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.
Llevatela
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Si al fin y al cabo piensa mucho en ti
Por la forma en que te mira comprendí
Que olvido todas las cosas que le di
Oye, llévatela
Pero tienes que quererla como yo
Es un poco caprichosa
Hace tiempo que me esta fingiendo
No me esta diciendo ninguna verdad
Mis amores se han ido muriendo
Seguir insistiendo seria mi maldad
Llévatela
Y si es cierto que le tienes mucho amor
Eso hará que no le encuentres ni un error
Vivirás agradecido a su calor
Olvidaba decirte
Si al querer decir tu nombre
Pronuncia el de otro hombre
Así le pasó conmigo
Te suplico la lleves por el bien de los tres.
Mis amores se han ido muriendo
Seguir insistiendo seria mi maldad
Pero llévatela
Y si es cierto que le tienes mucho amor
Eso hará que no le encuentres ni un error
Vivirás agradecido a su calor
Y olvidaba decirte
Si al querer decir tu nombre
Pronuncia el de otro hombre
Igual le pasó conmigo
Por eso vamos mi amigo
Te suplico la lleves
Para el bien de los tres.
In Tito Rodriguez's song "Llevatela," the singer is urging his friend to take away his lover. He explains that even though she may think a lot about him, he has noticed from the way she looks at him that she has forgotten all the things he has given her. The singer thinks that the woman is a little demanding and sometimes jealous, but other times very affectionate. He also suggests that she has been pretending for some time and not telling him the truth. The singer knows his love has gone and he could continue to insist, but that would be his wrongdoing. The singer encourages his friend to take her and if he really loves her, he will not find any errors in her, and will be grateful for her warmth.
The lyrics of this song carries an underlying message of heartbreak and loss. The singer has come to terms with the fact that his relationship with the woman has come to an end, yet he appears to care for her well-being. He is aware of her negative and positive traits, yet he believes that she is capable of being loved by someone else who can truly cherish her.
Line by Line Meaning
Llévatela
Take her with you
Si al fin y al cabo piensa mucho en ti
If in the end she thinks a lot about you
Por la forma en que te mira comprendí
From the way she looks at you, I understood
Que olvido todas las cosas que le di
That she forgot all the things I gave her
Oye, llévatela
Listen, take her with you
Pero tienes que quererla como yo
But you have to love her like I do
Es un poco caprichosa
She's a bit capricious
Por momentos es celosa y, otras veces, cariñosa
At times she's jealous, and other times, affectionate
Hace tiempo que me esta fingiendo
She's been pretending with me for a while
No me esta diciendo ninguna verdad
She's not telling me any truth
Mis amores se han ido muriendo
My loves have been dying
Seguir insistiendo seria mi maldad
Continuing to insist would be my wrongdoing
Y si es cierto que le tienes mucho amor
And if it's true that you love her a lot
Eso hará que no le encuentres ni un error
That will make you not find any flaw in her
Vivirás agradecido a su calor
You will live grateful for her warmth
Olvidaba decirte
I forgot to tell you
Si al querer decir tu nombre
If when wanting to say your name
Pronuncia el de otro hombre
She pronounces another man's name
Así le pasó conmigo
She did the same thing with me
Te suplico la lleves por el bien de los tres
I beg you to take her for the good of all three
Por eso vamos mi amigo
That's why we're friends
Pero llévatela
But take her with you
Para el bien de los tres
For the good of all three
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Armando Manzanero
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@abraxito
Escuché esta versión en Radio Centro hoy, 10 d febrero de 2024. Me dio mucha nostalgia escuchar esta versión, es una interpretación excelsa.
@toledoedgarhdo
Que voz tan preciosa, que melodía tan encantadora y que letra tan especial. Desde Bucaramanga (Colombia) una felicitación a los que aprecian semejante pieza artística
@TheAlvarez2gls
Sí la juventud de a hora escuchara está musica no existiera tanta violencia
@WJH777
Me entristece que muchos en mi generación no saben de esta música😔 es lo mejor!!!
@laurasoledadvillarreal3965
W H. Excelente tema e interpretación
@RaulFuertes
La de Tito Rodriguez es la mejor interpretación.
@valentinasantiago645
It is our responsibility to expose them to the classics at an early age. I am 64 and I started putting the radio next to my belly each time I became pregnant (I got 5 push babies). Later on when they were 5 years old I began taking them to Lincoln Center and Carnegie hall as well as listening to Jazz and Salsa at home. Now my children enjoy the classics from Tchaikovsky to Tito. and still they also listen to wrap or as I like to call it, Noise.
@ricardoalegria4064
Nada de eso en Colombia hoy en los jóvenes llega esta musica y tito ricardo alegría popayan col
@julian-ze4ny
muy chevere esta musica
@osmel80
Un fenómeno de la música, tito Rodríguez