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.
El Ultimo Acto
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De nuestra comedia
Tiene dos estrellas
Y un solo final
En el escenario
De nuestro camino
Nos puso el destino
Su trampa mortal
El último acto
Que hoy le presentamos
Nunca imaginamos
Fuera el del adiós
Hoy nuestra comedia
Se viste de drama
Culmina la trama
Venciendo el dolor
No te pongas triste
Si ya tu sabías
Que la historia un día
Debe terminar
Solo que en la nuestra
Fuimos adelante
Todo fue brillante
Menos el final
El último acto
El público espera
De cualquier manera
Sigue la función
No dejes que nadie
Descubra tu pena
Salgamos a escena
Y arriba el telón
No te pongas triste
Si ya tu sabías
Que la historia un día
Debe terminar
Solo que en la nuestra
Fuimos adelante
Todo fue brillante
Menos el final
El último acto
El público espera
De cualquier manera
Sigue la función
No dejes que nadie
Descubra tu pena
Salgamos a escena
Arriba el telón
The song "El Ultimo Acto" by Tito Rodriguez tells a story about a couple facing the end of their relationship. The lyrics paint a picture of the last act of a play or a theatrical performance, but in this case, it is a metaphor for the end of their love story. The first paragraph introduces the characters as the stars of the play, and destiny has set up a trap for them, leading them towards a single end. The second paragraph highlights the surprise of realizing that the final act is, in fact, the end of their story. The couple is now faced with the drama that concludes their love with the underlying message that everything must come to an end. The third paragraph encourages the couple not to show their sadness to the audience and to continue with the show, hiding their emotions behind the curtain.
The song's beautiful melody and lyrics describe the couple's struggles and emotions that come with the end of the relationship, and it encourages the listener to keep moving forward even in tumultuous times. The lyrics are poetic, and the metaphor of a theatrical performance entices the listener to think deeper about the message. The song also portrays the importance of resilience and the determination to keep going, even when times are tough.
Line by Line Meaning
El último acto
Our story is coming to an end
De nuestra comedia
Of the comedy that we have been living
Tiene dos estrellas
It involves two main players
Y un solo final
But only one end result
En el escenario
On the stage
De nuestro camino
Of our journey through life
Nos puso el destino
Fate set the trap for us
Su trampa mortal
Its lethal snare
Que hoy le presentamos
We present to you today
Nunca imaginamos
We never thought
Fuera el del adiós
That it would be the one of farewell
Hoy nuestra comedia
Today our comedy
Se viste de drama
Has become a drama
Culmina la trama
The plot reaches its climax
Venciendo el dolor
Despite the pain
No te pongas triste
Don't be sad
Si ya tu sabías
Since you already knew
Que la historia un día
That our story one day
Debe terminar
Must come to an end
Solo que en la nuestra
But in ours
Fuimos adelante
We kept going
Todo fue brillante
It was all brilliant
Menos el final
Except for the ending
El público espera
The audience is waiting
De cualquier manera
In any case
Sigue la función
The show must go on
No dejes que nadie
Don't let anyone
Descubra tu pena
Discover your sorrow
Salgamos a escena
Let's take the stage
Y arriba el telón
And raise the curtain
Writer(s): . MANDY, BERNARDO MITNIK, ELIDA BEATRIZ KURFLAN MITNIK
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
manuel feliz gomez
Tito Rodriguez unos de los mas grandes baladistas del mundo. Sus canciones hicieron vibrar y los c o razones de la humanidad y uniendo en pacion y matrimonio a diferentes parejas del mundo
José E Rodriguez Mussenden
😭Dos meses de tú partida.Que descanses en paz Madre querida.Miriam M. Mussenden Matos.El Amor es más fuerte qué la muerte.💔💔💔💔💔💞😭
José E Rodriguez Mussenden
El Amor es más fuerte qué la muerte 💔💞💞
Cesar Andrés Roldán
Que hermoso tema y por supuesto interpretado por el maestro Tito Rodriguez fuiste inigualable Q.E.P.D. gracias por compartir tan buen tema
Carlos Amador
Sólo recuerdos,se siente el dolor en él alma
Gloria Gonzalez
Excelente tema de un grande bolerista
Pablo Lago Ramos
Gran interpretación
Carlos Arturo Victoria Barahona
Maravillosa melodía de Don Tito
Celia Andino
Carlos Arturo Victoria Barahona Pedro vargas con Toña lanegra
Gloria Alomia
No lo había escuchado mucho tema con exelente banda