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.
Nunca
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Besar tú boca
Tú boca
De púrpura encendida
Y yo se que nunca
Nunca, nunca
Llegaré a la lopa
Apasionada fuente
Yo se que inútilmente te venero
Que inútilmente el corazón te bota
Pero a pesar de todo
Yo te quiero
Pero a pesar de todo
Ujum!! Yo te adoro
Aunque nunca
Nunca, nunca
Pueda besar tú boca
Nunca besaré tú boca
Yo nunca besaré tú boca
Nunca besaré tú boca
Yo nunca besaré tú boca
Nunca besaré tú boca
Yo nunca besaré tú boca
Yo se que nunca
Nunca, nunca voy a besar tú boca
Yo se que nunca
Nunca, nunca voy a besar tú boca.
The lyrics of Tito Rodriguez's song, "Nunca," express a sense of heartache and longing for something that the singer knows he can never have. He laments that he will never be able to kiss the lips of the one he desires, symbolized by the "púrpura encendida" or "purple lips" that he mentions. He also acknowledges that he will never be able to experience the passion and love that he imagines flows from her like an "apasionada fuente," or "passionate fountain."
Despite the pain and frustration he feels, the singer still holds onto his love for this person, declaring that he adores her despite knowing that his affection is unrequited. The repetition of the phrase "nunca, nunca, nunca" ("never, never, never") emphasizes the finality and impossibility of his desire.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of unattainable longing and the persistence of love in the face of disappointment. It is a poignant expression of the all-consuming nature of love and the pain that can accompany it when it is unreciprocated.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo sé que nunca
I know that I will never
Besar tú boca
Kiss your mouth
Tú boca
Your mouth
De púrpura encendida
Of fiery purple
Y yo se que nunca
And I know that I will never
Nunca, nunca
Never, never
Llegaré a la lopa
Reach the passionate source
Apasionada fuente
Passionate source
De tú vida
Of your life
Yo se que inútilmente te venero
I know that I worship you in vain
Que inútilmente el corazón te bota
That my heart beats for you in vain
Pero a pesar de todo
But despite everything
Yo te quiero
I love you
Pero a pesar de todo
But despite everything
Ujum!! Yo te adoro
Oh yeah! I adore you
Aunque nunca
Although I will never
Nunca, nunca
Never, never
Pueda besar tú boca
Be able to kiss your mouth
Nunca besaré tú boca
I will never kiss your mouth
Yo nunca besaré tú boca
I will never kiss your mouth
Nunca besaré tú boca
I will never kiss your mouth
Yo nunca besaré tú boca
I will never kiss your mouth
Nunca besaré tú boca
I will never kiss your mouth
Yo se que nunca
I know that I will never
Nunca, nunca voy a besar tú boca
Never, never will I kiss your mouth
Yo se que nunca
I know that I will never
Nunca, nunca voy a besar tú boca.
Never, never will I kiss your mouth.
Writer(s): R. Lopez Mendez, G. Cardenas
Contributed by Matthew T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Luis Ramón Diaz Rodriguez
Maravillosa interpretación del gran TITO RODRIGUEZ, excelente pieza para bailar.
Cesar Andrés Roldan
me encanta es un deleite la voz del maestro Tito Rodriguez mucho sabor y por su puesto su orquesta gracias por compartir ese gran tema saludos desde Bogota Colombia
yuotobe
COMO TITO RODRIGUEZ NO HAY DOS.... ERES UNICO
Jairo Uberney Correa Garcia
EXCELENTE TEMA DEL MAESTRO TITO R
Salsero
ORGULLO BORICUA!! TITO RODRIGUEZ
mariachuqui1
GRACIAS!!!!!!!!!!!!...HACIA ANOS QUE NO LO ESCUCHABA,ME LO LLEVO A MIS FAVORITOS Y A FACEBOOK,THANK YOU.HAPPY NEW YEAR!2012
Rafael Rodriguez
"Nunca" tema acreditado exclusivamente al compositor yucateco Guty Cárdenas, de quien se cumplen 87 años de su muerte el pasado viernes 5 de abril, pero las cosas en orden "NUNCA" Letra de Ricardo López Méndez - Música de Guty Cárdenas.
nestor.alberto echeverri.forero
buenisimo tema
Zaetta Vivian
marvelous
Rafael Diaz
el padre de tito rodriquez era dominicano de san pedro de macoris