Ralfi Pagan passed without making a significant mark in the music industry,… Read Full Bio ↴Ralfi Pagan passed without making a significant mark in the music industry, but not because he didn't try. Raised on the Lower East Side of New York City, he was part of the city's bubbling salsa scene in the '60s and late '70s. His main body of work — four albums — was waxed for Johnny Pacheco and Gerald Masucci's Fania Records. Though a major player in the studio, he didn't achieve the notoriety of some other Fania artists, known as the Fania All Stars and which included Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Colon, Willie Bobo, Joe Bataan, Ralph Robles, and Bobby Valentine. The label started on a shoestring and couldn't afford to promote its early product across-the-board, but Fania records were hot platters on Latin radio stations.

Pagan was a gifted vocalist. His light, floating tenor was as serenading as Smokey Robinson's, but more ardent when he came down from the clouds. His melodious crooning got some chart action on a remake of Bread's "Make It With You" (1971) for Wand Records (Fania contracted with Wand during this period). Two years later, he scored a minor charter with "Soul Je T'aime" with Sylvia Robinson (now there's a duet made in heaven) on Robinson's Vibration label; but its success was modest at number 39 R&B and 99 pop on Billboard. Other singles include "Didn't Want to Have to Do It," "Just for a Little While," and "Come Back Baby."

In addition to the four Fania albums, he had an obvious hand in Ralfi Pagan Presents Johnny Nelson, which is quite an item among collectors; Low Profile Records also reissued his second Fania album, Ralfi Pagan With Love. Examples of Pagan's haunting vocals can be found on ITP Records' East Side Classics series.

Negrita
Ralfi Pagan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

OOOOO Woaaaaooh
Negrita, Dicen que tu me odias
y Para mi, es que yo Te Gusto hahaha
Negrita Negrita, estoy solitario
me tienes, pensando y pensando en ti
*Chorus*
Negrita, yo te quiero Y negrita
Yo te adoro

*Between Chorus*
HEY! Baila
Negrita Negrita me paso Soñando de lo que
me dicen de ti, dime si es sierto

Oh es que me quieres? ay ya yay
HEY HEY HEY!
Chorus-and Between
Mira que no puedo Olvidar, Pensando, Pensando
en ti, y ese color bello ay ya yay

con tigo yo quiero vivir
Negrita Negrita Negrita mira que no puedo

Overall Meaning

The song "Negrita" by Ralfi Pagan is a beautiful composition expressing the singer's affection for a black girl. The song starts with a playful touch, with Ralfi stating that people say she hates him, but in his opinion, she actually likes him. Throughout the song, Ralfi expresses his loneliness and how he constantly thinks about her. The chorus of the song reiterates Ralfi's feelings stating that he loves and adores her. He asks the black girl to dance and says he dreams of her, and wonders if it's true that she feels the same way.

Overall, the song is a beautiful expression of love and admiration for a black girl. The song does not take a serious tone, but rather, it is a light-hearted celebration of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Negrita, Dicen que tu me odias
People say that you hate me, Negrita.

y Para mi, es que yo Te Gusto hahaha
But as for me, I think you actually like me, haha.

Negrita Negrita, estoy solitario
Negrita Negrita, I am lonely.

me tienes, pensando y pensando en ti
You have me thinking and thinking about you.

Negrita, yo te quiero Y negrita
Negrita, I love you and Negrita,

Yo te adoro
I adore you.

HEY! Baila
Hey! Dance!

Negrita Negrita me paso Soñando de lo que
Negrita Negrita, I keep dreaming about what

me dicen de ti, dime si es sierto
people say about you, tell me if it's true.

Oh es que me quieres? ay ya yay
Oh, do you like me? Ay ya yay.

HEY HEY HEY!
Hey hey hey!