Starting to play the trumpet at the age of 12, Colón switched to the trombone two years later. Making his recording debut in 1967, for Al Santiago's Futura label, Colón became a victim of misfortune when the label folded. Colón was much more successful when he signed with Johnny Pacheco's Fania label. When his vocalist failed to make Colón's first session for the label, Pacheco suggested Hector Lavoe as a replacement. The collaboration proved fruitful when two singles from Colón's first two albums (El Malo, Guisando) — "Jazzy" and "I Wish I Had a Watermelon" — became hits. Lavoe remained a vital member of Colón's band until the mid-'70s when an increased drug addiction caused him to miss or show up late for several gigs. Although their partnership formally ended in 1975, Colón and Lavoe continued to work together. Lavoe's last album, Strikes Back, released in 1987, was produced by Colón.
In 1975, Colón balanced his schedule as director of the Latin Jazz All Stars with studies in music theory, composition, and orchestration. His increased knowledge paid off quickly. In 1978, Colón was named Musician, Producer, and Trombone Player of the Year in a readers poll conducted by Latin New York. Three years later, he received an award as Musician of the Year and his album Fantasmas was named Album of the Year. Colón continued to garner acclaim when his album Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos received a Grammy award in 1982.
Although they met backstage before a concert in Panama in 1969, Colón and Blades didn't begin collaborating until five years later. While working on the album The Good-The Bad-The Ugly, Colón asked Blades to sing on the Blades-penned tune "El Cazanguero," which reflected on Blades' experiences as a law student working in a Panamanian prison. The session was so satisfying that Blades became a full-time member of Colón's band following the departure of Lavoe. Their 1978 album Siembra became the top-selling album in Fania's catalog. Despite their success, Blades severely quarreled with label president Jerry Mascucci over money. Although Colón recorded two solo albums — El Baquine de Angelitos Negros in 1977 and Solo in 1979 — and Blades recorded a solo album, Maestra Vida, in 1980, their solo work failed to match the commercial success of their joint efforts.
In 1981, the two musicians resumed their partnership with Blades playing coro on Colón's solo album Fantasmas. The following year, they collaborated on the Grammy-winning album Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos, which yielded the hits singles "Tiburon," "Ligia Elena," and "Te Estan Buscando." Their partnership again proved short-lived as Colón and Blades split up after working on the film The Last Fight. The split was far from amiable and the two musicians continued to feud until reuniting for a concert at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan in March 1992. Despite collaborating on the album Tras la Tormenta in 1995, Colón and Blades recorded their parts separately. Following a reunion concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1997, Colón and Blades performed a series of concerts together.
In the late '80s, Colón formed a new band, Legal Aliens, with younger musicians. Signing with Sony, Colón and the band recorded Color Americano in 1990 and Honra y Cultura in 1991. Two years later, Colón recorded Hecho en Puerto Rico with an all-star band featuring ex-members of the Fania All-Stars, Papo Lucca and Bobby Valentin. Since leaving Sony over a lack of promotional support, Colón continued to remain active.
Aguanile
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Santo Dios, santo fuerte, santo inmortal
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Eh, aguanile, aguanile
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Eh kyrie eleison christe eleison
No me metas a mi moña
Que yo también me se de'so
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Oye, todo el mundo reza que reza
Pa' que se acabe la guerra
Y eso no se va acabar eso será una rareza
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Ay, tambores umaculli, tambores umaculla
Que se echen todo pa'lao
Que la tierra va a temblar
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Ay que abonbon chele abonbonchacha
Yo tragio aguanile pa' rociar a las muchachas
Ay, que los tres clavos de la cruz
Vayan delante de mí
Que le hablen y le responda
Ay, Dios tu ve al que me critique a mí
Yo tengo aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Un judio' que a caballo gritaba sin compasión
Como Jesús crucificaron muerto por una traición
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Eh abongonchele abongochacha
Aguanile bendiceme a las muchachas
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Ay, aguanile, aguanile, aguanile dame agua
Estoy seco y quiero beber
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
The lyrics to Willie Colón's song "Aguanile" are in Spanish and include several religious references mixed with lyrics about drinking and partying. The chorus repeats the phrase "Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai" throughout the song, which is believed to be a reference to the Afro-Cuban Yoruba language and religion. The first verse includes the phrase "Santo Dios, santo fuerte, santo inmortal," which translates to "Holy God, holy strong, holy immortal," used in the liturgy of the Catholic Church.
