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.
Mientras Tú No Llegas
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Con esta angustía de la ansiedad
Y mientras tu no llegas voy bebiendo
Sin darme cuenta
Por no pensar
Y mientras voy bebiendo
Voy soñando
Perdido tibiamente en el sopor
Como una telaraña
La niebla del alcohol
Asi vuelvo a beber y en cada copa
La vida vuelve a ser color de rosa
No importa la ansiedad
Si el pensamiento se deja acariciar con tu recuerdo
Soñando con tu amor que fue tan mio
Tu calida pasión vuelvo a gozar
Y quiero beber mas pero ya es tarde
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
Habrá que despertar
Y quiero beber mas pero ya es tarde
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
Habrá que despertar
The lyrics of Tito Rodriguez's song "Mientras Tú No Llegas" talk about the anxious wait for someone to arrive at a bar. The singer is in this bar waiting and feeling anxious for the arrival of someone, possibly a lover or a friend. As he waits, he starts drinking, trying to forget his anxiety and possibly hoping that the alcohol will make time pass faster.
However, as he drinks more, he starts to lose himself in his thoughts, dreaming about the person he's waiting for and his memories with them. With each sip, he feels like life is becoming more colorful even though he still feels the anxiety of waiting. It's almost as if the alcohol is taking over his emotions and senses like a bewitching fog.
Towards the end of the song, he realizes that it's getting late and the bar is closing. He decides he must wake up from his drunken thoughts and face reality, accepting that the person he was waiting for may never come. The lyrics capture the mix of emotions that one experiences when waiting for someone who may never arrive and the temptation to drown their sorrows in alcohol.
Line by Line Meaning
Estoy en este bar donde te espero
I am waiting for you in this bar with an anguishing anxiety.
Con esta angustía de la ansiedad
The pain of my anxiety is overwhelming me.
Y mientras tú no llegas voy bebiendo
While I wait for you, I am drinking to ease my pain.
Sin darme cuenta por no pensar
I am drinking without realizing it because thinking hurts.
Y mientras voy bebiendo voy soñando
As I drink, I am dreaming to escape my reality.
Perdido tibiamente en el sopor
Drifting away softly into a drowsy state.
Es que la embriagues me va atrapando
The drink is catching up to me.
Como una telaraña la niebla del alcohol
The fog of alcohol surrounds me like a spider's web.
Así vuelvo a beber y en cada copa
That's why I continue drinking, and with every drink,
La vida vuelve a ser color de rosa
Life starts to look rosy again.
No importa la ansiedad si el pensamiento se deja acariciar con tu recuerdo
Anxiety doesn't matter if I can fondly think of you.
Soñando con tu amor que fue tan mío
Dreaming of your love that once was mine.
Tu cálida pasión vuelvo a gozar
I relive the warmth of your passion.
Y quiero beber más pero ya es tarde
And I want to drink more, but it's already late.
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
The bar on the street is closing down.
Habrá que despertar
I guess I have to wake up now.
Writer(s): Carlos Bahr, Manuel Sucher
Contributed by Abigail Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Javier Ramos
on No Lo Recuerdas
this songs name is Hipotesis track # 5 on this album