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.
Tú no comprendes
Tito Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Con esta angustia 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
Así 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 mío
Tu cálida pasión vuelvo a gozar
Y quiero beber mas pero ya es tarde
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
Habrá que despertar
Soñando con tu amor que fue tan mío
Tu cálida pasión vuelvo a gozar
Y quiero beber mas pero ya es tarde
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
Habrá que despertar
In Tito Rodríguez's song Tú no comprendes, the singer is waiting for someone in a bar, feeling anxious and drinking to pass the time. The more he drinks, the more he gets lost in his thoughts and dreams, until the alcohol dulls his senses like a spider web. However, with each drink he takes, he somehow finds comfort in the memories of his lover. He remembers their past love and intimate moments, making him feel alive and passionate again. Despite his longing to keep drinking and basking in those moments, he eventually realizes that time has passed, and it's time to wake up from his fantasy.
The song portrays the allure and danger of alcohol as a temporary escape from reality. Although the singer indulges in drinking to forget his anxieties, he ultimately recognizes that he can't keep living in his illusions, and that he needs to face the world as it is.
Line by Line Meaning
Estoy en este bar donde te espero
I am waiting for you in this bar, full of anxiety
Con esta angustia de la ansiedad
I am feeling anguished and anxious
Y mientras tu no llegas voy bebiendo
While waiting for you, I am drinking
Sin darme cuenta
Unconsciously
Por no pensar
To avoid thinking about you not being here yet
Y mientras voy bebiendo
As I continue to drink
Voy soñando
I am dreaming
Perdido tibiamente en el sopor
Drifting off into a state of drowsiness
Es que la embriagues me va atrapando
The drunkenness is catching up to me
Como una telaraña
Like a spider's web
La niebla del alcohol
The fog of alcohol
Así vuelvo a beber y en cada copa
I keep drinking and with each drink
La vida vuelve a ser color de rosa
Life becomes rosy again
No importa la ansiedad
The anxiety doesn't matter
Si el pensamiento se deja acariciar con tu recuerdo
As long as I can fondly remember you
Soñando con tu amor que fue tan mío
Dreaming of the love that was once mine
Tu cálida pasión vuelvo a gozar
I enjoy your warm passion once more
Y quiero beber mas pero ya es tarde
I want to drink more, but it's already too late
Están cerrando el bar que hay en la calle
The bar on the street is closing down
Habrá que despertar
I have to wake up from my dream
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Carlos Bahr, Manuel Sucher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@enriquecollazos9781
Ufff !!!
Este señor
Era de otro planeta !!! 🎶🇨🇴
@sondelcorazon3416
Tito Rodriguez una voz esepcional !!!
Gracias amigo
Por Share
Ritmo y sentimiento !!!
@cesarandresroldan526
Que maravilloso tema grande maestro Tito Rodriguez
@williampalacio6863
tanto tiempo que te fuiste y esa voz que nunca muere
@yamilpernia6448
todas estan muy buenas pero alli falta la cancion de caciones INOLVIDABLE esa es por excelencia la especial de todas sus interpretaciones, por lo menos para mi
@CarmeniCirino6170000
WEPA!!!LOUIE. QUE TAL? ESTO ES ""MUSICA DE CABARET ""QUE RICO!!!!!! "EL INOLVIDABLE TITO RODRIGUEZ FROM OCEAN PARK P.R."
@luckylouie522
@sondelcorazon3416
Ufffff me encanta
Tito Rodriguez !!!