The song also includes lyrics about war and peace, with the line "todo el mundo reza que reza pa' que se acabe la guerra" meaning "everyone prays that the war will end." There are also references to the crucifixion of Jesus and the three nails that held him to the cross. The lyrics are somewhat complex, with a mixture of religious references and seemingly unrelated phrases, but they all come together to create a unique and powerful message.
Overall, "Aguanile" is a song that celebrates the power of music and the importance of faith in difficult times. The combination of Yoruba religious phrases with Catholic liturgy and references to war and peace creates a powerful sense of resilience and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Aguanile, aguanile
Repetition of a chant invoking the spirits (orishas) of Afro-Caribbean religion(s)
Santo Dios, santo fuerte, santo inmortal
Holy God, strong and immortal. A reference to the Catholic prayer 'Kyrie eleison.'
Aguanile, aguanile, mai mai
Repetition of a chant invoking the spirits (orishas) of Afro-Caribbean religion(s)
Eh, aguanile, aguanile
Exclamation used to intensify the chant
No me metas a mi moña / Que yo también me se de'so
Don't underestimate me, I also know about (this spiritual tradition)
Oye, todo el mundo reza que reza / Pa' que se acabe la guerra / Y eso no se va acabar eso será una rareza
Everyone prays for the war to end, but it won't be easy to achieve.
Ay que abonbon chele abonbonchacha / Yo tragio aguanile pa' rociar a las muchachas
I bring aguanile to bless and sprinkle on the women. 'Abonbon' is a term of endearment for a young woman in Puerto Rican Spanish.
Ay, que los tres clavos de la cruz / Vayan delante de mí / Que le hablen y le responda / Ay, Dios tu ve al que me critique a mí / Yo tengo aguanile mai mai
Asking for divine protection and stating that they have spiritual protection.
Un judio' que a caballo gritaba sin compasión / Como Jesús crucificaron muerto por una traición
A reference to the story of the crucifixion of Jesus and the betrayal of Judas. 'Judio' could be a derogatory term, but also could refer to Judas or a practitioner of Judaism, which is not the same as the negative connotation of the term Jewish in English.
Eh abongonchele abongochacha / Aguanile bendiceme a las muchachas
Continuation of asking for blessings on the women
Ay, aguanile, aguanile, aguanile dame agua / Estoy seco y quiero beber
Playful request for water, using the word 'aguanile' (normally a spiritual reference) to mean simply water.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: William Anthony Colon, Hector Lavoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mcs4204
Aguanile...
Aguanile...
Santo Dios...
Santo Fuerte...
Santo inmortal...
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Ehhh aguanile
Aguanile, mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Ehhh kirieleison, pritieleison
No me metas a mi moña
Que yo tambien me se de eso
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Oye to' el mundo reza que reza
Pa' que se acabe la guerra
Y eso no se va acaba'
Eso sera una rareza
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Tambores rumacuyi
Tambores rumacuya
Que se echen todos pa'l lao
Que la tierra va a temblar
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Que bombonchele...
Ahh bombonchacha
Yo traigo Aguanile...
Pa' rocear a las muchachas
Ayyy que los tres clavos... de la cruz
Vayan delante de mi
Que le hablen y le respondan.
Ayy dios, tu eres
Al que me critique a mi
Yo tengo...
Aguanile y mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Un judio que a caballo
Gritaba sin compasion
Coje su crucificado
Muerto por una traicion
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Ehhh a bombonchele
A bombonchacha
Aguanile...
Bendiceme a las muchachas
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
Aguanile y aguanile
Dame agua
Estoy seco y quiero bebe'...
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai
Aguanile, aguanile mai mai.
@jessicagranados5315
Que lástima no haber podido disfrutar de esta época. Me tocó Bad Bunny
@EnriqueSilvaGarcia-ou4bb
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@thelmocordones4767
😅😅😅😅😅 ❤
@SharonJanela
Jajajaja, que mal por nosotros, no siquiera Daddy Yankee
@eddysongmusicary3261
Hahahahah Real
@ceciliadelavega9447
Muy bien dicho,esta música es ESPECTACULAR!! Ahora nos toca escuchar mucha BASURA!!
@VictorRomero-jd9vq
Jamás está música muere son clásico d nuestra época para todos los salseros amén
@hecmardanielcortesdelacruz6753
Soy mexicano y esto me enchina la piel como si estuviera escuchando un mariachi gracias maestro. Hector lavoe.
@user-uv7dd2mc7j
Todos hablan del genero salsa pero no saben El significado de esta letra ni a quien le canta y da reverencia 💚💚💚🖤🖤🖤Oggun 💪💪🦾🦾👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏🛠️⛏️🔨🔧🪚🪝🧲
@darisrivlo3911
Cuéntame x favor