Ángel Tomás "Tommy" Olivencia Pagán was born in the Vill… Read Full Bio ↴Early years
Ángel Tomás "Tommy" Olivencia Pagán was born in the Villa Palmeras section of Santurce, Puerto Rico. His family moved to the city of Arecibo when he was just a child. He received his primary and secondary education in Arecibo. As a young man, he became fascinated with the trumpet and learned to play the musical instrument.
In 1954, Olivencia sang and played the trumpet for local bands. He graduated from high school in 1957 and his family relocated once again to Santurce.
Puertorrican Salsa DJ Yun Yun Echevarria interviews Tommy Olivencia (1980s)
Puertorrican Salsa DJ Yun Yun Echevarria interviews Tommy Olivencia (1980s)
La Primerisima Orchestra de Puerto Rico
In 1960, Olivencia organized his first orchestra, which he named "Tommy Olivencia y La Primerisima Orchestra de Puerto Rico". His band combined swing and melodic styles together. This combination plus a strong brass contingent in the band was his trademark. Olivencia signed a contract with Inca Records and remained with that label until 1978. In 1972, he had his first major "hit" with Secuestro (Kidnapped) and followed that hit with Juntos de Nuevo (Together Again) in 1974 and Plante Bandera in 1975.
Olivencia's band was also known as the "Tommy Olivencia School", because the band produced some of the best and most talented singers and musicians of salsa in the island. Among those to have belonged to the band at one time or another were: Chamaco Ramirez, Sammy "El Rolo" González, Simon Perez, Paquito Guzman, Ubaldo "Lalo" Rodriguez, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Marvin Santiago, Frankie Ruiz, Hector Tricoche, Carlos Alexis, Hector "Pichie" Perez, Paquito "Junior" Acosta and Mel Martínez.
Albums recordings
Tommy Olivencia (c. 1977)
Tommy Olivencia (c. 1977)
Among the albums recorded by Olivencia and his band are:
* Trucu-Tu
* La Nueva Sensacion Musical De Puerto Rico 1965
* Jala-Jala y Guaguancó 1966
* Fire Fire 1967
* A Toda Maquina 1968
* Cuero...Salsa y Sentimiento 1971
* Secuestro (Kidnapped) 1972
* Juntos de Nuevo (Together Again) 1974
* Planté Bandera 1975
* Introducing Lalo Rodríguez and Simón Pérez (1976)
* El Negro Chombo 1977
* La Primerísima 1978
* Sweet Trumpet-Hot Salsa 1978
* Tommy Olivencia y su Orchestra with Paquito Guzmán & Gilberto Santa Rosa (1979)
* Un Triangulo De Triunfo (Triangle of Triumph) (1981)
* Tommy Olivencia y su Orchestra with Frankie Ruiz & Carlos Alexis 1983
* Celebrando Otro Aniversario(Celebrating Another Anniversary) (1984)
* Ayer, Hoy, Mañana y Siempre(Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Always) (1985)
* 30 Aniversario 1987
* El Jeque 1990
* Enamorado y Que! (I'm in Love, What about it?) 1991
* Vive La Leyenda 1998
* 40 Aniversario Live 2002
The following are considered among the top 100 greatest salsa songs:
* Casimira
* Como Lo Hacen (How they do it)
* Trucutru
* Pa'Lante Otra Vez
* Lobo Domesticado (Domestic Wolf)
* No Me Tires La Primera Piedra
Awards and recognitions
Tommy Olivencia Planté Bandera (1975)
Tommy Olivencia Planté Bandera (1975)
Among the many awards and recognitions which have been bestowed upon Olivencia are the following:
* The Puerto Rican Senate passed a resolution congratulating Olivencia and his band for their contributions to Puerto Rico's music.
* El Cordero de Oro (The Golden Lamb) and El Buho de Oro (The Golden Owl) Awards from Panama, for the best foreign band.
* The Golden Agueybana Award from Puerto Rico
* The November 11th Award from Colombia
Later years
On August 2000, Olivencia celebrated his 40th anniversary in the music industry at the Tito Puente Theater in San Juan, an event attended by many of the former members of his band. On May 15, 2004, Olivencia celebrated his 66th birthday and 45 years with the band with a live recording concert. The annual "Day of Salsa" of 2005, celebrated in Puerto Rico was dedicated to Olivencia.
Death
He died on September 22, 2006, aged 68, from complications of diabetes, which he had battled his entire life.
Planté Bandera
Tommy Olivencia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
que yo plantara bandera
pues lo que dice mi voz
oye sonero, se repite donde quiera.
Tu te creías que eras dueño de todo
y me decías que el mundo anda a tu modo
y de repente llegue sin echármelas de fiera
Con humildad, con mi sencillez, con facilidad
y el mensaje aquel: pa'lante es que es.
Yo se que no te gustó
que yo plantara bandera
pero a lo hecho pecho
también yo tengo derecho.
Pero a lo hecho pecho, también yo tengo derecho.
Oye rumbero mira, tu creías que yo no la tiraba, y aquí me tienes derecho.
Pero plante bandera y ahora mi voz se escucha donde quiera,
también yo tengo derecho.
Oye que tu cantabas tu canción cimarrón y yo estaba en el acecho.
Por mas que nos tires, este es la banda y el guarachero
que la gente esperaba, nosotros estamos hecho.
Oye que unos se tiran de espalda y otros se tiran de pecho.
Cuidao, cuidao, cuidao que voy pal pecho.
Oye, cantándole a mi gente, que yo me siento satisfecho.
