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.
La Banda
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para que entren en la bachata
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ay, todos están bien contentos
Porque les viene a tocar
De la escuela musical
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ahora tu ves ya, como todo el mundo
Contento se ha puesto ya
Tiran paso bailadores
Porque vamos a gozar
Llegaron los boricuas
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ay vengan todo bailadores
Rumberito rumberazos
Que la banda se ha puesto buena
Y ahora si que yo voy al paso
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Eh siempre pa lante nunca pa 'tras
Ni pa' coger impulso camará
Porque yo vengo gozando
Y acabando en el solar
Ahora si, que ahora si que llego la banda
Eh bamba eh bamba eh bamba eh llego la banda
Eh traigo saoco mamita y no bailo bamba
Ay pa que goze la mazucamba
Con ritmo que se baila
Con senserro y con tambores
Señores pero que ahora que llego la banda
Eh banda banda chango ta veni llego la banda
Banda, banda banda banda que N'Klabe manda
Pa que gozen los rumberos esto no es pachanga
In the song "La Banda" by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe, the opening line "Llegó la banda tocando salsa, para que entren en la bachata" translates to "The band has arrived playing salsa, so that they can enter into bachata". The song speaks to the excitement and joy that a band playing salsa music can bring to people. The band is described as a group of "bandiditos" (little rascals) from the musical school, who have come to play and make people dance. The song is full of lively energy, with calls for the dancers to join in and enjoy the rhythm of the music. The lyrics are full of slang and colloquialisms, including mentions of "camará" and "saoco mamita", which add to the song's sense of fun and informality.
Overall, "La Banda" is a song that celebrates the joy of Latin music, specifically salsa, and the community it creates. The song speaks to the power of music to bring people together, create a sense of shared experience, and inspire joy and celebration. It is a lively and upbeat song that captures the essence of the salsa genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
A lively band came with their salsa music
Para que entren en la bachata
To get everyone in the mood to dance bachata
Ay, todos están bien contentos
Everyone is very pleased
Porque les viene a tocar
Because they're about to perform
Un grupo de bandiditos
A group of talented musicians
De la escuela musical
From the renowned music school
Ahora tu ves ya, como todo el mundo
Now you can see how everyone
Contento se ha puesto ya
Has become so happy
Tiran paso bailadores
Dancers start stepping
Porque vamos a gozar
Because we're going to have fun
Llegaron los boricuas
The Puerto Ricans have arrived
Ay vengan todo bailadores
Come all dancers
Rumberito rumberazos
With your rumba moves
Que la banda se ha puesto buena
Because the band is playing so well
Y ahora si que yo voy al paso
And now I'm ready to dance along
Eh siempre pa lante nunca pa 'tras
Always forward never backward
Ni pa' coger impulso camará
Not even to gain some momentum
Porque yo vengo gozando
Because I'm here to have fun
Y acabando en el solar
And ending up in the yard
Ahora si, que ahora si que llego la banda
Now, the band has truly arrived
Eh bamba eh bamba eh bamba eh llego la banda
With their lively music and rhythms
Eh traigo saoco mamita y no bailo bamba
Bringing a good time and flavor, but not dancing bamba
Ay pa que goze la mazucamba
For everyone to enjoy and dance
Con ritmo que se baila
With a rhythm made for dancing
Con senserro y con tambores
With cowbells and drums
Señores pero que ahora que llego la banda
Look, now that the band has arrived
Eh banda banda chango ta veni llego la banda
The band is here, everyone come and join
Banda, banda banda banda que N'Klabe manda
The band that N'Klabe leads is commanding everyone's attention
Pa que gozen los rumberos esto no es pachanga
For the enjoyment of the rumba dancers, not a party
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Willie Colon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gabrielbueso1307
Llegó la Banda fue compuesto por Walter Fuentes de Perú, creando la nueva versión de Willie Colón y su orquesta para que la la banda tocan su salsa
@juanmanuelrodriguez1648
Soy peruano y esta cancion me trae recuerdos yo tenia 7 años y ahora la sigo escuchando amis 52 años por q para mi Hector es unico
@ursulamedinatenicela3388
SIII ES CIERTOOO 🎉💃🏽🎵 AHORA LO BAILARE EN LA DESCARGA SALSERA EN EL BARRIO, LOS 77 DE HECTOR LAVOE 🎉🎵💃🏽🎵🎉
@marvinbuitrago2717
LA BANDA! VIVA LA RAZA LATINA EN TODO EL MUNDO ENTERO!! Paz mis hermanos.
@angelacorreaezenarro8549
🎉🎉🎉Nunca pasará de moda cada vez que escucho estos temas me parecen aun mejor 😅😅😅 ufff cuando lo bailo espectacular, llego la banda tocando salsa...............
@guscastaneda9695
Héctor Lavoe el mas grande de todos !!!!
@karinaevelynsanchezchacon6050
Llego la Banda¨ una composición del maestro Walter Fuentes, Bajista y compositor Peruano.
@bebofavela836
ENSERIO
@meryyomona5178
Excelente mejor aún con el vozarrón de Héctor Lavoe 🤗
@anselmofigueroa4929
Woww mi hermanito so whatt que quieres decir o acaso Puerto Rico no a tenido los mejores compositores te pregunto