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.
No
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Protesta no es simplemente lo que quiero
También quiero sus conciencias despertar
Para que griten un fuerte "no" a todo aquello
Que subyuga y destruye nuestra moral
Y aunque a muchos
Les molestarán las cosas que cantemos
No nos vamos a callar
Al contrario, con más fuerza gritaremos
Este "no" y nos tendrán que escuchar
(¡No!) Un "no" para la maldad
(¡No!) Un "no" al hambre y la guerra
(¡No!) Un "no" para todo aquel
(¡No!) Que con sus mañas destruye la Tierra
(¡No!) Un "no" a la maldita droga
(¡No!) Que destruye tanta gente
(¡No!) Un "no" a la burguesía
(¡No!) Un "no" a los terratenientes
(¡No!) Un "no" para aquel que deja
(¡No!) Morir a un niño de hambre
(¡No!) Al que voltea la cara
(¡No!) Para no sentirse culpable
(¡No!) A los que resuelven problemas
(¡No!) Con agresión y bombardeos
(¡No!) Los que subrayan sus puntos
(¡No!) Con la sangre del pueblo
(¡No!) Un "no" para el que no crea
(¡No!) Y que no deja crear
(¡No!) Que solo emplea su tiempo
(¡No!) En criticar y criticar
(¡No!) "No" para el que hace negocios
(¡No!) Con armas y militarismo
(¡No!) Luego declara ante el pueblo
(¡No!) Que es cuestión de patriotismo
(¡No!) Un "no" para aquellos hombres
(¡No!) Que en las esquinas se paran
(¡No!) A vocear piropos sucios
(¡No!) A cada dama que pasa
(¡No!) Para aquellas suegras
(¡No!) Que no respetan las leyes
(¡No!) Que por más que se les diga
(¡No!) Siempre entre hijos se meten
(¡No!) A ese viejo general
(¡No!) Que al joven manda a la guerra
(¡No!) Y cuando la cosa está recia
(¡No!) Lejos de batalla queda
(¡No!) Un "no" a los explotadores
(¡No!) Se empeñan en reemplazar
(¡No!) Con sus mensajes ineptos
(¡No!) Queriendo al pueblo domar
The song "No" by Willie Colón is a protest song that advocates for social justice and encourages people to take action against various forms of oppression. The lyrics express the desire to awaken people’s consciences and inspire them to speak out and stand up against everything that subjugates and destroys our morals. The song intends to impact a wide range of issues, from hunger and warfare to exploitation and discrimination. The song talks about the different types of injustices that people face, including drug addiction, bourgeoisie, terratenientes, military-industrial complex, sexual harassment, mothers-in-law, and elderly generals that lead young soldiers into battle.
The song's message is to empower people to work towards making a better world by taking a stand against the various forms of injustice that exist in different aspects of society. The "no" in the song is an exclamation to refuse and reject any action that destructively impacts society. The song is essential because it highlights the importance of individuals accepting personal responsibility in making the changes that they want to see in the world. It also shows that people's collective efforts are what brings about meaningful and lasting change in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Esta vez
Willie Colón is introducing a new idea
Protesta no es simplemente lo que quiero
Willie Colón is not seeking a mere protest, but a wake-up call to people's consciences.
También quiero sus conciencias despertar
The singer wants to awaken the people's conscience
Para que griten un fuerte "no" a todo aquello
The singer wants the people to voice a strong 'no' to everything
Que subyuga y destruye nuestra moral
Willie Colón believes that there are external factors that are negatively affecting our morality and wants people to say 'no' to them.
Y aunque a muchos
Despite the fact that many people will be upset or bothered by what he and his team are going to say
Les molestarán las cosas que cantemos
People will be bothered by the things Willie Colon's team is going to sing about.
Que no importe
That should not matter
No nos vamos a callar
Willie Colón and his team will not be silenced, rather they will speak louder and stronger.
Al contrario, con más fuerza gritaremos
In fact, they will increase their voice and strength.
Este "no" y nos tendrán que escuchar
They are going to say 'no' to everything they believe to be wrong and will make sure their voice is heard.
(¡No!) Un "no" para la maldad
The first thing Willie Colón wants people to say 'no' to is evil.
(¡No!) Un "no" al hambre y la guerra
The second thing Willie Colón wants people to say 'no' to is hunger and war.