Tu creías que yo no la tiraba y aquí me tienes derecho.
Si me invitas poniéndoseme apodo a que lo que hago esta bien hecho.
Eeeh, pero yo estaba en el acecho.
Unos se tiran de espalda, mira tu te tiraste de pecho.
Óyeme bien ahora, que no me trates con despecho.
Saca licencia pa que te acueste en mi lecho.
Me dicen que en la 42 ponen a los jorobao derechos.
Tite Curet y Alex Massucci me dicen que esta bien hecho.
Oye que ha de sentarme y sentirme satisfecho
"Plante Bandera" by Tommy Olivencia is a song about standing up for oneself and asserting one's own identity. The lyrics address someone who believed they were in control of everything and that the world was theirs to manipulate. However, the singer of the song comes along with humility and simplicity, offering a message of moving forward. Despite the initial resistance of the person in power, the singer plants their own "flag" and establishes their own voice and presence. The lyrics also touch on the theme of others trying to bring the singer down, but they remain confident and proud of who they are, satisfied with the efforts they have made.
This song can be interpreted as an ode to individuality and the importance of speaking up for oneself. It also emphasizes the idea that everyone has a right to make themselves heard and respected. Musically, "Plante Bandera" is an example of salsa dura or "hard salsa," which was a popular genre of salsa music in the 1970s in Puerto Rico.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo se que no te gustó
I know that you didn't like it
que yo plantara bandera
that I stood up for myself
pues lo que dice mi voz
because what I say goes
oye sonero, se repite donde quiera.
listen sonero, it's repeated everywhere
Tu te creías que eras dueño de todo
You thought you were in control of everything
y me decías que el mundo anda a tu modo
and you told me that the world runs your way
y de repente llegue sin echármelas de fiera
but suddenly I arrived without being too wild
y te resulto al revés por que yo plante bandera.
and it turned out the opposite for you because I stood up for myself.
Con humildad, con mi sencillez, con facilidad
With humbleness, simplicity, and ease
y el mensaje aquel: pa'lante es que es.
and that message was: move forward.
pero a lo hecho pecho
But what's done is done
también yo tengo derecho.
I also have the right to stand up for myself
Oye rumbero mira, tu creías que yo no la tiraba, y aquí me tienes derecho.
Listen rumbero, you thought I couldn't do it, but here I am standing up for myself.
Pero plante bandera y ahora mi voz se escucha donde quiera,
But I stood up for myself, and now my voice is heard everywhere,
también yo tengo derecho.
I also have the right to stand up for myself.
Oye que tu cantabas tu canción cimarrón y yo estaba en el acecho.
Listen, you were singing your wild song, but I was waiting to stand up for myself.
Por mas que nos tires, este es la banda y el guarachero
No matter what you say, this is our band and our style
que la gente esperaba, nosotros estamos hecho.
that people were waiting for, we are made for it.
Oye que unos se tiran de espalda y otros se tiran de pecho.
Listen, some people back down, but others stand up for themselves.
Cuidao, cuidao, cuidao que voy pal pecho.
Careful, careful, I'm standing up for myself.
Oye, cantándole a mi gente, que yo me siento satisfecho.
Listen, singing to my people, I feel satisfied.
Tu creías que yo no la tiraba y aquí me tienes derecho.
You thought I couldn't do it, but here I am standing up for myself.
Si me invitas poniéndoseme apodo a que lo que hago esta bien hecho.
If you invite me by giving me a label, what I do is still done right.
Eeeh, pero yo estaba en el acecho.
Eeeh, but I was waiting to stand up for myself.
Unos se tiran de espalda, mira tu te tiraste de pecho.
Some people back down, but you stood up for yourself.
Óyeme bien ahora, que no me trates con despecho.
Listen to me now, don't treat me with spite.
Saca licencia pa que te acueste en mi lecho.
Get a permit to sleep in my bed.
Me dicen que en la 42 ponen a los jorobao derechos.
They tell me they put crooked people in their place on 42nd street.
Tite Curet y Alex Massucci me dicen que esta bien hecho.
Tite Curet and Alex Massucci tell me that it's done right.
Oye que ha de sentarme y sentirme satisfecho
Listen, it feels good to sit back and feel satisfied.
Writer(s): Catalino Curet Alonso
Contributed by Adeline Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-gs4tg3cc5n
Tite curet alonzo sensillamente jenial deberiamos tenerle una estatua en cada pais de america latina por su contribucion a todos los latinos que sentimos esta musica saludos desde panama
@hildaortiz2590
Excelente voz yo lo escuchaba de joven que pena que ya no está con nosotros 💪🏻☝🏻🇵🇷
@franciscoalarconroca2527
Menuda salsa Ole!! Desde España!
@luckylouie522
Saludos Francisco
@gabrielsanchez3282
unos de los soneros que inmortalizó el género de la salsa, sus pregones quedaron en el alma de los que gozamos esta musica
@banksrod9961
Awesome my favorite ride out town or America
@marceloanglet1302
Q temazo!! No lo conocía,uds los puertorriqueño sacan monstruos de abajo d las piedras, abrazos desde Uruguay
@JoseLopez-jc3jt
No conocías esta canción, este es un clásico salsero de todos los tiempos...!!
@marceloanglet1302
@@JoseLopez-jc3jt en Uruguay hemos adoptado d puerto rico su plena... cortijo ,Mon rivera, canario,etc...la salsa en menos cantidad,mis respetos y saludos
@soldenoche2205
Según la edad y la música de un país puede que vayan conociendo temas recientemente. Saludos 🎵