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.
El Valor Que No Se Ve
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
la esperanza se preocupa por quererlos resolver,
desconfías de la gente, del amor y piensas que,
no es posible que se sufra más que tú...
y esos días tú te rindes, al mundo en torno a tí,
para no sentir el miedo, del valor que no se ve,
y te sientes tan perdido que ya no puedes más,
Busca una salida, un mañana que,
cure las heridas, que hay dentro de ti,
lucha por vivir, con ese valor, que no se ve.
equivocarse nunca importa, vuélvelo a intentar,
si una puerta se te cierra, otra puerta se abrirá...
Lo que en realidad importa, es no renunciar jamás,
pues tal vez estés a un solo paso...
Busca una salida, un mañana que,
dé una nueva vida a todo el mundo que,
luchará con fe, con ese valor que no se ve.
Por todos ellos, échale valor.
por quien lo pierde y lo va buscando.
por los que se sienten tan mal como tú.
por esos que esperan sin desesperar, como tú.
(BUSCA UNA SALIDA, DE UN MAÑANA, DÉ,
UNA NUEVA VIDA, A TODO EL MUNDO QUE,
LUCHA CON SU FÉ, Y CON EL VALOR QUE NO SE VE...)
Busca una salida, un mañana que,
dé una nueva vida Y a todo el mundo que,
luchará con fe, con ese valor que no se ve...
BUSCA UNA SALIDA, QUE UN MAÑANA DÉ,
Sea una nueva vida, a todo el mundo que,
solo por dolor, no te pierdas en el camino
NO TE RINDAS NUNCA, (búscala) BUSCA EN TU INTERIOR
Busca la salida, al el mañana que,
Vuelvas a tener, dentro del valor que no se ve...
Ololoi alala
Busca la salida
Mirando a el futuro corazon corazon
Hay mañana, que te espera
NO TE RINDAS NUNCA, BUSCA EN TU INTERIOR
Busca la salida, al el mañana que,
Vuelvas a tener dentro del valor que no se ve...
"El Valor Que No Se Ve" by Roberto Roena is a song about perseverance and finding inner strength during difficult times. The first verse describes the feeling of overwhelming despair that can come with questioning the meaning and purpose of life. The hopelessness can lead to a lack of trust in people and in love, and one may start to feel like they are the only ones who are suffering. The chorus encourages the listener to seek a way out, to find the strength to keep going, and to never give up. The second verse emphasizes the importance of not being afraid to make mistakes and to keep trying, even when things don't work out. The song ends with an appeal to find the courage to continue searching for a better tomorrow, to have faith in oneself, and to support others who are also struggling.
Throughout the song, there is a recurring theme of the "valor que no se ve" or "the value that cannot be seen". This invisible value refers to the inner strength and courage that is necessary to keep going, even when things seem impossible. The lyrics suggest that this inner value is what separates those who give up from those who keep trying, and that it is something that everyone possesses, although it may not always be apparent.
Overall, "El Valor Que No Se Ve" is a powerful message of hope and perseverance that encourages listeners to keep going even when things seem bleak. It is a call to action to find the value within oneself, to keep trying, and to support others who may be struggling.
Line by Line Meaning
Hay días en los que la vida se llena de porqués
Some days life gets filled with questions
la esperanza se preocupa por quererlos resolver
Hope becomes troubled trying to find a resolution
desconfías de la gente, del amor y piensas que
You distrust people, love, and think
no es posible que se sufra más que tú...
No one else could possibly suffer more than you
y esos días tú te rindes, al mundo en torno a tí
And on those days, you give up on the world around you
para no sentir el miedo, del valor que no se ve
So you don't feel the fear of the unseen value
y te sientes tan perdido que ya no puedes más
You feel so lost that you can no longer go on
sin la fuerza que te da la vida.
Without the strength that life gives you
Busca una salida, un mañana que,
Look for a way out, a tomorrow that,
cure las heridas, que hay dentro de ti,
Heal the wounds inside you,
lucha por vivir, con ese valor, que no se ve.
Fight to live with the value that can't be seen
equivocarse nunca importa, vuélvelo a intentar,
It doesn't matter to make a mistake, try again
si una puerta se te cierra, otra puerta se abrirá...
If one door closes on you, another one will open...
Lo que en realidad importa, es no renunciar jamás,
What really matters is to never give up
pues tal vez estés a un solo paso...
Because you might be just one step away...
Por todos ellos, échale valor.
For all of them, have courage.
por quien lo pierde y lo va buscando.
For those who lose it and go searching for it.
por los que se sienten tan mal como tú.
For those who feel as bad as you.
por esos que esperan sin desesperar, como tú.
For those who wait without despairing, like you.
Busca una salida, un mañana que,
Look for a way out, a tomorrow that,
dé una nueva vida a todo el mundo que,
gives a new life to everyone who
luchará con fe, con ese valor que no se ve.
will fight with faith, with that value that can't be seen.
Busca la salida, al el mañana que,
Look for a way out, to the tomorrow that,
Vuelvas a tener, dentro del valor que no se ve...
you will have again, within the value that can't be seen...
Writer(s): ANGELO VALSIGLIO, AKA J. BADIA, IGNACIO BALLESTEROS, MARCO MARATI, SPANISH LYRICS, CHEOPE
Contributed by Bailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.