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.
Pa Los Pueblos
Willie Colón Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A todos los pueblos
En las navidades
Y en el año nuevo
Quiero saludar
A todos los pueblos
En las navidades
Y en el año nuevo
Yo llego y digo
Hoy en estos tiempos
De paz y alegría
Quiero saludar
A la gente mía
De mi Puerto Rico
Con sinceridad
A los de Quisqueya
Y de Panamá
Quiero saludar
A todos los pueblos
En las navidades
Y en el año nuevo
Quiero saludar
A todos los pueblos
En las navidades
Y en el año nuevo
Y vuelvo y digo
Curazao y Colombia
Perú, Costa Rica
Los del Ecuador
Y de Martinica
Los de Venezuela
Nunca lo olvidamos
Los pueblos latinos, óyeme
Todos somos hermanos
Y bien unidos:
¡Hasta la muerte!
El cochifrito y harina es mi alimento (A todos los pueblos)
Ahora yo vengo contento (A todos los pueblos)
Los de Quisqueña dicen que se juntan (A todos los pueblos)
En Venezuela la vaina contento (A todos los pueblos)
Al cataquí el mapa aumento (A todos los pueblos)
Y de Perú venía contento (A todos los pueblos)
Vente, te parece, cholito (A todos los pueblos)
Que pa' todos los pueblos (A todos los pueblos)
Pa' que aprendan un poquito (A todos los pueblos)
De todo traigo un chiquitito (A todos los pueblos)
Ven, qué te parece, cholito (A todos los pueblos)
¡Ay! Qué te parece el cochifrito (A todos los pueblos)
In Willie Colón's song "Pa Los Pueblos," the lyrics express the desire to greet and acknowledge all of the peoples of the Latin America and the Caribbean during the holiday season and the upcoming year. He mentions specific locations like Puerto Rico, Quisqueya, Panama, Curazao, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Martinica, and Venezuela. He believes that they are all brothers and sisters, and he wants them to unite and stay together even after death. He ends the lyrics with a reference to his food "cochifrito y harina," which he enjoys, and encourages people to learn from each other and share their cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Quiero saludar
I want to greet
A todos los pueblos
All the people
En las navidades
During Christmas
Y en el año nuevo
And in the new year
Yo llego y digo
I arrive and say
Hoy en estos tiempos
Today, in these times
De paz y alegría
Of peace and joy
Quiero saludar
I want to greet
A la gente mía
To my people
De mi Puerto Rico
From my Puerto Rico
Con sinceridad
Sincerely
A los de Quisqueya
To those of Quisqueya
Y de Panamá
And of Panama
Y vuelvo y digo
And I say again
Curazao y Colombia
Curacao and Colombia
Perú, Costa Rica
Peru, Costa Rica
Los del Ecuador
Those from Ecuador
Y de Martinica
And from Martinique
Los de Venezuela
Those from Venezuela
Nunca lo olvidamos
We never forget it
Los pueblos latinos, óyeme
The Latino people, listen to me
Todos somos hermanos
We are all brothers
Y bien unidos:
And well united:
¡Hasta la muerte!
Until death!
El cochifrito y harina es mi alimento
Cochifrito and flour is my food
Ahora yo vengo contento
Now I come happy
Los de Quisqueña dicen que se juntan
Those of Quisqueya say they get together
En Venezuela la vaina contento
In Venezuela, the thing is happy
Al cataquí el mapa aumento
The Mapuche increased the cataqui
Y de Perú venía contento
And from Peru he came happy
Vente, te parece, cholito
Come, what do you think, little Indigenous person
Que pa' todos los pueblos
For all the peoples
Pa' que aprendan un poquito
So they can learn a little bit
De todo traigo un chiquitito
I bring a little bit of everything
Ven, qué te parece, cholito
Come, what do you think, little Indigenous person
¡Ay! Qué te parece el cochifrito
Oh! What do you think of cochifrito
Writer(s): Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Hector Lavoe Perez
Contributed by Molly S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ruthnrivera2769
Me encantan 🤩😍 no soy boricua,soy de Guatemala 🇬🇹 pero tengo muchas amigas boricuas, pero soy RURU LA RUMBERA 👠💃🎵🎼porque se bailar como boricua y tengo el sabor caribeño en las venas , riquísima salsa 🍝🥫viva ,vivo en NJ 🇺🇸
@virgilioclaudio276
No eres,pero como si lo fueras.Ya te amamos.
@user-rr2fi7jj1h
Definitivamente Willie es un genio. Como hace para lograr esos efectos musicales?
@michaelgarcia754
Saludos a todos los pueblos...q viva siempre la navidad
@orlandozamora6225
Sera una Navidad muy difícil para muchas familias . pero Dios nos dara fuerzas y salud para seguir adelante . Saludos hermanos latinos desde mí Panamá...
@carmencruz2529
La mejor música navideña.
@dariogonzalez6361
Todas las navidades suenan estos discos eternos!! Saludos desde Panamá!
@lapara18figueroa51
El mejor duo dela salsa el chico malo ft el cantante delo cantante respecto a eso 2 grandes.
@TheJokersys
hector lavoe era unico jjjjjjjj
@systemprooficial3946
🇵🇦🔥🙋🏽♂️🥃