Texas Tornados are a Tejano band whose music is a fusion of rock, country a… Read Full Bio ↴Texas Tornados are a Tejano band whose music is a fusion of rock, country and various Mexican styles. The initial combination of these musicians happened almost by chance at a concert performance of a mutual acquaintance. After Freddy Fender, Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers and Doug Sahm performed in front of a San Francisco audience, they all knew the genuine bond they felt in their music could probably be taken to another level. After they initially performed as the Tex-Mex Revue, they took the title Texas Tornados, after Sahm's song and album of that name.

Another account of the group's birth says they formed when record company executives looking to cash in on regional music sales approached Sahm and Meyers around 1990, and they brought in longtime friends and collaborators Fender and Jimenez. Sahm had released albums under the name Texas Tornados as early as the 1970s, some featuring Fender or Meyers. Jimenez and Meyers played on Sahm's Atlantic Records debut in 1971.

Individually, this quartet has had major success. Corpus Christi-native Freddy Fender was a cross-over success story around the world with hits like "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights".

Flaco Jimenez has played with acts ranging from the Rolling Stones to Dwight Yoakam. He also is known as the "Father of Conjunto Music" (Flaco plays the Conjunto accordion).

Augie Meyers has shared the stage with the likes of The Allman Brothers Band and Bob Dylan. He's also a member of the Texas Music Hall of Fame. Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers were both members of the 1960s pop-rock band the Sir Douglas Quintet, with hits such as "She's About a Mover" and "Mendocino" to their credit. Sahm, Meyers and Jimenez are from the San Antonio area.

The band's 1990 debut was recorded in both English and Spanish versions. The Texas Tornados were asked to perform all over the world at places like the Presidential Inauguration of Bill Clinton, the Montreaux Jazz Festival, as well as regular appearances at Farm Aid and the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show.

Among their other albums is Live From The Limo, this was the last album to be recorded that featured the complete lineup, as Sahm died in 1999, the year of its release. Fender, who had health problems in later years, died in 2006. Their 2005 Live from Austin album was a recording of a 1990 performance on the TV series Austin City Limits.

People sometimes refer to their lyrics as Spanglish because of the mixture of English and Spanish in the same song, in addition to pronouncing the Spanish lyrics in an American accent, which is evident in their hit, "(Hey Baby) Que Paso". An example is the lyric: "Don't you know I love you / and my corazón is real?", where the word corazón (Spanish for "heart") is improperly pronounced IPA: [ˌkɔɹɑˈsoʊn] with an obvious American accent instead of IPA: [koɾaˈson], the proper Latin format. The band's self-titled debut album was offered in Spanish and English-language versions.

Recently, Shawn Sahm reunited with the remaining Tornados, Augie Meyers and Flaco Jimenez and together with five previously unreleased songs from Freddy Fender and one original from Sir Doug along with some of Augie Meyer's trademark songs recorded for the first time by the Tornados. What emerged was the CD "Esta Bueno" which was produced by Shawn Sahm and released nationally by Ray Benson's Bismeaux Records. Esta Bueno was released in March 2010.

The Tornados are gearing up for a Summer 2010 Tour that includes original Tornado musicians Louie Ortega, Speedy Sparks and Ernie Durawa. Former Tex Maniac and current Raul Malo bandmate Michael Guerra will join them on tour playing the Bajo Sexto.

One and Only
Texas Tornados Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Empty bottle stares at me
Suitcase by the door
Still I wonder, can it be
Like it was before?

Like a star in the night
We loved so well
I love you, baby

Yesterday

Yes, it's me, the one and only
Standin' here for all the world to see
Yes, it's me, the one and only
I'm not at all what I seem to be

Some day, baby, we'll work it out
Turn back the hands of time
'Til then, baby, I've got to find
Just a little peace of mind

Like a star in the night
We loved so well
I love you, baby
Yesterday

Yes, it's me, the one and only
Standin' here for all the world to see
Yes, it's me, the one and only
I'm not at all what I seem to be

Some day, baby, we'll work it out
Turn back the hands of time

Yes, it's me, the one and only
Standin' here for all the world to see
Yes, it's me, the one and only
I'm not at all what I seem to be

Yes, it's me, the one and only

Yes, it's me, the one and only

Yes, it's me, the one and only

Overall Meaning

The Texas Tornados' song "One and Only" is a classic example of a heartbreak song. The singer is reminiscing about a love that is now lost, represented by an empty bottle and a suitcase by the door. The singer asks if it's possible to return to the past when they were in love, represented by "like a star in the night, we loved so well." Despite this yearning, the singer knows that they have to move on and find peace of mind.

The chorus of the song features the singer asserting themselves as "the one and only," standing before the world to see. This could be interpreted as a way to show strength and independence after the heartbreak. The singer also acknowledges that they are not what they seem to be, which could suggest a hidden sadness or pain.

Overall, "One and Only" is a bittersweet song about love, loss, and the search for closure. The singer is trying to come to terms with the end of their relationship but still has feelings for their former lover.

Line by Line Meaning

Empty bottle stares at me
I see an empty bottle in front of me

Suitcase by the door
I see a suitcase near the exit

Still I wonder, can it be
I am still unsure if it is possible

Like it was before?
Like it was in the past?

Like a star in the night
Our love was bright and beautiful

We loved so well
Our love was strong and true

I love you, baby
I deeply care for you, my love

Yesterday
In the past

Yes, it's me, the one and only
I am here, unmistakably myself

Standin' here for all the world to see
Standing here, visible to everyone

I'm not at all what I seem to be
I'm not the person people may think I am