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.
Ausencia
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
la mujer que amaba hoy se me fue
esperando noche y día
y no se decide a volver.
Pero yo sé que volverá
y si no de penas moriré
qué yo he hecho
No sé, si con el tiempo
esta herida se sanará
no hubo motivo
para terminar.
La he tratado de olvidar,
mas sin embargo la recuerdo más,
no se asombre si ven a un hombre llorar.
No importa tu ausencia, te sigo esperando (bis)
día que en que tu te fuistes
me quedé llorando
ay regresa te lo pido
que por tu amor te juro me estoy matando.
No importa tu ausencia...
Ey yo vi llorar a un hombre ante un espejo
por una amor que le negara el cielo
y asombrado me dio un escalofrío
al vere en ese espejo el rostro mío.
No importa tu ausencia...
Eh y yo seguiré esperando
hasta el día en que me muera.
Si Dios me quita la luna no me siento malo;
pero si me lleva a ti me lleva las estrellas.
No importa tu ausencia...
Oye veinte años no son nada
si te gusta romper un coco
por mi madre yo te juro a ti cosa buena
que si no vuelves yo me voy a volver loco.
In Willie Colón's song Ausencia, he details the end of a chapter in his life where the woman he loved has left him, despite his constant waiting and hoping for her return. He expresses his feelings of confusion and despair, questioning why she left him and wondering if there was any reason for their breakup. Despite his attempts to move on, he cannot shake the memories of her and is left devastated by her absence. He even recounts seeing himself cry in the mirror, a reflection of the pain he feels inside.
The song's lyrics are emotive and compelling, capturing the feelings of heartbreak and longing that come with a lost love. Colón's voice is filled with raw emotion and the music reflects the sadness of the lyrics. The song's use of repetition of the phrase "no importa tu ausencia" (your absence doesn't matter) highlights the theme of waiting and hoping for a love to return, no matter how painful the absence may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha terminado otro capítulo en mi vida
The end of a relationship has left a mark in my life
la mujer que amaba hoy se me fue
The woman I loved has left me now
esperando noche y día
I wait for her day and night
y no se decide a volver.
But she can't decide to come back
Pero yo sé que volverá
But I know she will come back
y si no de penas moriré
And if she doesn't, I will die of sorrows
qué yo he hecho
What have I done
qué te hizo partir.
What made you leave
No sé, si con el tiempo
I don't know if with time
esta herida se sanará
This wound will heal
no hubo motivo
There was no reason
para terminar.
To end it all
La he tratado de olvidar,
I have tried to forget her
mas sin embargo la recuerdo más,
But I remember her even more
no se asombre si ven a un hombre llorar.
Don't be surprised if you see a man crying.
No importa tu ausencia, te sigo esperando (bis)
Your absence doesn't matter, I am still waiting for you
día que en que tu te fuistes
The day you left
me quedé llorando
I was left crying
ay regresa te lo pido
Oh come back, I beg of you
que por tu amor te juro me estoy matando.
I swear I am dying for your love.
Ey yo vi llorar a un hombre ante un espejo
I saw a man cry in front of a mirror
por una amor que le negara el cielo
For a love he cannot attain
y asombrado me dio un escalofrío
And it gave me a chill in surprise
al vere en ese espejo el rostro mío.
To see my own face in that mirror.
Eh y yo seguiré esperando
And I will continue waiting
hasta el día en que me muera.
Until the day I die.
Si Dios me quita la luna no me siento malo;
If God takes away the moon, I won't feel bad;
pero si me lleva a ti me lleva las estrellas.
But if he takes me to you, he takes away the stars.
Oye veinte años no son nada
Hey, twenty years are nothing
si te gusta romper un coco
If you like cracking coconuts
por mi madre yo te juro a ti cosa buena
I swear on my mother something good to you
que si no vuelves yo me voy a volver loco.
That if you don't come back, I will go crazy.
Writer(s): Hector Perez, William Anthony Colon
Contributed by Gabriella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@karenly2005
Ha terminado otro capítulo en mi vida
la mujer que amaba hoy se me fue
esperando noche y día
y no se decide a volver.
Pero yo sé que volverá
y si no de penas moriré
qué yo he hecho
qué te hizo partir.
No sé, si con el tiempo
esta herida se sanará
no hubo motivo
para terminar.
La he tratado de olvidar,
mas sin embargo la recuerdo más,
no se asombre si ven a un hombre llorar.
No importa tu ausencia, te sigo esperando (bis)
día que en que tu te fuistes
me quedé llorando
ay regresa te lo pido
que por tu amor te juro me estoy matando.
No importa tu ausencia...
Ey yo vi llorar a un hombre ante un espejo
por una amor que le negara el cielo
y asombrado me dio un escalofrío
al vere en ese espejo el rostro mío.
No importa tu ausencia....
Eh y yo seguiré esperando
hasta el día en que me muera.
Si Dios me quita la luna no me siento malo;
pero si me lleva a ti me lleva las estrellas.
No importa tu ausencia....
Oye veinte años no son nada
si te gusta romper un coco
por mi madre yo te juro a ti cosa buena
que si no vuelves yo me voy a volver loco.
@vicentemosquera5834
La trompeta de willie,el trombón, el piano, el bajo y la voz de Hector; INCOMPARABLES.
@luisfernandotobonpena6109
VICENTE MOSQUERA .
@lopz33
Un día como hoy, 30 de septiembre de 1946, nació en el barrio Machuelo Abajo, Ponce, Puerto Rico, el cantautor Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez, conocido artísticamente como Héctor Lavoe, el Cantante de los Cantantes. Maestro, todavía lo seguimos extrañando.🎶🎤✍🎵😢😢😢😢😢
@juanpereslopes547
Ok
@erikelprototipo2442
Dale me gusta si estas escuchando esta tremenda rola en tiempos de pandemia 🥺
@angelvelasquezmarcano171
creo que si hector lavoe viviera fue el rey de reyes de la salsa no habrá jamás una voz como esa con todos sus defectos fue un ser humano increíble y el mejor cantante de salsa es ídolo musical es grande ser chévere pero mas chévere ser grande vive por siempre Hector fuentes
@jorge197288
ESTO ES POESIA, HECTOR DIOS TE BENDIGA DONDE QUIERA Q TE ENCUENTRES,,,,,,,HECTOR SOLO HAY UNO, MI PANA,,,,SALUDES A MI PANA MAURO EN MIAMI DE CALI COLOMBIA PURA NO COMO ESA COCHINADA DE MUSICA DE HOY EN DIA
@haydeemercado354
Ausencia me encanta 😍 esta brutal Salsera de Cira ❤️😍 uffffff nunca podrás olvidar
@Bobbyj438
1969 I was 14 years old and I was all over this music I wouldn’t trade one day of that experience they were wonderful times
@karinadeleon1346
I’m 20 right now and ever sense I was little I listened to this song so much. I mean I like willie colons music but this one reminds me of my dad and makes me feel closer to my past away grandfather. I never met my grandfather but I’ve talked to him 2 times on the phone. My dad tells me story’s of his past of being bad and my grandfather would try keeping him away from it by taking him places with my grandmother and play music for people, party and about how much my grandpa loved the French horn and how could play it so good. Also how this was his favorite type of music.