(¡No!) Un "no" para todo aquel
The third thing Willie Colón wants people to say 'no' to is all those who perpetuate discrimination our society.
(¡No!) Que con sus mañas destruye la Tierra
People and their greed are destroying the planet, and they need to say 'no' to this behavior.
(¡No!) Un "no" a la maldita droga
Willie Colón wants people to say 'no' to drugs.
(¡No!) Que destruye tanta gente
Drugs are destroying people's lives and must be rejected by society.
(¡No!) Un "no" a la burguesía
The middle class and wealthy groups need to be socially responsible and held accountable for their actions.
(¡No!) Un "no" a los terratenientes
Urge people to say 'no' to those who exploit land ownership and other sources of power outright.
(¡No!) Un "no" para aquel que deja
Willie Colón wants people to say 'no' to those who let innocent children die of hunger.
(¡No!) Morir a un niño de hambre
People need to say 'no' to allowing children to die from hunger.
(¡No!) Al que voltea la cara
We must call out people who turn a blind eye and neglect their responsibility.
(¡No!) Para no sentirse culpable
People who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions must be called out.
(¡No!) A los que resuelven problemas
Solutions to problems are not solved using violence or warfare, and this must be stopped.
(¡No!) Con agresión y bombardeos
The use of aggression, war, and bombings to ask for peace is not acceptable.
(¡No!) Los que subrayan sus puntos
Willie Colon suggests people saying 'no' to those who outline or convey their points using people's bloodshed.
(¡No!) Con la sangre del pueblo
It is not acceptable to convey one's points at the cost of people's lives.
(¡No!) Un "no" para el que no crea
Willie Colon urges people to say 'no' to those who discourage creativity or discredit innovative ideas.
(¡No!) Y que no deja crear
Refusing to accept or acknowledge innovative ideas and creativity is not acceptable.
(¡No!) Que solo emplea su tiempo
People who only waste their time criticising valuable ideas must be stopped.
(¡No!) En criticar y criticar
Criticism without proposing or accepting solutions is not acceptable.
(¡No!) "No" para el que hace negocios
Willie Colon says 'no' to those who do business based on weapons and militarism.
(¡No!) Con armas y militarismo
The use of weapons and militarism with the sole intent for financial gain or commercial trade is not acceptable.
(¡No!) Luego declara ante el pueblo
Those who deceive people by concealing their intentions must be stopped.
(¡No!) Que es cuestión de patriotismo
It is not patriotic to do business that cause harm to others.
(¡No!) Un "no" para aquellos hombres
Willie Colon says 'no' to men who harass women and make inappropriate comments to them.
(¡No!) Que en las esquinas se paran
Men standing on the streets making inappropriate comments to women must be called out and stopped.
(¡No!) A vocear piropos sucios
Voicing impure comments must not be acceptable in our society.
(¡No!) A cada dama que pasa
Women should not be objectified based on their physical appearance.
(¡No!) Para aquellas suegras
Willie Colon says 'no' to mothers-in-law who go against the law and intervene in the personal matters of their children.
(¡No!) Que no respetan las leyes
Mothers-in-law who manipulate, exercise interference, or hinder peaceful existence need to change their behaviors.
(¡No!) Que por más que se les diga
It is not acceptable for someone to break the laws continuously, even after being warned or confronted about it.
(¡No!) Siempre entre hijos se meten
Family members who consistently interfere and cause conflicts among their relatives must be called out.
(¡No!) A ese viejo general
Willie Colon says 'no' to old fusty generals who send innocent young men to war.
(¡No!) Que al joven manda a la guerra
Old fusty generals should no longer have the power and authority to send young men to death.
(¡No!) Y cuando la cosa está recia
Colon is against Generals who throw young men into high-risk situations and remain far from the battleground.
(¡No!) Lejos de batalla queda
Generals and other people with power should have empathy and take responsibility for their actions.
(¡No!) Un "no" a los explotadores
Willie Colon says 'no' to people exploiting and dominating over others.
(¡No!) Se empeñan en reemplazar
People trying to replace humanity with their messaging should be stopped from continuing this behavior.
(¡No!) Con sus mensajes ineptos
Messages that seek to control, manipulate, and dominate others are not acceptable.
(¡No!) Queriendo al pueblo domar
Individuals who utilize messaging that psychologically manipulates, subjugates or dominates others should be stopped from such behavior.
Writer(s): Freddy Sanchez
Contributed by Chase K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.