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.
Cuando Cuando Cuando
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No me finjas cariño
No me tengas piedad
Compasión ni temor
Si me diste tu olvido
No te culpo ni riño
Ni te doy el disgusto
De mirar a mi dolor
Mi poema más triste
Cantaré a todo el mundo
Lo que tú me quisiste
Y cuando nadie escuche
Mis canciones ya viejas
Detendré mi camino,
En un pueblo lejano, y allí moriré
Se que ya no me quieres
Me lo han dicho tus ojos
Partiré por las rutas
Que no tienen final
Vagaré, siempre, siempre
Partiré sin enojo
Y mis labios sin besos
Cantarán un madrigal
Partiré canturreando
Mi poema más triste
Cantaré a todo el mundo
Lo que tú me quisiste
Y cuando nadie escuche
Mis canciones ya viejas
Detendré mi camino
En un pueblo lejano, y allí moriré
In Tito Rodriguez's song, "Cuando Ya No Me Quieras," the singer acknowledges that his lover no longer loves him, and he does not wish for fake affection or compassion. He accepts and takes responsibility for his lover's forgetfulness, indicating that he will not blame or criticize her, nor does he want her to feel obligated to comfort his pain. Instead, he will leave this relationship, singing his most melancholic poem. He vows to tell the world what his lover meant to him and hopes that his love will continue to grow. Even when no one wants to listen to his old songs, Rodriguez concludes that he will find peace in some faraway village.
The lyrics evoke a sense of melancholy, acceptance, and isolation, all the while emphasizing the beauty of poetic expression. In the face of rejection, the singer preserves his dignity, refusing to resent or demand pity from his lover, which is somewhat unusual for love songs. He cherishes the memory of his lover and celebrates it, unburdened by regret or envy. Finally, he accepts his fate and finds redemption in his art.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando ya o me quieras
When you no longer love me
No me finjas cariño
Don't fake affection
No me tengas piedad
Don't pity me
Compasión ni temor
No compassion or fear
Si me diste tu olvido
If you've forgotten about me
No te culpo ni riño
I won't blame or scold you
Ni te doy el disgusto
I won't give you the displeasure
De mirar a mi dolor
Of seeing my pain
Partiré canturreando
I'll leave singing
Mi poema más triste
My saddest poem
Cantaré a todo el mundo
I'll sing to everyone
Lo que tú me quisiste
What you once loved about me
Y cuando nadie escuche
And when no one is listening
Mis canciones ya viejas
My old songs
Detendré mi camino,
I'll stop my journey
En un pueblo lejano, y allí moriré
In a faraway town, and there I'll die
Se que ya no me quieres
I know you don't love me anymore
Me lo han dicho tus ojos
Your eyes have told me
Partiré por las rutas
I'll leave on the roads
Que no tienen final
That have no end
Vagaré, siempre, siempre
I'll wander, always, always
Partiré sin enojo
I'll leave without anger
Y mis labios sin besos
And my lips without kisses
Cantarán un madrigal
Will sing a sweet love song
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CUATES CASTILLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yanuaryrodriguez3802
Cuando Cuando
Tito Rodríguez
Dime ¿Cuándo tú verás...
Que te adoro tanto y tanto?
No sé si tú lo sabrás
Que eres mía y nada más
¿Cuándo tú lo notarás?
Me pregunto ¿Cuándo y cuándo?
Si me miras al pasar
Mis ojos te lo dirán
El tictac del reloj
Pasa como los años
No me hagas esperar
Que esperar me hace daño
Algún día tú sabrás
Que este amor es sacrosanto
Y que es tuyo nada más
Por toda una eternidad
El tictac del reloj
Pasa como los años
No me hagas esperar
Que esperar me hace daño
Algún día tú sabrás
Que este amor es sacrosanto
Y que es tuyo nada más
Por toda una eternidad
@dubrafrangarcia9943
Escuchar esta música es irme a mi niñez. La música de mis padres en mi casa se bailaban y se escuchaban, como lo disfrutaban. Los extraño
@DamarisDiprieto
Yo lo mismo
@denisserengifodiaz6530
Lloré muchas veces al oír esta canción por un amor que se fue y más nunca volvió, 30 años después aún duele..
@CarlosGomez-bx8dn
La puedo escuchar mil veces, de cuando hacian música Hermosa
@RaulFuertes
Artista de Respeto que hizo música para toda la vida.
@raulfuertes8564
Tema que lo llevo en la mente y espíritu desde la niñez, de la generación decente de los 60's, que nunca se volverán a vivir.
@RaulFuertes
TITO RODRIGUEZ CANTA EPOPÉYICAMENTE, COMO UN POETA, NADIE HA LOGRADO IGUALARLO. ES UNO DE LOS MAS GIGANTES. ES UN PERSONAJE ETERNO.
@777.jemco.6
Aquí en cali, hasta finales de los años 80s gozábamos de la buena salsa(aun) y de los boleros y esa maravillosa musica de Tito Rodrigues, por siempre Tito y tu música....
@marlenerojasrojasdepena5018
INTERPRETADA POR TITO RODRIGUEZ NO TIENE COMPARACIÓN, ES ESPECTACULAR
@JuanDelgado-bq1hk
Gran corazón grandes letras un gran artista tengo 42 años i lo escucho era el artista favorito de mi papá que falleció .. 😢