Tito (born: Pablo Rodríguez Lozada) became interested in music as a child. He was always surrounded by musical toys, such as guitars, pianos and trumpets. His older brother, Johnny Rodríguez, was a song composer and bandleader, who inspired Tito to become a musician.
In 1936, 13 year old Tito joined the group of Ladislao (El Maestro Ladí) Martínez, "Industrias Nativas" as a singer and when he was 16 years old, he participated in a recording with the Mayari Cuartet. In 1940, Tito immigrated to New York City shortly after his parents, Jose and Severina died. He went to live with his brother Johnny, who had been living there since 1935.
In New York, Tito found a job as a singer and bongo player for the orchestra of Eric Madriguera. In 1941, he recorded "Amor Guajiro", "Acercate Mas" (Get Closer) and "Se Fue la Comparsa". In 1942, Tito joined the band of Xavier Cugat, and recorded "Bin, Bam, Bum" and "Ensalada de Congas" (Conga Salad).
Tito joined and served in the U.S. Army for one year. After he was discharged, he returned to New York where he joined the orchestra of Jose Carbelo. On one occasion, the band performed at the China Doll Cabaret. There he met a young Japanese chorus girl by the name of Tobi Kei (b. Takeku Kunimatsu, 23 January 1925, Bellingham, Washington, USA), who was to become his wife.
In 1947, Tito made his "solo" debut and finally organized his own band, which he named "Los Diablos del Mambo". In 1950, he enrolled in The Juilliard School of the Performing Arts, where he studied the vibrophone, xylophone and percussion.
He renamed his band "Los Lobos del Mambo" and later he dropped the name altogether. That's when he decided to go with the name "The Tito Rodriguez Orchestra". The first song that he recorded under the bands new name which became a "hit" was "Besame La Bemba" (Kiss My Big Lips). In 1952, he was honored for having developed his own unique singing style by the "Century Conservatory of Music of New York". His orchestra won the "Gran Trofeo Award" for two consecutive years.
In 1953, Tito heard a percussionist, by the name of Cheo Feliciano. So impressed was Tito that he offered Cheo a job in his band and hired him. Tito discovered that Cheo also knew how to sing and gave him an opportunity to sing at the Palladium Ballroom.
Eventually, Cheo went to work for another band but, the friendship between them lasted for the rest of their lives. Among the other orchestras that played at the Palladium, where the Charlie Palmieri and Tito Puente orchestras.
A rivalry which was to last for years, quickly developed between the two Tito's. The popular latin music craze at the time was the cha-cha and the merengue. With the beginning of the 1960s, all that was going to change with the popularity gained by rock music. Latino bands began to switch their styles and started playing more salsa and boogaloo, which was more attractive to the latin youth.
Tito decided to try his luck with boleros and recorded an album titled "Inolvidable" (Unforgettable), which is considered by many to be his greatest "hit". It sold over a million and a half copies world wide. He also produced records for other groups, such as Los Hispanos and Los Montemar.
The feud between the two Tito's was reflected on some of Rodriguez's recordings. "Avisale a Mi Contrario Que Aqui Estoy Yo" (Tell My Counterpart That I Am Here) and "Que Pena Me Da" (I Pity You), are just two examples of the bad feelings between both of them.
Tito returned to Puerto Rico in 1970 and built a Japanese style house in Santurce, where he lived with his family. Tito produced his own television show called "El Show de Tito Rodriguez" which was transmitted through channel 7. Among the special guest stars which appeared in his show were, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and Shirley Basey. Tito also founded his own recording studio called TR Records.
Tito's last public appearance was with Machito and his Band on February 2, 1973 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Tito Rodríguez died of leukemia on February 28, 1973, in his Coral Gables, Florida home where he had recently moved with wife.
