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.
Cuando Te Vea
Tito Puente Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Permite, que pueda explicarte
Los momentos de amargura
Que pase por ti mujer
Yo comprendo, soy un hombre
Lo que quiero nena linda
Es disculparte
Que pase por ti mujer
Yo comprendo, soy un hombre
Lo que quiero nena linda
Es disculparte
Por los momentos de amargura
Que pase por ti mujer
Cuando te vea
Fuiste mala mala why embustera
Cuando te vea
Mañana por la mañana
Cuando te vea
Te fuiste de mi vida mujer bandolera
Cuando te vea
The lyrics to Tito Puente's song "Cuando Te Vea" tell the story of a man who is planning to confront a woman who has hurt him in the past. The opening lines, "Mañana cuando yo te vea / Permite, que pueda explicarte," (Tomorrow when I see you / Allow me to explain to you) suggest that the man has been carrying around some emotional pain and is finally ready to confront the woman about it. He wants to explain the moments of bitterness that he went through because of her.
As the song continues, the man expresses his desire to forgive the woman, despite the pain that he has gone through. He says, "Yo comprendo, soy un hombre / Lo que quiero nena linda / Es disculparte / Por los momentos de amargura / Que pase por ti mujer." (I understand, I'm a man / What I want, pretty lady / Is to forgive you / For the moments of bitterness / That I went through because of you). The repetition of these lines reinforces the man's willingness to forgive and move on from the hurt that he has experienced.
The chorus of the song is somewhat more confrontational, as the man calls the woman out for her bad behavior. He says, "Cuando te vea / Fuiste mala mala why embustera / Cuando te vea / Mañana por la mañana / Cuando te vea / Te fuiste de mi vida mujer bandolera / Cuando te vea" (When I see you / You were bad bad and deceitful / When I see you / Tomorrow in the morning / When I see you / You left my life, bandit woman / When I see you). These lines suggest that the man is still hurt and angry about what the woman did to him, even as he tries to forgive her.
Overall, "Cuando Te Vea" is a complex and emotionally nuanced song that explores themes of forgiveness, pain, and confrontation. Through the lyrics, Tito Puente portrays a man who is trying to come to terms with a difficult situation, even as he struggles to move past the hurt that he has experienced.
Line by Line Meaning
Mañana cuando yo te vea
Tomorrow when I see you
Permite, que pueda explicarte
Allow me to explain to you
Los momentos de amargura
The bitter moments
Que pase por ti mujer
That you went through, my dear
Yo comprendo, soy un hombre
I understand, I am a man
Lo que quiero nena linda
What I want, my beautiful babe
Es disculparte
Is to apologize to you
Por los momentos de amargura
For the bitter moments
Que pase por ti mujer
That you went through, my dear
Cuando te vea
When I see you
Fuiste mala mala why embustera
You were bad bad and a liar
Cuando te vea
When I see you
Mañana por la mañana
Tomorrow morning
Cuando te vea
When I see you
Te fuiste de mi vida mujer bandolera
You left my life, woman wanderer
Cuando te vea
When I see you
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TITO PUENTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@josedanielcamerovelasquez680
Con estas melodías me deleitó todos los días cuando me siento apagado me suelto un temita de salsa y el ánimo se eleva a 5000 mil porciento.
@mauroruiz4247
Muy buenas tardes, Tito Puente el mejor SALSA! la mejor musica saludos desde San juan de Pasto Colombia
@horamoraginhoramoragin7422
Santos Colon con Tito Puente: Dios los tenga en la gloria y brille para ellos la Luz Perpetua. (Q.E.P.D.)
@carlosrobertodavilacanales6488
Q linda canción y q buena interpretación de santitos Colón Buenaza !!!!
@johnjamessaldarriagaossa2185
Temasoooo vayalooo 🥃🎷🎷🎼🎼🎺🎺mucho sabor en una melodía, la salsa por siempre.
@limdavidmori4453
MAGNIFICO....MI ALMA SE ALEGRA....AMEN.
@arturogarciariascos5203
El maestro Tito Puente, con la voz del melao, Santitos Colón, mucha clase
@jhoncaruci8835
Tremenda pieza saludos cordiales
@ganzegal
Tema de temas. ¡Viva el guaguanco!
@fernandazapata4305
Me encantaaa 🎶🎵🎶🎷🎺🎶🎶🎶🎶 i.siempre q lo escucho se. Me llena mi ❤️de nostalgia