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.
Yare
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh Yaré, oh Yaré (se fue Yaré), regresarás
Se me fue Yaré
(Se marchó Yaré)
La mujer que yo tenía se fue y me abandonó
me dijo que ella quería alguien mejor que yo,
como yo sufrí, como yo lloré
pero antes rezé y le dije
tu a mi vas a volver
y se hecho a reír
sin compasión,
y tal como se lo dije a si mismito paso,
y tal como se lo dije a si mismito paso.
Ayer me llamó
que todo le salió mal
que la perdonara
que para ella
como yo no hay otro igual,
y yo le contesté, y yo le contesté
y yo le contesté, sí, con mucho caché
Ahhh
Oye
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome)
Pregonando por las calles, así mismito te hallé
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome)
Y aunque te quites la ropa, contigo no, no, no,
no regresaré
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome)
Y como te lo advertí, así mismito te fue
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome)
Mira la veré, pero mira la veré, pero mira la veré,
pero mira la veré por las calles buscándome
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome)
Y si decides buscarme, tu no podrás encontrarme
Ja, ja, ja
Se te fue la guagua, nena
Taaaaaa
Cómo
(Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome)
Que te de el perdón no olvido eso es lo que tu has querido
(Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome)
Pero tu truco falló, ya no te perdonaré
(Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome)
Quisiera cambiarte el nombre pero te llamas Yaré
(Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome)
Dos veces nos hemos separado por el mismo motivo,
No puede ser por tercera vez
(Ya regresó Yaré)
Feliz la miel (buscándome)
No puede ser (llorándome)
Pero que yo me canse y de nuevo lo juré
(Ya regresó Yaré buscándome, llorándome)
Oye contigo no volveré, aunque tu, llorándome
(Ya regresó Yaré buscándome, llorándome)
Óyelo bien (buscándome)
Olvídame (llorándome)
The song "Yaré" by Sonora Ponceña is a tale of a man who has been abandoned by his lover, Yaré. The song is sung entirely in Spanish and is full of emotion, with the singer demonstrating his pain and frustration at Yaré's departure. He tells of how Yaré left him, saying that she wanted someone better, and how much he suffered afterwards. The singer then goes on to explain how he prayed for her return and how, eventually, she did come back to him. However, when she returned, the singer was no longer interested and instead, he taunted her for having left him in the first place.
Throughout the song, the singer's use of repetition reinforces the pain and emotion of the lyrics. The chorus "Oh Yaré, oh Yaré (se fue Yaré), regresarás" repeats multiple times, highlighting the singer's hope that Yaré will return to him. Additionally, the phrase "Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome" is repeated throughout the song, showing the singer's satisfaction at Yaré's return and subsequent suffering. The singer's use of the call and response technique also adds to the emotional impact of the song, with his cries of "Oye" and "Taaaaaa" punctuating the lyrics and creating a sense of urgency.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Yaré, oh Yaré (se fue Yaré), regresarás
The singer is hopeful that Yaré will return
Se me fue Yaré (Se marchó Yaré) La mujer que yo tenía se fue y me abandonó
Yaré left the singer and abandoned him
me dijo que ella quería alguien mejor que yo, como yo sufrí, como yo lloré cuando la vi que se marchó pero antes rezé y le dije tu a mi vas a volver y se hecho a reír sin compasión, y tal como se lo dije a si mismito paso, y tal como se lo dije a si mismito paso.
Yaré told the singer that she wanted someone better than him. The singer prayed that she would return, and despite Yaré laughing at the proposal, it came true, as he had predicted.
Ayer me llamó que todo le salió mal que la perdonara que para ella como yo no hay otro igual, y yo le contesté, y yo le contesté y yo le contesté, sí, con mucho caché
Yaré called the artist and apologized, saying that he was the best she could find. The artist confidently accepted her apology, with a lot of arrogance.
(Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome) Pregonando por las calles, así mismito te hallé (Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome) Y aunque te quites la ropa, contigo no, no, no, no regresaré (Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome) Y como te lo advertí, así mismito te fue (Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome) Mira la veré, pero mira la veré, pero mira la veré, pero mira la veré por las calles buscándome (Así quería verte Yaré, sufriendo y buscándome) Y si decides buscarme, tu no podrás encontrarme
The artist had been waiting for Yaré to come looking for him and found her announcing her woes in the streets. Despite Yaré's attempts to reconcile, the artist refuses to return.
(Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome) Que te de el perdón no olvido eso es lo que tu has querido (Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome) Pero tu truco falló, ya no te perdonaré (Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome) Quisiera cambiarte el nombre pero te llamas Yaré (Ya regresó Yaré, buscándome, llorándome) Dos veces nos hemos separado por el mismo motivo, No puede ser por tercera vez (Ya regresó Yaré)
After Yaré returned, pleading for forgiveness and affection, the singer is unwilling to forgive her, seeing through her repentance as a mere trick.
(buscándome) No puede ser (llorándome) Pero que yo me canse y de nuevo lo juré (Ya regresó Yaré buscándome, llorándome) Oye contigo no volveré, aunque tu, llorándome (Ya regresó Yaré buscándome, llorándome) Óyelo bien (buscándome) Olvídame (llorándome)
The singer reiterates that they will not return to Yaré despite her pleas and tears, claiming that they have sworn to not be used and that she should forget about them.
Contributed by Alaina R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.