Congoja
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
por que mi vida, supiste envenenar
con un cariño, que no ha dejado en ti
la misma herida, que sangra en mi
mas que, te importa un pecho que solloza
si ya en el, corazon tu lo has herido
por que nunca, tu has sentido su congoja
yo solo he de llorar, tanta amargura
yo solo he de pagar, esta condena
pero tengo que ahogar, mi amarga pena
por un amor, que hace sangrar mi corazon
mas que te importa un pecho que solloza
si ya en el corazon tu lo has herido
por que nunca tu has sentido su congoja
yo solo he de llorar tanta amargura
yo solo he de pagar esta condena
pero tengo que ahogar mi amarga pena
por un amor que hace sangrar mi corazon
por un amor que hace sangrar mi corazon
por un amor que hace sangrar mi corazon
The lyrics to Tito Rodriguez's song "Congoja" describe the pain and heartbreak caused by an unrequited love. The singer laments that despite their efforts, they cannot forget the person who has poisoned their life with a love that has left them wounded. The singer acknowledges their own suffering and the weight of the pain they carry, while feeling that the other person does not care about the sorrow they have caused. The lyrics emphasize the unbalanced nature of the relationship, in which one person is hurt deeply while the other remains indifferent.
Throughout the song, the singer makes a plea for empathy, for the other person to understand the depth of their pain and congoja (translated as anguish, distress, or sorrow). The repeated refrain of "mas que te importa un pecho que solloza / si ya en el corazon tu lo has herido / por que nunca tu has sentido su congoja" (translated as "what do you care about a weeping chest / if you have already wounded it in the heart / why have you never felt its congoja") highlights the singer's frustration and desperation for the other person to recognize their suffering.
Overall, the lyrics of "Congoja" express the complex emotions and pain of unrequited love, and the difficulty of moving on from a relationship in which one person is left hurt and wounded.
Line by Line Meaning
por mas que quiero, no te puedo olvidar
Despite my efforts, I am unable to forget you
por que mi vida, supiste envenenar
You poisoned my life
con un cariño, que no ha dejado en ti
With a love that has not left you
la misma herida, que sangra en mi
The same wound that bleeds in me
mas que, te importa un pecho que solloza
You care less about a sobbing heart
si ya en el, corazon tu lo has herido
Since you have hurt it in your heart
por que nunca, tu has sentido su congoja
Because you have never felt its anguish
yo solo he de llorar, tanta amargura
I can only cry, such bitterness
yo solo he de pagar, esta condena
I alone have to pay this sentence
pero tengo que ahogar, mi amarga pena
But I have to suffocate my bitter pain
por un amor, que hace sangrar mi corazon
For a love that makes my heart bleed
por un amor que hace sangrar mi corazon
For a love that makes my heart bleed
por un amor que hace sangrar mi corazon
For a love that makes my heart bleed
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nélida Urquiola
Que hermosa voz, impecable acompañamiento. De verdad que Don Tito Rodríguez es Inolvidable e insuperable.
Donald Savitzky
Estilo, elegancia, inigualables, una voz romantica. Mis respetos aqui en Piura Perú 2023. Puerto Rico tierra de grandes cantantes.
THE VAMPIRE HUNTER
QUE COMBINACION Y ARMONIA PERFECTA LA VOZ DE PABLO "TITO" RODRIGUEZ,...Y LOS VIOLINES DEL MAESTRO LEROY HOLMES,...UNA JOYA MUSICAL.
genesis gomez
El cantante mas elegante de todos los tiempos
Cesár Andrès Roldán
Que maravilloso tema es un gran deleite musical muchas gracias maestro Tito Rodriguez por dejarnos ese legado de temas musicales...
gracias por compartirlo recibe mi cordial saludo
Mariela Villalobos
TITO Rodriguez.....creci escuchando tus boleros....de niña me gustaron, los disfruto y los recordare por siempre."""por un amor q hace sangrar mi corazon"""""
jose sotomayor
NO HAY NI HABRA NADIE QUE PUEDA SUPERAR EL ESTILO Y LA VOZ DE TITO RODRIGUEZ. NO AY BOLEROS QUE SE PUEDAN IGUALAR A LOS QUE EL CANTABA..
Laura Amézquita Holguín
jose sotomayor pn
Delia Moscoso
Biografia de tito rodriguez
Catalina Rivera García
Tienes toda la razón... 😍