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.
Prende El Fogón
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
que me conviene mucho
ahora si verán porque ahora si
Cuando yo llego a mi casa
ella me mima y me abraza
oye papito me dice
que quieres comer de papa hoy
Yo quiero que tu me hagas
esos platillos sabrosos
como tu sabes mi prieta
que a tu papito le gustan
camina y prende el fogón.
Coro:
Camina y prende el fogón.
Camina, camina, camina prende el fogón.
Si tu no tienes con que yo traigo un mechón.
Prende, prende, prende prende ese fogón.
Camina, camina, camina prende el fogón.
Si tu no lo prendes ahora lo prendo yo.
~
Coro:
Prende el fogón.
Oye mira prende.
Vete y prende ese fogón.
Si tu no lo prendes.
Ahora si lo prendo yo.
Prende, prende, prende...
~
Después que yo la compré.
El menos que comí fui yo.
Oye mira prende.
Vete y prende ese fogón.
Si tu no lo tienes.
... cocinando.
The Sonora Ponceña's song "Prende El Fogon" is about a man who has finally found a woman that suits him and cares for him unconditionally. He talks about how happy he is with her and how she pampers him with love and affection. She invites him over to her place and asks him what he would like to eat, and she'll make it for him. He wants her to make the dishes that she usually makes, the ones that he loves, and tells her to get up and light the stove to start cooking.
The chorus is a call to action for her to walk and light the stove. If she doesn't have a match to light it up, he'll bring a lighter himself. The man tells her to hurry up and start cooking because he can't wait to eat her delicious food. In the end, he tells her to light the stove quickly because he is getting really hungry and he purchased all the ingredients for her to cook a delicious meal for both of them.
Overall, the song is about love, care, and affection in a relationship. The man is happy and content that he has found a woman who loves him and takes care of him, and he cannot wait to taste her delicious cooking.
Line by Line Meaning
Ahora si tengo yo un querer
Now I have a love that is good for me
que me conviene mucho
that benefits me greatly
ahora si verán porque ahora si
now you will see why
Cuando yo llego a mi casa
When I arrive at my house
ella me mima y me abraza
she pampers me and hugs me
oye papito me dice
hey daddy she tells me
que quieres comer de papa hoy
what do you want to eat today, daddy
para empezártelo a hacer.
to start making it for you
Yo quiero que tu me hagas
I want you to make me
esos platillos sabrosos
those delicious dishes
como tu sabes mi prieta
like you know, my brown-skinned woman
que a tu papito le gustan
that your daddy likes
camina y prende el fogón.
walk and light the stove
Coro:
Chorus:
Camina y prende el fogón.
Walk and light the stove
Camina, camina, camina prende el fogón.
Walk, walk, walk, light the stove
Si tu no tienes con que yo traigo un mechón.
If you don't have anything to use, I'll bring a match
Prende, prende, prende prende ese fogón.
Light, light, light, light that stove
Camina, camina, camina prende el fogón.
Walk, walk, walk, light the stove
Si tu no lo prendes ahora lo prendo yo.
If you don't light it now, I'll light it
Coro:
Chorus:
Prende el fogón.
Light the stove
Oye mira prende.
Hey look, light it
Vete y prende ese fogón.
Go and light that stove
Si tu no lo prendes.
If you don't light it
Ahora si lo prendo yo.
Now I'll light it
Prende, prende, prende...
Light, light, light...
Después que yo la compré.
After I bought it
El menos que comí fui yo.
I'm the one who ate the least.
Oye mira prende.
Hey look, light it
Vete y prende ese fogón.
Go and light that stove
Si tu no lo tienes.
If you don't have it
... cocinando.
...cooking.
Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@JuanMoreno-id3hj
Tito Gómez, ídolo en COLOMBIA. Suena en Cali, suena en Medellín, suena en Barranquilla, suena en Bogotá, siempre de local Tito Gómez, paz en su tumba. Gracias por esto parcero.
@lopz33
Un día como hoy, 9 de abril de 1948, nació en Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, el cantante Humberto Luis (Tito) Gómez. Lo seguimos extrañando, Maestro. 🎵🎤🎶😢😢😢😢😢
@Carlos-xz3vi
Como Puertorriqueño, gracias Suramerica, especialmente a Colombia y Peru por mantener esta musica viva. En Puerto Rico tenemos diarrea mental y glorificamos a Bad Bunny, Coscolluela y compañia. Es para auto flagelarse!
@josemarcano5139
Hermano en Venezuela, adoramos a los fuertes de la salsa, Bad Bunny que se vaya con su porqueria para los estudios digney.
@linafernandafrancocastillo6662
En Cali colombia esa música es como el pan para el desayuno
@MrHernanromero
asi es!!!
@glenysvargas1035
Eso mismo me pregunto, que le paso a PR
@steventp9448
Bad quééééé?
@hugopaterninaespinosa8473
Esta versión de Tito Gómez con la Sonora Ponceña es muy buena. Da gusto escucharla
@FerNando-in2uh
NO CAMBIARE MI SALSA POR NINGUNA MUSICA DEL MUNDO, MIS SONEROS DE PUERTO RICO, MI SALSA COLOMBIANA Y DE OTROS PAISES, ES LO MEJOR QUE HAY EN ESTA VIDA