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.
Hasta Que Te Conoci
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ni nada, que me hicieran llorar
Yo sabia de cariño, de ternura,
Porque a mí desde pequeño,
Eso me enseño mama, eso me enseño mama,
Eso y muchas cosas mas
Yo jamás sufrí, yo jamás llore,
Yo era muy feliz, yo vivía muy bien
Algo divino, lleno de felicidad
Yo sabia de alegrías, la belleza de la vida,
Pero no de soledad, pero no de soledad,
De eso y muchas cosas mas
Yo jamás sufrí, yo jamás llore,
Yo era muy feliz....yo vivía muy bien
Hasta que te conocí,
Vi la vida con dolor
No te miento fui feliz,
Aunque con muy poco amor
Y muy tarde comprendí,
Que no te debía amar
Porque ahora pienso en ti,
Mas que ayer, mucho más
Yo jamás sufrí, yo jamás lloras,
Yo era muy feliz... pero te encontré
Yo no quiero que me digas
Si valió o no la pena
El haberte conocido
Porque no te creo mas
Y es que tu fuiste muy mala
Si muy mala conmigo
Por eso no te quiero
No te quiero ver jamás
In Willie Colón's song "Hasta Que Te Conocí," the singer reflects on the innocence and happiness of his past before being introduced to heartbreak by a lover. The first two stanzas of the song describe his life prior to falling in love as carefree and full of love that he learned from his mother. He never experienced sadness or tears until meeting his lover. The singer mentions the joys of life, such as happiness and the beauty of the world, but he was never acquainted with loneliness until after he fell in love.
The chorus is the turning point of the song. The singer states that he saw life with pain and that he was happy but with very little love. He then interprets that he realized too late that he shouldn't have loved this person. He thinks of her still and thinks of her even more than yesterday. The final stanza explains that he was happy and never cried until he met her. He does not want to hear her tell him whether the relationship was worth it or not because he no longer believes her, and she was very bad to him. Thus, the singer never wants to see her again.
Line by Line Meaning
No sabia, de tristezas, ni de lagrimas,
I didn't know sadness or tears, or anything that could make me cry
Ni nada, que me hicieran llorar
Nothing that could make me cry
Yo sabia de cariño, de ternura,
I knew about love and tenderness,
Porque a mí desde pequeño,
Because since I was little
Eso me enseño mama, eso me enseño mama,
My mom taught me that, my mom taught me that,
Eso y muchas cosas mas
That and many other things
Yo jamás sufrí, yo jamás llore,
I never suffered, I never cried,
Yo era muy feliz, yo vivía muy bien
I was very happy, I lived very well
Yo vivía tan distinto, algo hermoso,
I lived so differently, something beautiful
Algo divino, lleno de felicidad
Something divine, full of happiness
Yo sabia de alegrías, la belleza de la vida,
I knew about joys, the beauty of life,
Pero no de soledad, pero no de soledad,
But not about loneliness, but not about loneliness,
De eso y muchas cosas mas
About that and many other things
Hasta que te conocí,
Until I met you,
Vi la vida con dolor
I saw life with pain
No te miento fui feliz,
I'm not lying, I was happy
Aunque con muy poco amor
Although with very little love
Y muy tarde comprendí,
And I understood too late,
Que no te debía amar
That I shouldn't have loved you
Porque ahora pienso en ti,
Because now I think of you,
Mas que ayer, mucho más
More than yesterday, much more
Yo jamás sufrí, yo jamás lloras,
I never suffered, I never cried,
Yo era muy feliz... yo vivía muy bien
I was very happy... I lived very well
Yo no quiero que me digas
I don't want you to tell me
Si valió o no la pena
If it was worth it or not
El haberte conocido
Having met you
Porque no te creo mas
Because I don't believe you anymore
Y es que tu fuiste muy mala
And it's because you were very bad
Si muy mala conmigo
Yes, very bad to me
Por eso no te quiero
That's why I don't love you
No te quiero ver jamás
I never want to see you again
Contributed by Joseph H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yeisonaguilart
Impresionante el arreglo de la canción y ese sonido melancólico de la trompeta.... llega al alma.
@hectormendez3572
Bonita version al estillo del gran maestro Willie Colon.
@juangamboa4697
Un creador,!!! La mejor versión de este hermoso tema de Juan Gabriel,muy bien para el gran Willie Colon,!!! De pie señores,!!!!
@victoriashanehj8485
Lo amo 💕
@sandraortizm.3947
ME ENCANTA COMO LA CANTA.
ME SALIÓ REFRAN.
SIN AFÁN.
@rubiselanconamaldonado7414
Sandra Ortíz M.: Soy fan de esa música y esta versión de la gran canción de Juan Gabriel me parece GENIAL,salúdos desde Cancún,Q.Roo,Mex 16 Mayo 2021.
@pablososa7526
@Rubisel Ancona Maldonado saludos de cdmx
@pablososa7526
@Rubisel Ancona Maldonado Tepito
@pablososa7526
Sandra
@1Naguabo
ME MATAS WILLIE , TE AMO , TU LO SABES ! DIOS TE CUIDE SIEMPRE !