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.
Cueste Lo Que Cueste
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoy que se cumple la historia
Dicen que voy a olvidarte
Yo sé que olvidarte es mi derrota
Para olvidarte requiero
Perder todas mis memorias
Y comenzar desde cero
Un adiós sin mirar atrás
Es lo que queda de los dos para volver a comenzar
Estar sin ti amor, sin mirar atrás
Cueste lo que cueste
Y cuánto me cuesta dejarte
Pensando en el precio exacto
Que debo pagar por dejarte
Creo que pago la vida
Y no me alcanza aún para olvidarte
Para olvidarte requiero
Nunca haberte conocido
Cómo me cuesta el destierro
Al que te arrojo a morir
Cariño mío
Un adiós sin mirar atrás
Es lo que queda de los dos para volver a comenzar
Estar sin ti amor, sin mirar atrás
Cueste lo que cueste
Y cuánto me cuesta dejarte
Cuánto me cuesta
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta
Me paso las noches pensando (Cómo me cuesta)
Si fue amor o fantasia entre tu y yo
Eehh (Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor, cómo me cuesta)
Para olvidarte requiero, empezar desde cero
Pa' lante sin mirar atrás
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor
Pasaré la cuenta al corazón (Cómo me cuesta)
Que es el que manda en cuestión de amor
Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor
Y cueste lo que cueste (Cómo me cuesta)
Cueste lo que cueste, yo te olvidaré
Como me cuesta dejar tu amor
Porque uno se esta lleno de esperanzas (Cómo me cuesta)
Del amor que nunca tendrá
Como me cuesta dejar tu amor
Y seguire, y seguire mi camino (Cómo me cuesta)
Sin mirar atrás
The song "Cueste Lo Que Cueste" by Willie Colón is a heartfelt ballad about the struggle to let go of a past love. The lyrics express the difficulty of forgetting someone that was once an essential part of your life. The opening lines, "Cuánto me cuesta dejarte, Hoy que se cumple la historia," translate to "How much it costs me to leave you, now that history is being fulfilled." The singer of the song is aware that forgetting their love is necessary but acknowledges that it will be challenging to do so. The phrase "yo sé que olvidarte es mi derrota" means "I know that forgetting you is my defeat."
The singer thinks about the cost of leaving their love and realizes that it will be extremely high, so high that they feel like they will pay with their life. They express that they would have to lose all memories and start anew to forget their love. The repetition of the line "Cómo me cuesta dejar tu amor" at the end is a powerful reminder of the struggle to move on.
Overall, the song portrays the difficulty and struggle of leaving a past love, the necessary steps that must be taken, and the high cost of losing someone you deeply love.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuánto me cuesta dejarte
It is difficult for me to let you go.
Hoy que se cumple la historia
Today marks the end of our story.
Dicen que voy a olvidarte
People say I will forget you.
Yo sé que olvidarte es mi derrota
I know that forgetting you is my loss.
Para olvidarte requiero
To forget you, I need to
Perder todas mis memorias
lose all my memories.
Y comenzar desde cero
And start anew.
A respirar el aire que te sobra
Breathe the air you don't need anymore.
Un adiós sin mirar atrás
A goodbye without looking back.
Es lo que queda de los dos para volver a comenzar
It's what's left for both of us to start over.
Estar sin ti amor, sin mirar atrás
To be without your love, without looking back.
Cueste lo que cueste
No matter the cost.
Y cuánto me cuesta dejarte
And it costs me a lot to let you go.
Pensando en el precio exacto
Thinking about the exact cost.
Que debo pagar por dejarte
That I must pay for letting you go.
Creo que pago la vida
I think I pay with my life.
Y no me alcanza aún para olvidarte
And it's still not enough to forget you.
Nunca haberte conocido
To never have met you.
Cómo me cuesta el destierro
How difficult it is for me to banish you.
Al que te arrojo a morir
To which I cast you aside to die.
Cariño mío
My dear.
Me paso las noches pensando (Cómo me cuesta)
I spend my nights thinking (How difficult it is for me).
Si fue amor o fantasia entre tu y yo
If it was love or fantasy between you and me.
Para olvidarte requiero, empezar desde cero
To forget you, I need to start anew.
Pa' lante sin mirar atrás
Forward without looking back.
Pasaré la cuenta al corazón (Cómo me cuesta)
I'll charge it to the heart (How difficult it is for me).
Que es el que manda en cuestión de amor
Because it's the one in charge of love.
Y cueste lo que cueste (Cómo me cuesta)
And no matter the cost (How difficult it is for me).
Cueste lo que cueste, yo te olvidaré
No matter the cost, I'll forget you.
Porque uno se esta lleno de esperanzas (Cómo me cuesta)
Because one is full of hopes (How difficult it is for me).
Del amor que nunca tendrá
Of the love that will never happen.
Y seguire, y seguire mi camino (Cómo me cuesta)
And I'll go on, and I'll go on my way (How difficult it is for me).
Sin mirar atrás
Without looking back.
Writer(s): Janette Becerra
Contributed by Juliana E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jesus Martinez
un brindis por todos los amores que fueron y los que no pudieron ser tambien!
Nubia Grajales
Como me cuesta dejar tu amo ;No hay nada más doloroso decir adiós cuando en realidad no quieres irte
tesorito labrador
Está canción es el precio de un gran recuerdo, porque aviva esos Amores 😍💗
Adrian Alvarez
Aprendí este tema cuando en un video mi tío lo cantaba con una cara de "recuerdos" y me gusto mucho. Hoy mi tío ya no está y cueste lo que cueste no te olvidaré Tío, Amigo, Papá y Hermano de alma.
Chillosophy -
Life works in mysterious ways, and this song brings out the best in a melancholic way. Much love ❤️
Julieth Vanessa Estupiñan Lopez
Escuché ésta canción por primera vez cuando tenía 9 años y desde allí quedé prendida con la letra y la música de este artista, han pasado 23 años y aún la escucho con el mismo amor y entusiasmo q la primera vez, ahora la diferencia son las experiencias vividas 😍😍😍😍
Dario Ruiz Fernandez
Este tema nos dice que el amor verdadero no se puede olvidar.
Nestor Bermudez
y como duele
Alba Alzate
Jamás
Astrid Renteria
Duele muchísimo 😢