fans. Santiago was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age. He was groomed as a bolero singer (a genre he didn't feel comfortable with) and was a struggling salsa singer (at one time he sang with Rafael Cortijo) until 1971, when he joined Bobby Valentin, another type 1 diabetic, as a duo. Their first LP, "Rompecabezas", ("Puzzle") sold well, and their second LP, "Soy Boricua" ("I'm a Boricua") is considered by many to be a salsa classic and an informal patriotic anthem for Puerto Ricans. That album's title song and the Tite Curet Alonso-written "Pirata de la Mar" ("Pirate of the Seas"), both sung by Santiago, became major international hits. The duo continued making hits during the decade of the 1970s, and they were invited to form part of the Fania All Stars, an exclusive salsa conglomerate of Fania Records musicians that showcased other performers such as Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Pellin Rodriguez, Roberto Roena, Andy Montanez and many others.
Santiago separated and went solo apart from Valentin in 1977. In the same year he done some small work for another exclusive salsa conglomerate that was exclusive to Puerto Ricans only called the Puerto Rico All Stars (PRAS). PRAS was a rival to the Fania All Stars. The groups members changed consistently but Santiago had provided background vocals for the original established 1977 PRAS. Later in this year Santiago had a very successful pairing with producer and pianist Jorge Millet. In his solo records he improvised "soneos" (rhyming verses common to salsa) with a strong sense of alliteration, consonance and rhythm that was described once by Ruben Blades this way: "(Rhythm-wise) Marvin is capable of fitting a Mack truck into a parking space where a Volkswagen Beetle won't fit." He also used strong Puerto Rican figures of speech and slang that eventually granted him the moniker of "El Sonero del Pueblo" (The People's Sonero). He attained a major Puerto Rican hit with Cortijo's song "Fuego a la jicotea" ("(Light a) Fire to the Tortoise ( The Tortoise o Jicotea (Trachemys Stejnegeri Stejnegeri) is the unique species of native turtle that lives in pools, lagoons, dams, rivers and brooks of Puerto Rico (also he is present in Cuba). On natural history and customs of this species it is known very little.), a thinly-veiled ode to marijuana. Other hits were: "Al Son de la Lata (baila el chorizo)" -another Cortijo song-, "El Mangoneo", "La Picúa" and "Vasos de Colores".
At the height of his popularity, however, Santiago was arrested and imprisoned for cocaine possession. This was his second conviction, and the amount confiscated implied that he intended to distribute the drug. He served five out of nine years of a prison sentence. He became a born-again Christian in prison, and recorded an album, "Desde Adentro", behind bars. A minor hit spawned from the album was "Auditorio Azul" ("Blue Auditorium", based on the fact that Puerto Rico prison uniforms are usually blue in color). Blades visited him in prison, something for which Santiago would be eternally grateful to him.
After his drug conviction, Santiago's fame waned. By the time he finished his prison sentence, Jorge Millet, the musical architect of Santiago's sound, had died from a heart attack. Due to his spiritual reawakening, Santiago cleaned up the subject matter of his lyrics considerably, something that his hardcore fans did not approve of. Other notable facts that further pushed his fame's decline included the surge of merengue groups such as the Puerto Rico-based Conjunto Quisqueya and Freddie Kenton orchestras, as well as new local talent such as Eddie Santiago and Gilberto Santa Rosa, who popularized so-called "romantic salsa", which eventually displaced more urban-based subject matter in salsa songs. Santiago, however, kept a busy schedule through the 1980s, making several Latin American and inter-Puerto Rico tours and appearing on Puerto Rican television shows several times, often as a comedian in Luisito Vigoreaux's television programs. Poor vocal coaching eventually affected Santiago's vocal cords, turning it raspier with time.
Santiago's health began to decline during the 1990s, but he still went on with his music, releasing "Donde lo Dejamos" ("Where we Left It") in 1992 alongside Valentin. Later on, a "greatest hits" album of his solo songs was released.
Santiago, who adopted Marvin Hagler's "Marvelous" nickname (both because of their common first name and the fact that, at one time, his head was shaved bald like Hagler's), had begun conversations to join a Fania All Stars comeback as a tribute to Celia Cruz by the summer of 2004, but then, he became severely ill.
[edit] Death
Already having lost a leg (and later the other) to diabetes through amputation, Santiago lost vision from one eye and suffered severe kidney, heart and liver damage on the weeks prior to his death. At about noon (AST) on October 6, 2004, he died at a Bayamón hospital.
Estaca De Guayacan
Marvin Santiago Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Pongo verde a los maduros castigo a los que dan
Vuelvo al presente futuro
Yo vuelo con superman
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Yo puedo ver el oscuro con viata de gavilan
Huy
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Yo soy fuerte cual un muro y el empuje de un titan
Por mi madre te lo juro que me hace tilin tilan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Y yo puedo ver en lo oscuro oyeme lulo yo tengo vista de gavilan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Y pongo verde a los maduros puedo ver a los que dañan yo pongo duro a ella soy bravo bravo de verdad
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Yo soy fuerte hay cual un muro oyeme bruno tu me haces tilin tilin tilan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Y que le pasa a esos muchachos de la limpieza que no empiezan por el pasillo la escobita pasar
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Y yo primero me dije romantacan tirate a maria lazo y estaca de guayacan de guayacan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Unos tienen y otros dan por comerte a los maduros yo vuelo mas que superman
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Dile a catalina que te compre un guallo dile a catalina que te compre un guallo dile a catalina que te compre un guallo que la yuca yo te la llevo de plan
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
Te lo dije que me estaba llamando.
