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.
Guisando
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
El era un carterista y le robaba a toa la gente
Pero un día metió la mano adentro de una cartera
Y en vez de encontrar dinero se encontró una ratonera
Ay que guiso, ta' guisando
Sigue guisando que vas muy bien
Hoy encontraste una ratonera
Vicente no escarmentaba siguió robando y robando
Pero ya la policía a Vicente lo estaba velando
Y dicen que en la 110 y la esquina Lexington
Allí estaba el escondido, adentro de un zafacón
Ay que guiso, te agarraron
Sigue guisando que vas muy bien
Hoy te cogió la policía
Y mañana el juez
Sigue guisando
Sigue robando
The lyrics of Willie Colon / Hector Lavoe's song Guisando tell the story of Vicente, a pickpocket who steals from people. One day, while reaching into someone's purse, he finds himself caught in a trap instead of money. This doesn't deter Vicente from continuing his thieving ways, but he is eventually caught by the police and the story ends with him hiding in a trash can, likely to be taken to court soon. The repeated chorus tells Vicente to keep going with his thieving (sigue guisando), almost mocking him for his fate.
The song tells a cautionary tale of crime and its consequences. However, the chorus adds a layer of irony to the story as it encourages Vicente to keep going. It could be interpreted as a comment on society's attitude towards crime and punishment or as a criticism of those who encourage criminal behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Señores voy a contarles lo que le pasó a Vicente
I'll tell you what happened to Vicente, folks
El era un carterista y le robaba a toa la gente
He was a pickpocket who stole from everyone
Pero un día metió la mano adentro de una cartera
One day, he reached into a purse
Y en vez de encontrar dinero se encontró una ratonera
But instead of finding money, he found a mouse trap
Ay que guiso, ta' guisando
What a predicament, he's in hot water
Sigue guisando que vas muy bien
Keep cooking up trouble, you're doing great
Hoy encontraste una ratonera
Today you found a mousetrap
Que vendrá después
What's next?
Vicente no escarmentaba siguió robando y robando
Vicente didn't learn his lesson and continued stealing
Pero ya la policía a Vicente lo estaba velando
But the police were watching Vicente closely
Y dicen que en la 110 y la esquina Lexington
And they say that at 110th Street and Lexington Avenue
Allí estaba el escondido, adentro de un zafacón
He was hiding inside a trash can
Ay que guiso, te agarraron
What a mess, you've been caught
Sigue guisando que vas muy bien
Keep up the mischief, you're doing great
Hoy te cogió la policía
Today the police caught you
Y mañana el juez
And tomorrow the judge
Sigue guisando
Keep stirring the pot
Sigue robando
Keep on stealing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: HECTOR LAVOE PEREZ, WILLIE COLON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Winston Hincapie
Otra composición del gran markolino solo rumba de barrio solo rumba de esquina solo realidad, excelente genio markolino por siempre
JR SMOCK
@motto sierra markolino en el piano locoooo
motto sierra
Letra de willie colon y hector la unica cancion de markolino fue "te estan buscando"
Herme Cortes
Ea del ‘69. Parece que fue ayer. Ni había nacido yo. Salsa, salsa!!!!
Julio Alban
Este tema es un clasico de la salsa fue en sus inicios de hector y willi
Charles Lewis
Mark Alexander Dimond Tremendo Piano!!!
Angel Pellot
SIGO A PIÉ DE SAN JUAN P.R. A BAYAMON. SIGO GUISANDO Y LOS UNDERWEAR SE ME ESTAN YA BAJANDO.Y VEO A MARKOLINO DEBAJO DE UN ÁRBOL PIANO TOCANDO. GRACIAS LUCKY POR TU TIEMPO HACIA TUS SEGUIDORES FIELES. SALUDOS CORDIALES DESDE ACA ORLANDO FLORIDA.
MrBubyV
😜….Que Guiso….😉
yorber fernandez
la vieja escuela
Julio Sanchez
Bonito piano de Marcolino.