Roberto Roena has also been a long-time member of the Fania All Stars, the showcase group for the Fania Records label, which has enjoyed worldwide success since the 1970s. He recorded his signature song, "Coro Miyare", with the group; live performances of the song featured Roena playing the bongos and dancing with his uncle, legendary salsa dancer Aníbal Vázquez, in a choreographed section that almost always received standing ovations from the audience.
Mr. Roena took a giant step in the fusion of salsa with jazz, in the 1970s, by joining forces with African superstar (saxophonist) Manu Dibango of "Soul Makossa" fame.
Even without knowing how to read or write music, and probably because of it, Roena knew how to surround himself with excellent musicians and arrangers. "Apollo Sound" featured musicians from the ensemble of Tito Puente, "Cortijo y Su Combo", "El Gran Combo" and "Los Sunsets", among others. Some of the well renowned arrangers and composers who nourished his repertoire were Mario Ortiz, Bobby Valentín, Elias Lopés, Luis “Perico” Ortiz and Papo Lucca. With "Apollo Sound", Roberto introduced a “new” sound to salsa music by utilizing two trumpets, a trombone and a saxophone, a combination he took from the influence of the wind section of the rock group Blood, Sweat and Tears (in honor of which his band recorded a successful version of “Spinning Wheel”).
Roberto always considered variety as the key to success, leading him to include in his musical repertoire everything from go-go to the romantic, the same in English as in Spanish. Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound’s first album produced hits of great impact like “Tú loco loco y yo tranquilo,” “El escapulario,” and “El sordo.” In fact, it was Apollo Sound who popularized the Bobby Capó classic, “Soñando con Puerto Rico.”
Apollo Sound recorded under the label International Records (a subsidiary of Fania) for a decade, in which they harvested successes like “Traición,” “Chotorro,” “Mi Desengaño,” “Fea,” “Marejada feliz,” “Cui cui,” and “El progreso,” among others. His popularity on the radio waves came accompanied with tours around the United States and Latin America.
Complementing the musicality of the salsa group was always the showmanship inherent in Roberto Roena. Dying his hair in new colors, playing percussion in his underwear and sporting a harness so he could “fly” around the stage of New York City's Madison Square Garden were some of the tricks that he used to stand out among the other groups in vogue. In fact, a noted journalist that followed Apollo Sound once remarked that they were “the first group in Puerto Rico with a system of psychedelic lights and go-go girls.”
Beginning in the 1980s, Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound experienced a fade in popularity, reflecting a crisis that was sweeping through the salsa movement in general. Nevertheless, Roberto maintained himself by collaborating and recording independently with local groups. In 1990, Roena tried to revive the concept of Apollo Sound. He opened a concert for British rock singer Sting at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, where he presented his hit salsa version of "Every Breath You Take" (with an amused Sting watching from the sidelines).
In 1994, he celebrated 25 years with his orchestra in a successful concert at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan. This performance was recorded and released, validating his music for a new generation.
Avisale A Mi Contrario
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo.
Que venga para que aprecie sonoridad,
Después no quiero que diga que dí la rumba
Y no lo invite.
Que venga para que aprecie sonoridad.
Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo.
Que venga para que aprecie dulce cantar.
Que dí la rumba y no lo invité.
Dícelo a ello que aquí estoy yo.
Ahora te voy a inspirar.
Con Robertito y su Apollo te canto yo.
Ven para que baile mi guaguancó.
La rumba buena te esta llamando.
Ahora si puedo cantar, ahora si puedo sonear.
Dícelo, que aquí estoy yo.
A la la la a la la la...
Ven para que bailes para que goces
La rumba buena te esta llamando.
Creistes que tu podías pero conmigo no puedes no.
Te juro por mi madre que ahora me siento mejor.
Sacate un tiempo para que aprecies sonoridad.
Tanto tiempo disfrutastes mi cantar.
Ahora si vengo te de frente, te digo yo
This song, Avisale A Mi Contrario, by Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, is a plea to the singer’s “opponent” to acknowledge his talent and come to appreciate his music. The lyrics are repetitive, emphasizing the singer’s desire for his counterpart to come and hear his music for himself. He urges him to come and appreciate the “sonoridad,” or sound quality, of his music, as well as the sweetness of his singing. The singer doesn’t want to be accused of throwing a party and not inviting his opponent, so he’s making it clear that he wants him to come and hear him play.
The singer seems confident in his abilities, especially when he mentions his band, Robertito y su Apollo, and states that he can now inspire and “sonear,” or improvise, with his music. He invites his opponent to come and dance to his “guaguancó,” a type of Afro-Cuban music and dance. The song ends with the singer telling his opponent to take some time to appreciate his music, since he’s been enjoying it for so long. Overall, the song conveys a sense of pride and confidence in one’s musical talent and a desire for validation from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo.
Let my opponent know that I am here.
Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo.
Let my opponent know that I am here.
Que venga para que aprecie sonoridad,
Ask him to come and appreciate the sound,
Después no quiero que diga que dí la rumba
Y no lo invite.
So he doesn't say that I had the party and didn't invite him.
Que venga para que aprecie sonoridad.
Ask him to come and appreciate the sound.
Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo.
Let my opponent know that I am here.
Que venga para que aprecie dulce cantar.
Ask him to come and appreciate the sweet singing.
Porque después no quiero que diga
Que dí la rumba y no lo invité.
For fear he'll say I had the party and didn't invite him.
Dícelo a ello que aquí estoy yo.
Tell him that I am here.
Ahora te voy a inspirar.
Now I will inspire you.
Con Robertito y su Apollo te canto yo.
With Robertito and his Apollo, I sing to you.
Ven para que baile mi guaguancó.
Come dance my guaguancó.
La rumba buena te esta llamando.
The good party is calling you.
Ahora si puedo cantar, ahora si puedo sonear.
Now I can sing, now I can play rhythm.
Dícelo, que aquí estoy yo.
Tell him, I am here.
A la la la a la la la...
La la la la la...
Ven para que bailes para que goces
La rumba buena te esta llamando.
Come dance to enjoy, the good party is calling you.
Creistes que tu podías pero conmigo no puedes no.
You thought you could, but you can't with me.
Te juro por mi madre que ahora me siento mejor.
I swear on my mother that now I feel better.
Sacate un tiempo para que aprecies sonoridad.
Take some time to appreciate the sound.
Tanto tiempo disfrutastes mi cantar.
You enjoyed my singing for so long.
Ahora si vengo te de frente, te digo yo
Now I come to you directly and tell you.
Writer(s): Tito Rodriguez
Contributed by Maya R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheSeken13
¿ Que clase de “persona” le da no me gusta a esta obra de arte ? Aguante la salsa brava 🔥
@cheo293
Un gafo que no sabe de musica
@AndresGonzalezafgoz
Un amargado.
@bettytorres1000
Uno que no sabe lo que es ritmo, nene.
@cesarrios1458
Los que escuchan corridos
@AndresGonzalezafgoz
En Colombia, los de la izquierda que viven aburridos amargados y nada les gusta, no hay otra explicación para no gustarles un excelente tema.
@orlandonegron3743
Jamas habran rumberos como las leyendas de la salsa de los 70. Esto si es sabor.
@marisoldel962
Quien como yo le da al video para atrás para escucharla de nuevo . 😂🇵🇷🇵🇷
@gabrielvenanciojaimespena7587
Tremendo tema, no joda que temaso, me lo rumbero con chile y jalapeños, pica está salsa, supervacana🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
@jenniffermunoz6395
Jamás pasará de moda para quienes sentimos la salsa. Qué ritmo!