(End)
The lyrics to Marvin Santiago's song "Estaca De Guayacan" express the pride the singer takes in being called a tough man. Despite the fact that his hair is falling out, he is strong like a wall and can see in the dark, like a hawk, and fly with Superman. He is able to punish those who wrong others and can outdo them in his abilities. He doesn't feel rushed or hurried, like he can handle anything that comes his way. He states that he makes some women "tilene tilan" (have shivers of pleasure) by his strength.
The repeated chorus of "Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan" emphasizes the nickname that the singer has earned, which means "I am called the hard man of guayacan." His toughness is further emphasized by his ability to put fear in those who wrong others and "put them in their place." He also takes a moment to poke fun at the cleaning crew for not doing a good job and encourages someone to tell Catalina to buy a yucca since he will take care of the "plan."
Overall, this song serves to pump up the singer's reputation and pride, as well as assert his dominance and strength as a man.
Line by Line Meaning
Y eso que se me esta cayendo el pelo.
Despite my hair falling out, I am still known as a tough man.
Me llaman el hombre duro estaca de guayacan
I am known as the tough man made of the strong guayacan wood.
Pongo verde a los maduros castigo a los que dan
I criticize the old and punish those who do wrong.
Vuelvo al presente futuro Yo vuelo con superman
I live in the present and have high aspirations like Superman.
Y yo, y yo voy yo por nada siento apuro tiempos vienen tiempos van
I do things at my own pace and believe that time is cyclical.
Yo puedo ver el oscuro con vista de gavilan
I have a sharp vision and can see in the darkest of places.
Huy
Exclamation of surprise or shock.
Yo soy fuerte cual un muro y el empuje de un titan
I am as strong as a wall with the force of a titan.
Por mi madre te lo juro que me hace tilin tilan
I swear on my mother that I am telling the truth and it excites me.
Y yo puedo ver en lo oscuro oyeme lulo yo tengo vista de gavilan
I can see in the dark like a hawk.
Y pongo verde a los maduros puedo ver a los que dañan yo pongo duro a ella soy bravo bravo de verdad
I criticize the old, punish wrongdoers, and I am a tough and fearless man in my relationships.
Yo soy fuerte hay cual un muro oyeme bruno tu me haces tilin tilin tilan
I am as strong as a wall and you excite me, Bruno.
Y que le pasa a esos muchachos de la limpieza que no empiezan por el pasillo la escobita pasar
What's wrong with those cleaning boys who don't start sweeping the hall?
Y yo primero me dije romantacan tirate a maria lazo y estaca de guayacan de guayacan
I first said to myself, 'Romántico, go after Maria Lazo and the strong guayacan wood.'
Unos tienen y otros dan por comerte a los maduros yo vuelo mas que superman
Some people take advantage of the old, but I am faster than Superman.
Dile a catalina que te compre un guallo dile a catalina que te compre un guallo dile a catalina que te compre un guallo que la yuca yo te la llevo de plan
Tell Catalina to buy you a Guallo (a musical instrument) and I'll get you the yuca (a root vegetable).
Te lo dije que me estaba llamando.
I told you that someone was calling me.
Writer(s): Catalino Curet Alonso
Contributed by Scarlett N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rubencastillo4384
De pana 🇻🇪 lo mejor q botó puerto rico mi pana tremendo salsero en Venezuela se le respeta como el salsero del pueblo
@user-wp5fb5qi6p
Marvin Santiago uno. De los. Duro. Cierta mente de Santurce
Trasta lleres . Lugar. Escondido de grades cantores. Puertoriqueños sin
Duda. Alguna. Viva puerto. Rico. ❤. 😊
@rubencastillo4384
🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪 es lo máximo tremendo salsero de barrio en Venezuela la guardia vieja aún lo recuerda
@daisisledezma2906
..lo fui a ver en vivo en el Nuevo Circo de Caracas hace un montón de años..todavia preso pero libre de su Gran Salsa !!!!!...nunca se me olvida que cantaba escoltado por varios policias civiles...pero su voz y su publico caraqueño valia mas que nada...que Dios te guarde gran cantante!!!!!
@juandelvalle8419
El gran Marvelosky!!
Orgullo puertorriqueño!!!
✌🏻🇵🇷🎺🎼
@ivanmulero6424
GRACIA'S PAISA PURA VERDAD PAI!!!! AMOR Y ORGULLO PUERTORRIQUENOOO!!!!🇵🇷🏝️🕊️✌️🙏🙏💓💕💓👌👌😇😇
@mariomurillo1636
HABLAR DE MARVIN SANTIAGO ES DECIR EL SONERO DEL PUEBLO RITMO QUE SE IMPUSO PARA QUEDARSE PARA SIEMPRE ESTAMOS 2.020 Y TODAVÍA SE ESCUCHAN MARVIN ESTÁ VIVO PORQUE LA SALSA NUNCA VA HA MORIR DESCANZA EN PAZ POR SIEMPRE MARVIN SANTIAGO EL SONERO MAYOR DE LOS PUEBLOS SALSEROS 🎶🎵🎼🎶🎵🎼👏👏👏👍👍👍🎤🎤🎤👐👐👐
@josecchavezzamora1210
GRANDE MARVIN SANTIAGO, Saludos desde Lima Perú
@29anrosan
Nostalgia ver la foto de Paquito Guzmán y Marvelus ya no están con nosotros pero su música vivirá por siempre.
Síganos gozando de ella y de la presencia del niño de trastalleres enero 14/ 2021
@juancastillochapiama2345
Como dice marvin.linda melodia.puro sabor de Saaaalllllsaaaaaa pa' gosar con MARVIN SANTIAGO AQUI EN MI CALLAO .PERU Y DESAPARECER ESTE CORNAVIRUS PA' YA ME BOY