On 16 July 1929 debuted at the "El Retiro" and doing cabaret season at the site, where it was known as "la Peregrino", the Don Emilio Azcarraga Vidaurreta knew who was, along with Enrique Contel, who named her Tona la Negra . Began to be recognized in its interpretation of the song "Enamorada" by Agustin Lara, who also produced for her songs like "Lamento Jarocho", "Veracruz", "Noche Criolla ", "Oración Caribe", "Palmera", "La clave azul "and " La Cumbancha "which appeared together in a music magazine in the Teatro Esperanza in December 1932, with such success that should extend their presentations for a long time.
She also sang for Cuban legends La Sonora Matancera. The alley where she was born in the old barrio of "La Huaca" in the city of Veracruz, México, carries her name. After her death the municipality of Veracruz has erected a statue of Toña la Negra within sight of the old church of Cristo del Buen Viaje (1609) bordering on the La Huaca barrio.
The German film director Christian Baudissin made a documentary about Toña la Negra for television in 1993 with interviews with her ex-husband the musician "Vittillo" Victor Ruiz Pazos and others who knew her.
Farolito
Toña la negra Lyrics
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mi calle desierta,
cuantas noches me has visto llorando,
llamar a su puerta.
Sin llevarle más que una canción,
un pedazo de mi corazón,
sin llevarle más nada que un beso,
friolento y travieso, amargo y dulzor.
mi calle desierta,
cuantas noches me has visto llorando,
llamar a su puerta.
Sin llevarle más que una canción,
un pedazo de mi corazón,
sin llevarle más nada que un beso,
friolento y travieso, amargo y dulzor.
sin llevarle más nada que un beso,
friolento y travieso, amargo y dulzor.
The lyrics to Toña la Negra's song "Farolito" paint a picture of loneliness, heartbreak, and unrequited love. The singer addresses a streetlamp, or "farolito," that illuminates their deserted street. The singer laments how many nights they have spent crying and calling out for their love, who does not acknowledge them. The only gifts the singer brings to their beloved are a song, a piece of their heart, and a chilly, mischievous, bittersweet kiss. The repetition of these lines emphasizes the simplicity and futility of the singer's attempts at winning their love's affection.
The imagery in the song is powerful and evocative. The deserted street reinforces the singer's isolation, and the farolito serves as a symbol of hope and comfort. The incongruity of the kiss being both cold and mischievous, as well as bitter and sweet, suggests a complex and contradictory relationship. The singer's mention of bringing only a song and a piece of their heart highlights how little control they have over their emotional vulnerability.
Overall, "Farolito" is a hauntingly beautiful lament for unrequited love and the pain of longing for someone who doesn't feel the same.
Line by Line Meaning
sin llevarle más nada que un beso, friolento y travieso, amargo y dulzor.
Without bringing anything else, just a kiss that is both cold and mischievous. It's a mix of bitterness and sweetness.
cuantas noches me has visto llorando, llamar a su puerta.
You have witnessed me crying and knocking on her door, so many nights.
Farolito, que alumbras apenas mi calle desierta,
Oh little street light, you barely illuminate my deserted street.
Sin llevarle más que una canción, un pedazo de mi corazón,
I didn't bring anything else but a song and a piece of my heart.
Farolito, que alumbras apenas mi calle desierta,
Oh little street light, you barely illuminate my deserted street.
cuantas noches me has visto llorando, llamar a su puerta.
You have witnessed me crying and knocking on her door, so many nights.
Sin llevarle más que una canción, un pedazo de mi corazón,
I didn't bring anything else but a song and a piece of my heart.
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.