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 Mora
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Acaba de llega' que hace rato estoy esperando
¡avanza muje'!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Lucero encanta'o
¡AY MORA!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Lucero encanta'o
¡AY MORA!
Acábame de quere'
No me martirices mai
Que mi corazón está que se devora
Por quererte tanto mora
Por quererte tanto mora ¡ay morita!
Allá en la Siria, allá-llá, allá-llá vive la mora
¡ay que mira pero ven, ven, ven mi corazón te lo implora!
Cuando volverá
Y es que ese amor gitano a mi me devora
Cuando volverá
¡ue! acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar, oye mora
Cuando volverá
Los buenos tiempos
Cuando volverá
Con esa mora
Cuando volverá
Y los romances
Cuando volverá
Allá en la loma
Cuando volverá
En un castillo en la Siria allá está la mora
Cuando volverá
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
Cuando volverá
Ay mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, amor pa la mora
Cuando volverá
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí y es para ti
Cuando volverá
La noche buena
Cuando volverá
Esa estrellita
Cuando volverá
Esa gitana, eh
Cuando volverá
Que es tan bonita
Cuando volverá
Es que en la Siria caballero, por la Siria, por allá está la mora
Cuando volverá
Yo me acuerdo en la placita donde tomamos ron con soda
Cuando volverá
Donde le pegue al faquir que te gritaba bembona
Cuando volverá
Ay! acaba de llegar, llega ya mora.
Cuando volverá
Óyeme mora
Cuando volverá
Acaba de llegar
Cuando volverá
Súbete a un camello
Cuando volverá
Y ven pa acá
Que dios bendiga la esquina izquierda
Del tacón derecho en la chancleta del cura
Que bendijo tu salero mujer
Iubule!
Ole! y sigue oliendo
Que me muero esperando tu querer
Allá en la Siria señores allá está la mora
Vive en un castillo que arriba una loma
Cuando volverá
Ven acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Cuando volverá
Ven, ven, ven, ven que mi corazón de te lo implora
Cuando volverá
Vuelve morita
Cuando volverá
Por la manaña
Cuando volverá
Para cantarte
Cuando volverá
En tu ventana
Cuando volverá
Ven, morita ven pa acá. ven mora, ven pa acá, ven, mora ven
Cuando volverá
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí pa ti, pa ti
Cuando volverá
Aaa caminar conmigo bajo los lindos rosales
Cuando volverá
A decirme que me quieres como tu solita sabes
Cuando volverá
Los tiempos buenos
Cuando volverá
Tiempos de amor
Cuando volverá
Noches de playa
Cuando volverá
Días de sol
Cuando volverá
Que es lo que pasa que nos estamos alejando tanto
Cuando volverá
Será que viene en camello o caminando
Cuando volverá
Ay acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Cuando volverá
Mi corazón, mira mama te lo implora
Cuando volverá
Mujer ingrata
Cuando volverá
Vente pa acá
Cuando volverá
A la bachata
Cuando volverá
Vamos a rumbear
Dime cuando cuando cuando
Cuando volverá
Que hace rato morita que estoy esperando
Cuando volverá
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
Cuando volverá
Ay acaba de llegar, mi corazón te lo implora
Cuando volverá
Oye mi ruego
Cuando volverá
Linda morita
Cuando volverá
De toas las flores, ay la mas bonita
Ole!
Que el cielo te colme de habichuelas
The song "La Mora" by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades is a love song about a woman from Syria, who is referred to as "Mora" throughout the song. The singer is eagerly waiting for Mora to arrive and professes their love for her throughout the lyrics. The song is filled with vivid descriptions of Mora's beauty, including her enchanting eyes and her living in a castle on a hill in Syria. The singer can't stop thinking about Mora and how much they love her, and they ask her to come back to them.
The lyrics of "La Mora" are full of cultural references, like the use of "Iubule" and "Ole," which are common in flamenco music. The song also references traditional Middle Eastern motifs, like the use of a flying carpet and the mention of camels. The use of Arabic-sounding scales in the music further emphasizes the cultural fusion present in the song.
Interestingly, the song was released in 1981 on the album "Solanamente Tú" during a time of intense political turmoil in Latin America. The album was seen as a reflection of the struggle for social justice and human rights in the region. The cultural fusion of "La Mora" was seen as a symbol of unity between Latin America and the Middle East, which were perceived to be at odds with each other at the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Óyeme mora!
