Born Ernesto Antonio Puente, Jr., on April 20, 1923, in el barrio Spanish harlem, New York, Puente was a musical pioneer for mixing musical styles with Latin sounds and for his experiments in fusing Latin music with jazz. The son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Puente grew up in New York City's Spanish Harlem and took piano lessons as a child and then studied percussion. He became a professional musician at age 13. Tito Puente later learned to play a number of instruments, including the piano, saxophone, vibraphone, and timbales (paired high-pitched drums). After an apprenticeship in the historic Machito Orchestra, he was drafted and served in the navy during World War II.
Once he returned to New York in 1945, Puente used money from the G.I. Bill to study at the famed Juilliard School of Music. He formed a band that would later be known as the Tito Puente Orchestra in 1948. By the 1950s, crowds came to see his band play and Puente became a Latin music sensation. In 1958, his best-selling album, Dance Mania, was released. More hit records followed as the world enjoyed the way Puente put a big band spin on traditional Latin dances.
He added other Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms to his repertoire, including cha cha, merengue, bossa nova, and salsa, and among his notable songs are Babarabatiri, Ran Kan Kan, and Oye Como Va. Puente also performed with leading jazz performers, including George Shearing and Woody Herman, as well as with many stars of Latin music and, in later years, with symphony orchestras.
During a career that spanned more than five decades, Puente became a musical legend in Latin music and jazz circles. He made more than 100 albums and created more than 200 compositions. Puente received numerous awards for his work, including five Grammy Awards. Sometimes called the "King of Latin Jazz" or simply "El Rey" - The King - he made an indelible mark on the popular culture. The writer Oscar Hijuelos made him a character in his 1989 novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, and Puente appeared as himself in the 1992 film adaptation. He also guest starred on numerous television shows, such as The Simpsons.
Tito Puente died on May 31, 2000, while in the hospital for heart surgery in New York, New York. Adored by his fans, many people waited in line for days to say good-bye to the popular bandleader.
'Round Midnight
Tito Puente Lyrics
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'Round midnight, midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
But it really gets bad
'Round midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
When my heart is still with you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Does it mean that our love is ending
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
You're out of my heart
And I'm out of my mind
Let our hearts take wings'
'Round midnight, midnight
Let the angels sing
For your returning
Till our love is safe and sound
And old midnight comes around
Feelin' sad
Really gets bad
Round, Round, Round Midnight
The lyrics of Tito Puente's 'Round Midnight' depict the feeling of sadness and heartache the singer is experiencing during the late hours of the night. The song starts with the singer explaining how they are good until right after sundown, but once it gets around midnight, they start feeling sad. Memories, particularly those related to their love, begin to resurface around this time, and the singer finds it difficult to deal with them, especially since their heart is still with the person they love. The singer expresses how they feel like they are losing the person they love, and they are struggling to keep it together.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to become more and more desperate for their lover's attention. They question if the quarrel they had means their love is coming to an end, and they plead for their lover to return to their side. The singer finds themselves in a vulnerable state, unable to stop the memories and thoughts that rush back to them around midnight. The song ends with them wanting their love to be safely back in their arms so that they can forget the hurt and pain they feel.
One of the key themes in this song is the power of memories and how intensely they can impact someone. It emphasizes how love can often be a double-edged sword, and sometimes the more we love someone, the more it hurts when they're gone. The lyrics are quite simple yet powerful, and Tito Puente's use of instruments and melody add to the emotional aspect of the song, capturing the essence of late-night sadness and heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
It begins to tell
The song's story begins to unfold
'Round midnight, midnight
During the late hours of the night
I do pretty well, till after sundown
The singer is fine during the day but feels low in the evening
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
The singer feels gloomy while having dinner
But it really gets bad
The singer's emotions worsen later in the night
'Round midnight
It's late at night
Memories always start 'round midnight
The singer's memories surface late at night
Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
The singer is unable to cope with those memories emotionally
When my heart is still with you
The singer still has feelings for their past lover
And ol' midnight knows it, too
The night-time is aware of the singer's emotions
When a quarrel we had needs mending
When there's a disagreement that needs resolution
Does it mean that our love is ending
The singer is questioning if their relationship is over
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
The singer misses their lover and wants them back
You're out of my heart
The singer is trying to move on
And I'm out of my mind
The singer is emotionally unstable
Let our hearts take wings'
Let's allow our emotions to soar
'Round midnight, midnight
During the late hours of the night
Let the angels sing
Let's have hope for the future
For your returning
Let's hope for the return of the singer's lover
Till our love is safe and sound
Until the singer's relationship is secure
And old midnight comes around
When it's late at night again
Feelin' sad
The singer feels low
Really gets bad
The singer's emotions worsen
Round, Round, Round Midnight
Repeating the song's title
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind