Lopez made his name on the club circuit of the Southwestern United States before being 'discovered' in 1962 playing at the club PJ's in Hollywood, California, by record producer Don Costa. Costa was taken with Lopez's latinized versions of contemporary hits and signed him up to Frank Sinatra's record label, Reprise Records. His debut album, Trini Lopez Live at PJ's, was released in 1963. The album included a version of If I Had a Hammer, which reached number one in 36 countries (No. 3 in the United States) and was a radio favorite for many years. He also performed his own version of the traditional Mexican song La Bamba on the album; his recording of the tune was later re-issued as a single in 1966.
His popularity led the Gibson Guitar Corporation to ask him in 1964 to design a guitar for them. He ended up designing two: The Trini Lopez Standard, a rock and roll model based on the Gibson ES-335 semi-hollow body, and the Lopez Deluxe, a variation of a Gibson jazz guitar designed by Barney Kessel. Both of these guitars were in production from 1964 until 1971 and are now highly sought after amongst collectors. Some owners of the guitar include Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Noel Gallagher of Oasis.
He scored 13 chart singles through 1968, including "Lemon Tree" (1965), "I'm Comin' Home, Cindy" (1966) and "Sally Was a Good Old Girl" (1968). On the adult contemporary chart, he ranked up 15 hits, including the Top 10 singles "Michael" (1964), "Gonna Get Along Without Ya' Now" (1967) and "The Bramble Bush" (1967). Beyond his success on record, he became one of the country's top nightclub performers of that era, regularly headlining in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the 1960s and 1970s Lopez moved into acting, though his film career was not as successful as his music. His first film role was in Marriage on the Rocks (1965), in which he made a cameo appearance in a nightclub scene; Lopez's soundtrack song, "Sinner Man", became a hit single (No. 54 pop/No. 12 adult contemporary). He was one of The Dirty Dozen (1967) and starred in Antonio (1973). He made two appearances (playing different characters) on the television program, Adam 12. He continued his musical career with extensive tours of Europe and Latin America during this period; an attempt to break out by releasing a disco album in 1978 proved a flop.
Since then, Lopez has done charitable work and received honors such as being inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003. He was still recording and appearing live in the early 2000s. Recently he took part in a benefit concert to raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
What I Say
Trini Lopez Lyrics
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She would have stayed til who knows when,
but I guess she couldn't understand it
when I said I wanna be your friend,
because a friend would never doubt you
or ever put you uptight,
and now I wonder what she's doing tonight.
oh yes I wonder what she's doing tonight?
We were so close but we should've been closer
and it's making me feel so sad
but I tell myself I didn't lose her
'cause you can't lose a friend you never had
because a friend won't say it's over
and got out just for spite.
and now I wonder what she's doing tonight,
oh yes I wonder what she's doing tonight?
oh I wonder what she's doing to night?
A friend will always be there
if you're wrong or if your right,
and now I wonder what she's doing tonight
oh yes I wonder what she's doing tonight?
oh I wonder what she's doing tonight?
In these lyrics, the singer reflects on a relationship that didn't evolve as he wished it had. He regrets not expressing his love to the woman, believing that if he had, she would have stayed with him longer. However, he realizes that she may not have understood his feelings when he instead told her he wanted to be friends. This miscommunication leads to the woman leaving, causing the singer to wonder what she is doing that night. The repetition of this question emphasizes his curiosity and longing to know about her current situation.
The singer expresses a sense of lost potential, feeling that they were close but should have been even closer. This unfulfilled closeness makes him feel sad, despite trying to convince himself that he never truly lost her because they were never more than friends. He believes that a true friend would not abruptly end a relationship or walk away out of spite. Again, he wonders about her current activities, indicating that he is preoccupied with thoughts of her and how things could have been different between them.
The singer contrasts the qualities of a friend with the actions of the woman in question, highlighting the loyalty and supportiveness that should come with friendship. He questions what she might be doing that night, suggesting a sense of longing and uncertainty about their current status. The repeated pondering of her activities reinforces his feelings of curiosity and concern for her well-being, hinting at unresolved emotions and a desire for closure or understanding.
Overall, these lyrics convey a mix of regret, longing, and contemplation as the singer reflects on a relationship that didn't unfold as he had hoped. He grapples with the miscommunication and disappointment that arose between them, wondering about the woman's actions and feeling a sense of loss for what could have been. The repeated questioning of what she might be doing tonight serves as a poignant refrain that encapsulates his emotional turmoil and desire for clarity in the aftermath of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had told her that I loved her
If I had been honest with her about my feelings
She would have stayed til who knows when
She would have been willing to stay for a long time
but I guess she couldn't understand it
but she couldn't comprehend my feelings
when I said I wanna be your friend
when I tried to remain close as friends
because a friend would never doubt you
because a true friend would always trust you
or ever put you uptight
or make you feel uneasy
and now I wonder what she's doing tonight
and now I am curious about her current activities
We were so close but we should've been closer
We had a strong bond but we could have been even closer
and it's making me feel so sad
and it's causing me a great deal of sadness
'cause you can't lose a friend you never had
because you can't truly miss someone who was never a real friend
because a friend won't say it's over
because a genuine friend wouldn't end things abruptly
and got out just for spite
and leave just to be spiteful
A friend will always be there
A true friend will always stand by your side
if you're wrong or if you're right
no matter if you're right or wrong
oh yes I wonder what she's doing tonight
oh yes, I am curious about her activities tonight
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOBBY HART, TOMMY BOYCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Rogers
Trini Lopez was the full meal deal. Always upbeat, always great.
Shaun Sidney
WHAT A TOP PERFORMANCE ‼️GREAT VOCALIST And ROCKIN BACKING 😁🇺🇸🌟📀📀📀
Freeform Thoughts
This whole set is badass
HoneyHoneyBaby
💯 Facts 💯‼️
CeeCee Tracey
Not like Ray Charles lol
whodidit99
@CeeCee Tracey ok, but pretty damn good.
CeeCee Tracey
@whodidit99 yeah
tj921able
This was great! Thank you for sharing this! I used to have a huge crush on Trini Lopez when I was growing up. May he RIP. He is truly missed.
That 70's Girl
Merry Christmas 🎄 Hope you had a Wonderful Day!
kenyon gray
Go Trini go!