Listen to me, woman!
Acaba de llega' que hace rato estoy esperando
You have just arrived after I have been waiting for a long time.
¡avanza muje'!
Go ahead, woman!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
Over there in Syria, there is a woman.
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Who has beautiful eyes.
Lucero encanta'o
The enchanted star.
¡AY MORA!
Oh, woman!
Acábame de quere'
Love me until the end.
No me martirices mai
Don't torture me, woman.
Que mi corazón está que se devora
Because my heart is devouring itself.
Por quererte tanto mora
Because I love you so much, woman.
Por quererte tanto mora ¡ay morita!
Because I love you so much, oh little woman!
Allá en la Siria, allá-llá, allá-llá vive la mora
Over there in Syria, there, there lives the woman.
¡ay que mira pero ven, ven, ven mi corazón te lo implora!
Oh, look but come, come, come, my heart begs of you!
Cuando volverá
When will she return?
Y es que ese amor gitano a mi me devora
And it is because that gypsy love devours me.
¡ue! acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar, oye mora
Whoa! You just arrived, just arrived, hear me woman.
Los buenos tiempos
The good times.
Con esa mora
With that woman.
Y los romances
And the romances.
En un castillo en la Siria allá está la mora
In a castle in Syria, there is the woman.
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
Get on your flying carpet.
Ay mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, amor pa la mora
Oh, woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, love for the woman.
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí y es para ti
Because I have a little something for you over here.
La noche buena
The good night.
Esa estrellita
That little star.
Esa gitana, eh
That gypsy, huh.
Que es tan bonita
Who is so beautiful.
Es que en la Siria caballero, por la Siria, por allá está la mora
It is that in Syria, sir, over there is the woman.
Yo me acuerdo en la placita donde tomamos ron con soda
I remember in the small square where we drank rum and soda.
Donde le pegue al faquir que te gritaba bembona
Where I hit the fakir who called you 'big-headed.'
Ay! acaba de llegar, llega ya mora.
Oh! You just arrived, come on, woman.
Súbete a un camello
Get on a camel.
Y ven pa acá
And come over here.
Que dios bendiga la esquina izquierda
May God bless the left corner.
Del tacón derecho en la chancleta del cura
Of the right heel in the priest's sandal.
Que bendijo tu salero mujer
That blessed your feminine charm, woman.
Iubule!
Iubule!
Ole! y sigue oliendo
Ole! And keep on smelling.
Que me muero esperando tu querer
Because I am dying waiting for your love.
Vive en un castillo que arriba una loma
She lives in a castle on top of a hill.
Ven acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Come on, just arrived, just arrived, hear me woman.
Ven, ven, ven, ven que mi corazón de te lo implora
Come, come, come, come, my heart begs of you.
Vuelve morita
Return, little woman.
Por la manaña
In the morning.
Para cantarte
To sing for you.
En tu ventana
At your window.
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí pa ti, pa ti
Because I have a little something for you, for you.
Aaa caminar conmigo bajo los lindos rosales
Aaa! Walk with me under the beautiful rose bushes.
A decirme que me quieres como tu solita sabes
To tell me that you love me as you alone know how.
Los tiempos buenos
The good times.
Tiempos de amor
Times of love.
Noches de playa
Nights of beach.
Días de sol
Days of sun.
Que es lo que pasa que nos estamos alejando tanto
What is happening that we are getting so far apart?
Será que viene en camello o caminando
Could it be that she is coming on a camel or walking?
Ay acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Oh, just arrived, just arrived, hear me woman.
Mi corazón, mira mama te lo implora
My heart, look, mommy, begs of you.
Mujer ingrata
Ungrateful woman.
Vente pa acá
Come over here.
A la bachata
To the bachata.
Vamos a rumbear
Let's party.
Dime cuando cuando cuando
Tell me when, when, when.
Que hace rato morita que estoy esperando
Because I have been waiting for a long time, little woman.
Ay acaba de llegar, mi corazón te lo implora
Oh, just arrived, my heart begs of you.
Oye mi ruego
Hear my request.
Linda morita
Beautiful little woman.
De toas las flores, ay la mas bonita
Of all the flowers, oh, the most beautiful.
Ole!
Ole!
Que el cielo te colme de habichuelas
May the sky shower you with beans.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ELISEO GRENET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind