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.
Sácala
Tito Puente Lyrics
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Being with you get's me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face
And I've never been this swept away
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away
Is the beating of your heart
'Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby, all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
I can feel you breathe, just breathe
In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
Closer than I've ever felt before
And I know, and you know
There's no need for words right now
I can feel you breathe
Washing over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby, all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
I can feel you breathe, just breathe
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
I can feel you breathe, just breathe
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
The lyrics of Tito Puente’s Sácala describe a deeply emotional and intimate moment between two people. The singer expresses feeling a magical and surreal presence when they are with their lover. As they lie in their lover’s arms, they feel their thoughts and worries fading away as they become completely wrapped up in the moment. The singer is able to hear nothing but the beating of their lover’s heart, and they describe the feeling of being washed over by their lover’s breath. They ask whether it is not the way love is supposed to be, to be caught up in each other’s touch, experiencing a slow and steady rush. The lyrics convey a powerful sense of surrender and vulnerability between two people in love, a poignant moment captured in words.
One interesting fact about Sácala is that it was originally written by Juan José Hernández as a merengue song. Tito Puente, known as the “King of Mambo,” adapted it into a mambo arrangement, which became one of his most popular tracks. This is exemplary of Tito Puente’s signature style, which involved blending different musical traditions from Latin America and the United States, pioneering new hybrid styles of music. Another interesting fact is that the word "sácala" means "remove it" in Spanish, which may be interpreted as removing the barriers that prevent one from experiencing a moment of intimacy with a loved one. Sácala is also one of Tito Puente's most covered songs, with artists like Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, and Santana performing their own versions of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel the magic floating in the air
I am sensing the enchantment in the atmosphere
Being with you get's me that way
My emotions get elevated in your presence
I watch the sunlight dance across your face
I observe the sunbeams playfully moving on your countenance
And I've never been this swept away
I have never been this deeply affected before
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
My ruminations seem to dissipate like the wind
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
When I'm cuddled up in your embrace
The whole world just fades away
The rest of the world becomes insignificant
The only thing I hear
The only sound I perceive
Is the beating of your heart
Is the rhythmic pulsation of your heart
'Cause I can feel you breathe
Because I am able to sense your breathing
It's washing over me
It is overwhelming me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
And abruptly I am completely absorbed into you
There's nothing left to prove
There is no requirement for demonstrating anything
Baby, all we need is just to be
Darling, all we necessitate is to exist as we are
Caught up in the touch
Engaged in the sensations
Slow and steady rush
Gradual yet persistent thrill
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
Sweetheart, isn't this how love is meant to be experienced
In a way I know my heart is waking up
In a certain sense, I am aware that my heart is coming alive
As all the walls come tumbling down
As all the barriers crumble away
Closer than I've ever felt before
More intimate than I have ever experienced previously
And I know, and you know
And I am conscious, and you are conscious
There's no need for words right now
At present, no verbal exchange is required
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group
Written by: Mary Holladay Lamar, Stephanie Kay Bentley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind