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.
Remembranzas
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
después de tantos años de verdadera unidad
Que si pudimos llegar más no logramos hacer
porque fue más fácil destruir que fortalecer
Tu que si, yo que no, tu que no, yo que si
pero la verdad nunca apareció
porque faltó un capitán para llevar el timón
y en una roca de mármol nuestro epitafio quedó
Que si pudimos llegar más no logramos hacer
porque fue más fácil destruir que fortalecer
Ya no existe amor todo fue ilusión
murieron las esperanzas triunfó la desilusión
Coro:
Tu ques si, yo que no, asi fue
remembranzas de un pasado, que ha empezado ayer.
Esperaba encontrar ternura y mucha felicidad
y solo encontré a tu lado
yo jalando para aquí, tu jalando para allá
Recordar es vivir, es morir al pensar
no hubo felicidad todo fue falsedad.
~
Fuimos veleros sin rumbo que en alta mar naufragó
porque faltó un capitán para llevar el timón
Rompamos el contrato de nuestro amor barato
quedemos como amigos
porque así lo dispuso el destino
No me vuelvo a enamorar he tenido una experiencia
yo nunca daré mi corazón a quién no se lo merezca
Yo no te guardo rencor y te pido de favor
que brindemos por la paz y nos digamos adiós.
The lyrics of Sonora Ponceña's Remembranzas depict the reminiscence of a past that has just begun, where true unity once existed but was destroyed due to the easy choice of destruction rather than strengthening it. The song expresses the outcome of a failed relationship and a lost love, where once there was hope and happiness, now only lies and deception remain. The lines "Tu que si, yo que no, tu que no, yo que si, pero la verdad nunca apareció" lament the lack of truth and accountability and how it led to the downfall of the relationship. The song compares their failed love to a ship without a captain that has sunk, and all that remains is their epitaph on a marble rock.
The chorus conveys the melancholic tone of the song and how everything that once was is now just a memory of a past that has just begun. The song mentions how hindsight can bring back bittersweet memories of a love that never came to fruition. The lines "Esperaba encontrar ternura y mucha felicidad y solo encontré a tu lado yo jalando para aquí, tu jalando para allá" explain the imbalance in their relationship, where both of them wanted different things and fought against each other, leading to their eventual downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
Remembranzas de un pasado que ha empezado ayer
Reflecting on memories of the past that feel fresh as if they happened just yesterday
después de tantos años de verdadera unidad
After so many years of true unity
Que si pudimos llegar más no logramos hacer
We could have achieved more but we failed to do so
porque fue más fácil destruir que fortalecer
Because it was easier to destroy than to strengthen
Tu que si, yo que no, tu que no, yo que si
You say yes, I say no, you say no, I say yes
pero la verdad nunca apareció
But the truth never surfaced
Fuimos veleros sin rumbo que en alta mar naufragó
We were aimless sailboats that sank in the open sea
porque faltó un capitán para llevar el timón
Because we lacked a captain to steer the helm
y en una roca de mármol nuestro epitafio quedó
And on a marble rock our epitaph remained
Ya no existe amor todo fue ilusión
Love no longer exists, it was all just an illusion
murieron las esperanzas triunfó la desilusión
Hope died and disillusionment won
Tu ques si, yo que no, asi fue
You said yes, I said no, that's how it was
Esperaba encontrar ternura y mucha felicidad
I was hoping to find tenderness and a lot of happiness
y solo encontré a tu lado
But I only found, by your side
yo jalando para aquí, tu jalando para allá
Me pulling this way and you pulling that way
Recordar es vivir, es morir al pensar
Remembering is living, but it's also dying inside to think about it
no hubo felicidad todo fue falsedad.
There was no happiness, everything was a falsehood
Rompamos el contrato de nuestro amor barato
Let's break the contract of our cheap love
quedemos como amigos porque así lo dispuso el destino
Let's remain friends because that's what destiny has in store
No me vuelvo a enamorar he tenido una experiencia
I won't fall in love again, I already had an experience
yo nunca daré mi corazón a quién no se lo merezca
I'll never give my heart to someone who doesn't deserve it
Yo no te guardo rencor y te pido de favor
I don't hold a grudge against you and I kindly ask
que brindemos por la paz y nos digamos adiós.
That we toast to peace and say goodbye
Contributed by Samantha N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-fx4lm9ky3v
Esta canción se oye a diario en Cali, Colombia. Desde niño estoy tan familiarizado con ella, que por muchos años creí que estos gigantes de la Sonora eran colombianos. La introducción es preciosa. Esta canción es un regalo invaluable para la comunidad latina.
@CarlosObreg
Bye
CH de .
@jefersonpatino915
Escuchando este maravilloso tema con mi padre en pleno 2023🎉❤🎉
@gorgoja
20 de enero 2024 😊 esta joyita nunca morirá 🎉 VIVA LA SALSA
@carloscarrillo580
Caracas cuanto te extraño la ciudad que me vio nacer y crecer con esta gran canción, vamos a salir de esta crisis en nombre de Dios 🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪
@jorgerodriguezperez8632
Saludos mi amigo...no en nombre de Dios, en nombre de algún Venezolano con COJONES y saque de una patada en ek culo a todos lis COMUNISTAS DE MIERDA...QUE NOS ESTÁN CAGANDO LA VIDA. EN CHILE TUVIMOS UNO: EL GRAN GENERAL PINOCHET. ARMÓ EL PAÍS Y SE LOS ENTREGÓ A LOS POLÍTICOS....Y YA LO TIENEN HECHO MIERDA OTRA VEZ.
@MiguelAlvarez-dh7kf
Pura nostalgia, mis ojos se aguan cada vez que escucho esta bella cancion.Recordar es Vivir. Hermosos tiempos. Que nunca mas volveran.
@jmayelrebelde
Que música tan perfecta daria lo que fuera por haber vivido aunque una semana en los 80 como me cuentan mis padres que fue la época de oro🎉
@nubiagonzalez7492
Me da una nostalgia escuchar esto 🎶 🎶 música yo tenia 14 años quizás waoooooo que época tan bonita en mi. Pais Venezuela 🇻🇪, waooooo eramos felices
@alejandrodarnot6855
Cuando se bailaba la salsa q al estilo changuei 🙄🤔😄