The history of La Sonora Ponceña is the history of Quique Lucca, (Yauco, Puerto Rico, 12 December 1912 - 9 October 2016). In 1928, when he was 16 years old, his family moves to Ponce, Puerto Rico and Quique starts to work as an auto mechanic and starts playing the guitar. In 1932 Quique meets Angélica Quiñones, the future mother of his children, Zulma, Papo y Wanda. In 1944 Quique puts together a band called "El Conjunto Internacional", including three instrumentalists: tumbadora, bongó, vocalist and Quique Lucca at the guitar and second voice. Later, Antonio "Tato" Santaella joined, playing the bongó. On 10 April 1946, Enrique Lucca Jr. ("Papo") was born; he would later become the musical director of "La Sonora". In fact, in 1951, Papo surprised his father and the other members of the "Internacional" band when, at only 5 years old, he joined a band practice and started playing the tumbadora on Tito Puente's "Ran Kan Kan".
After the band had been inactive for a year, Quique re-established it in 1954 and renamed it "Conjunto Sonora Ponceña". His childhood friend Antonio "Tato" Santaella played bajo de cajón. On 20 April of that year the band plays at its first official dance. In 1956, Vicentivo Morales, joins the band as its first pianist. Later that year, Quique brings young Papo into the band as a pianist. In November 1957, Papo makes its official debut during a dance on the northern shore of the Island. In 1958, La Sonora Ponceña records its first 78 RPM with Avelino Muñoz as pianist. The 78 RPM contained No puede Ser on one side and Tan Linda que Era on the reverse side. Towards the end of 1958, the band goes into recording mode and includes 12-year-old Papo Lucca. The band included its first official vocalist Charlie Martínez. Later on, vocalists Felipe and Davilita would also record bolero-mambo themes such as Noche de Locura. In September 1960, the group played in New York. The group's main attraction was its 12-year-old pianist, Papo Lucca. In 1968 the group started its official recordings on 33 RPM with the song Hacheros Pa' Un Palo.
In 1974, singer Humberto "Tito" Gómez leaves the band after 7 years and 6 recordings. Together with Joe Rodríguez and Mickey Ortíz, Humberto "Tito" Gómez formed La Terrífica. Likewise, in 1977 Edgardo Morales, who played the timbal leaves the band after 7 years and 7 recordings and joins El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. In 1978 singer Luis Guillermo "Luigui" Texidor leves the band after 10 years and 10 recordings to join Bobby Valentín's Orchestra. In 1982 trumpetist Humberto Godineaux leaves the band after 4 years a 6 recordings. Singer Yolanda Rivera also left the band after 7 years and 8 recordings. In 1985, singer Miguel Ortíz retires from the band after 11 years and 12 recordings. On 28 May 1986, the band losses singer Alberto "Toñito" Ledée in a car accident. In 1987, trumpetist Heriberto "Ayatollah" Santiago also retires having 7 years and 5 recordings to his credit. In July 1989, long-time bass player Antonio "Tato" Santaella retired after 21 recordings. Tato played without ever using any musical scores, and singing entirely "by ear". A year later, in 1990, another bass player Efraín "Frao" Hernández retired from the band after 10 years and 7 recordings. In 1990, bongó player Angel Hernández also retired after 14 years and 13 recordings. In 1991, tumbadora player Vicente "Pequeño Johnny" Rivera retires after 16 years with the band. He had performed on 15 of the band's recordings. In 1993, long-time trumpeter Ramón "Tony El Cordovés" Rodríguez retired after 24 recordings. This was followed by the retirement of trumpeter Freddie Del Valle, who had played with the band for 6 years and had participated in 5 recordings.
In 1993, the band played at the Magno Orchestra Festival in Barranquilla, Colombia. The band was awarded the “Congo de Oro” award, given to the best international band. And in October 1994, Sonora Ponceña celebrated its 40th anniversary with a festival at Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The band would later also play at the Madison Square Garden to bring its celebration to the United States. In 1995, the band did a reunion recording with Luis Guillermo "Luigi" Texidor and Yolanda Rivera who had retired 19 and 14 years earlier, respectively. That same year, they sang in Paris, France, and at the Desfile de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Parade) in Zaragoza, Spain. In 1996 the band plays for the first time in Mexico at the Boca del Río, Veracruz, Mexico, carnival.
In 2000, Sonora Ponceña celebrated its 45th anniversary at the Tito Puente Amphitheater at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico and at the Teatro La Perla in Ponce. They also played in Caracas, Venezuela as part of this 45th anniversary celebration. In the years following 2000, La Sonora Ponceña participated in a large number of events throughout Puerto Rico, including Fiestas Patronales, private parties, graduation parties, and corporate Christmas and holiday parties. In the following years, the band also made presentations in Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Washington, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Jersey, Panamá, Perú, England, Switzerland and Italy.
