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.
Como Amantes
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Como amantes
El tiempo va borrando tantas cosas
pero hay cosas caprichosas
que no se dejan borrar.
Fui tu amigo fui tu amante
y no lo puedo olvidar
Y así tirando penas al viento
espero solo el momento
de volvernos a encontrar
Como amigos, como antes
como lo que el tiempo no pudo borrar
Y es que tengo tantas ganas de tenerte como antes
es que solo me interesa ser tu amigo ser tu amante
llenarme de tu sonrisa aunque sea una vez más
y aplacar las sensaciones que al pensar en ti me dan.
Es que tengo tantas ganas de tenerte como antes
como amigo como amantes
Como amantes
Y así tirando penas al viento
espero solo el momento
de volvernos a encontrar
Como amigos, como antes
como lo que el tiempo no pudo borrar
Y es que tengo tantas ganas de tenerte como antes
es que solo me interesa ser tu amigo ser tu amante
llenarme de tu sonrisa aunque sea una vez más
y aplacar las sensaciones que al pensar en ti me dan.
Es que tengo tantas ganas de tenerte como antes
como amigo como amantes
Coro:
Como siempre... como antes... como amigos. como amantes...
Pero hay cosas caprichosas que no se pueden borrar
Fui tu amigo fui tu amante y eso no lo puedo olvidar.
Coro:
Llenarme de tu sonrisa ese es mi único anhelo
para de una vez demostrarte cariño
lo mucho que yo te quiero.
Coro:
Ganas... yo tengo ganas de ti
desafiar el deseo ardiente que me quema
Deseo que me hace existir.
Coro:
como siempre
oye mi amor
Como siempre... yo quiero tenerte.
Como antes... yo quiero adorarte.
Como amigos... estar contigo.
Para amarte... para besarte.
Como siempre... porque aun recuerdo.
Como antes... aquellos momentos.
Como amigos... que compartimos.
Para amarte... en nuestro idilio.
Como siempre... se desfonda la pasion.
Como antes... pasión que enloquece.
Como amigos... y que a los dos extrémese...
Para amarte.
~
Como amante te quiero yo
Como amante te quiero te quiero yo
Tu y yo mamita
Tu y yo tu y yo na ma
Como amante te quiero yo
como amigo como amante
tu y yo mamita.
Como amantes.uuu(Bis)
The song "Como Amantes" by Sonora Ponceña is a poignant expression of the lingering desire and emotional resonance that can persist even after a romantic relationship has ended. The lyrics speak to the ways in which time can erode memories and emotions, but also to the stubborn persistence of certain feelings that resist being forgotten or overcome. The singer of the song acknowledges that they were both friends and lovers with the person they are addressing, and while they wish they could go back to the way things were, they also know that some things can't truly be erased or undone.
Line by Line Meaning
El tiempo va borrando tantas cosas
As time goes on, many things get forgotten.
Pero hay cosas caprichosas que no se dejan borrar.
Yet, there are some things that just won't fade away.
Fui tu amigo fui tu amante y no lo puedo olvidar.
Being your friend and your lover is a part of me that I cannot forget.
Y así tirando penas al viento espero solo el momento de volvernos a encontrar.
So, I throw my sorrows to the wind and wait for the moment we can be together again.
Como amigos, como antes, como lo que el tiempo no pudo borrar.
We can be friends as we were before, and the memories that time couldn't erase remain.
Es que tengo tantas ganas de tenerte como antes, es que solo me interesa ser tu amigo ser tu amante, llenarme de tu sonrisa aunque sea una vez más y aplacar las sensaciones que al pensar en ti me dan.
I long to have you again as we were before, not just as friends but also as lovers, to bask once more in your smile and to soothe the desires that thinking of you ignites inside me.
Llenarme de tu sonrisa ese es mi único anhelo para de una vez demostrarte cariño lo mucho que yo te quiero.
To be filled with your smile is all I desire, to show you once and for all how much I love you.
Ganas... yo tengo ganas de ti desafiar el deseo ardiente que me quema Deseo que me hace existir.
I want you so badly, to defy the burning desire that consumes me, a desire that gives my existence meaning.
Como siempre... como antes... como amigos... como amantes...
As always... as before... as friends... as lovers...
Como amante te quiero yo Como amante te quiero te quiero yo Tu y yo mamita Tu y yo tu y yo na ma Como amante te quiero yo como amigo como amante tu y yo mamita. Como amantes.uuu(Bis)
As a lover, I want you, and as a lover, I love you. You and I, we're together forever, as friends and as lovers. Como amantes.uuu(Bis)
Contributed by Micah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.