For its 50th year anniversary (2004), the band played at Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The 12,000 spectators made the show a complete sellout on its presentation day, February 21. The show was broadcast via radio and television.
During its 50th anniversaery show at Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, the band was officially recognized by the Legislature of Puerto Rico for its musical contributions.
The 23rd “Día Nacional de la Salsa”, celebrated in Carolina, Puerto Rico on 16 March 2004, was dedicated to Don Quique, Papo and la Sonora Ponceña.
In Ponce there is a street, in Urb. Estancias del Golf, named after Quique Lucca.
The 2003 "Feria de Turismo", celebrated at Complejo Turístico “La Guancha” in Ponce was dedicated to Don Quique, Papo and la Sonora Ponceña.
Boranda
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Territorio Apache
Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda
Hice más de mil promesas
Recé tanta oración
Debe ser que rezo bajo
Que mi Dios no me escuchó
Debe ser que rezo bajo
Que mi Dios no me escuchó
Ahhh-aaaaah
Voy pasando, voy llorando
Voy recordando ese lugar
Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda (Boranda)
Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda
Mientras me voy alejando
Más yo pienso sin parar
Que mejor me voy ahora
Que ver todo pa' llorar
Que mejor me voy ahora, que ver todo pa' llorar
Voy pasando, voy llorando
Voy recordando ese lugar
(Ay, Boranda)
(Ay, Boranda)
La lluvia no llegó, la tierra se secó Boranda
(Ay, Boranda)
Territorio abandonao en la eutanasia
(Ay, Boranda)
Bo-o-oranda, Boranda
(Ay, Boranda)
La tierra de Boranda
(Ay, Boranda)
Pero qué pasará
Que hace rato que no llueve
Préstame tu caballo para ponerle mi montura
Porque a la pobre yegua el tajo no se le cura
Ya está bien, yo voy a terminar
Gracias por escucharme y nos vemos después
(Ay, Boranda)
(Ay, Boranda)
Cunado ya no pueda, ay me pongo a vender marangas
(Ay, Boranda)
Es que sin la lluvia, sin la lluvia no hay labranza
(Ay, Boranda)
Bo-ooohhh, Boranda
(Ay, Boranda)
Dime quien eres, yo te diré con quien tu andas
(Ay, Boranda)
Ajá
(Ay, Boranda)
Mándame más que más me conviene
(Qué ha pasado que la lluvia no llegó)
Caballero, qué ha pasado que la lluvia nos abandonó
(Qué ha pasado que la lluvia no llegó)
El jibarito se fue de ronda, y esta mañana no madrugó
(Qué ha pasado que la lluvia no llegó)
La tierra de Boranda donde he nacido yo
(Qué ha pasado que la lluvia no llegó)
The lyrics of the song Boranda by Sonora Ponceña touch upon the theme of drought and its devastating effects on the land and its people. Boranda, a place that is depicted as once full of life and resources, is now barren due to the absence of rain. The singer laments that despite praying and making promises, the rain did not come, and wonders if God did not hear their pleas. The chorus repeats the refrain of "Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda; Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda," to emphasize the dire situation that Boranda is facing.
The singer reflects on memories of Boranda, and as he leaves, he cannot help but think that it's better to leave than to stay and witness the land's degradation. As he departs, the singer acknowledges that without rain, the land is useless, and the economic realities force people to resort to selling whatever they can. The last section of the song is a conversation between the singer and someone else, where they discuss how the rain has not come, and people are struggling to survive.
Overall, the lyrics of Boranda are a poignant reminder of how environmental changes affect people's everyday lives and the severe consequences they bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Ay, Boranda, la tierra se secó, Boranda
Oh, Boranda, the land has dried up, Boranda
Ay, Boranda, la lluvia no llegó, Boranda
Oh, Boranda, the rain didn't come, Boranda
Hice más de mil promesas
I made more than a thousand promises
Recé tanta oración
I prayed so many prayers
Debe ser que rezo bajo
It must be because I pray low
Que mi Dios no me escuchó
That my God did not listen to me
Voy pasando, voy llorando
I'm passing by, I'm crying
Voy recordando ese lugar
I'm remembering that place
Mientras me voy alejando
As I go further away
Más yo pienso sin parar
The more I think without stopping
Que mejor me voy ahora
That it's better to leave now
Que ver todo pa' llorar
Than to see everything and cry
Pero qué pasará
But what will happen
Que hace rato que no llueve
It's been a while since it rained
Préstame tu caballo para ponerle mi montura
Lend me your horse to put my saddle on
Porque a la pobre yegua el tajo no se le cura
Because the poor mare's wound won't heal
Ya está bien, yo voy a terminar
It's fine, I'm going to finish
Gracias por escucharme y nos vemos después
Thanks for listening and see you later
Cunado ya no pueda, ay me pongo a vender marangas
When I can no longer do it, I'll sell goods on the street
Es que sin la lluvia, sin la lluvia no hay labranza
It's because without rain, there's no farming
Dime quien eres, yo te diré con quien tu andas
Tell me who you are, and I'll tell you who you hang out with
Mándame más que más me conviene
Send me more because it suits me
(Qué ha pasado que la lluvia no llegó)
(What happened that the rain didn't come)
Caballero, qué ha pasado que la lluvia nos abandonó
Sir, what happened that the rain abandoned us
El jibarito se fue de ronda, y esta mañana no madrugó
The countryman went out partying and didn't wake up early this morning
La tierra de Boranda donde he nacido yo
The land of Boranda where I was born
Writer(s): Edu Lobo
Contributed by Liam M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@oneworld9071
With my passionate pursuit and love of this AfroLatino culture, I'm kinda blessed; for a gringo (of Sicilian-Swedish heritage) raised by a jazz bassist father from whom I developed a talent in analytical listening, I enjoy a little bit richer experience in learning and recognizing certain musicians' styles of writing and playing. A few examples of AfroLatino musicians whose style and approach in their improvisational playing include Papo Lucca, Eddie Palmieri, and Roberto Roena. Why there's any significance to this is partly based in having been immersed in analytical listening and developing a literacy in music theory..... the significance comes from the fact I have listened extensively to tens of thousands of tunes most typically designated as "salsa", though the actual style within the genre may be guaguanco, son montuno, Mozambique, changuera, mambo, guajira, boogaloo, etc..... regardless, of those tens of thousands of songs---EVEN IF the entire song is done with two chords (i.e; Am-E7), each song is distinctly unique. Even if the LYRICS were all the same, still uniquely the only song like it:) Given the most basic criteria, the next step is being able to instantly (or fairly so) say "that's a Roberto Roena tune" or "Papo Lucca...... this song IS Papo.....".
Across a "species" of music such as this, in the most bare-bones sense, any style that beams through is pretty amazing. This isn't door number 1, door number 2, etc. guessing...... it's that the door itself is unique and full of clues :) We can instantly identify Celia Cruz, La India, Ismaels Miranda and Rivera, Yolanda Rivera, etc. That's their own magic shining through.
Significant to me is the fact that there was a time all the doors looked the same...... a wall of sound consisting of percussion, a piano and bass playing patterns, and a singer with incredible ability to play his voice like an instrument with every word like a note........ now listen to Ismael Rivera and his 10-minute streams of the most incredible as-lib, create-on-the-fly singing ever. No prompting equipment, no cue cards, but FLOW :) On topic, Papo Lucca has a mystical way of painting what he writes...... an unmistakable flavor.
I could continue with the incredible musical nebula of and in Colombia, with Fruko y sus Tesos' Cali sound, and Diego Garcia with his Medellin sound :) Throw in there Carolina la O, sadly late Joe Arroyo, Grupo Niche, Sonora Carruselles........ and then on to Cuba....... back to Puerto Rico......
thanks, luckylouie522......... I've got a hopeless, incurable addiction to this music, and you just enable the whole mess :)
I've got a weird problem with YouTube mail, but I'll ask anyway...... there's a song I desperately miss that I found many years ago via newsgroups...... a couple chics opening of the song, singing the word "bongo....... bongo....."...... killin' me. I thought of Sonora Dinamita's song "Bongo Bongo" but not it......
@pietrosemeraro8125
Edu lobo Brazil 1966
@ferssio
Muchos que no conocen la musica de Brasil, desconocen este dato, de la misma manera muchos no saben que Oh que Sera, no es de Willie Colon, sino que el autor es Chico Buarque"' , yo escucho musica de Brasil desde los 60s. Semeraro es portugues o Italiano""" saludos.
@lorenasano
así como Usted abusó y Mi delirio son brasileras tbm
@yielenedizz
@@lorenasano Hay algún problema ? Si esta gente no la cantan jamás nadie las conocería.
@lorenasano
Katherine DelValle a verrr claro que no hay ningún problema, es sólo un comentario, sin dramas. O es que no se puede comentar?
@raulsalas8874
Buen dato gracias
@nancymaria714
Like si la está escuchando en el 2020
@josiejeannette6384
🇵🇦🇵🇦🇵🇦🇵🇦🇵🇦
@monicagalvan5129
Y sigue siendo de las mejores
@josemelendez8549
Aqui 10/2023 🇵🇷