Willie Rosario
Rosario (born Fernando Luis Rosario Marin) was raised in a poor but, hard working family. His parents realized that as a child Willie was musically inclined and had him take guitar lessons at the age of 6. He received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. His mother also had him take saxophone classes, however what he really was interested in was the conga. In 1946, he formed a band called Coamex but, a year later when he was 17 years old, his family to moved to New York City. The family rented an apartment in a Manhattan ghetto known as Spanish Harlem.
Rosario came into contact and played the conga for various orchestras. After he graduated from high school he continued his education and studied journalism and public relations. On one occasion Rosario visited the famed Palladium Ball Room in New York, where Tito Puente was playing the timbales. This was the beginning of his love affair with that instrument. He was 22 years old when he took classes with percussionist Henry Adler.
In 1959, Rosario organized his first band and played for three years in the Club Caborrojeño in New York. When not playing, he would work as a disc jockey for WADO, a Spanish speaking radio station in New York.
In 1962, he signed with the Alegre Record Label and traveled and performed with his band in Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Curaçao, U.S. Virgin Islands and all over the United States. He opened the Tropicana Club in New York in association with fellow Puerto Rican Bobby Valentin.
Among his best known compositions are "De Barrio Obrero a la Quince", "El Timbal de Carlitos", "Mi Amigo el Payaso" (My friend the Clown), "El Revendon", "Lluvia" (Rain), "Cuando No Hay Cariño" (When there's no Love). Plus, he also composed the following jazz tunes "Flip, flop", "Stop and go" and "My Favorite Thing".
Rosario also produced the following songs with the participation of Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tony Vega, Papo Lucca and Bobby Valentin; "Latin Jazz Go-Go-Go", "El Bravo soy Yo" (I'm the tough guy), "Too Too Much" and "Willie Rosario y su Ritmo".
Among the awards and recognitions bestowed upon Rosario are a nomination in 1987 for a Grammy Award for his song "Nueva Cosecha" (New Harvest), various Gold and Platinum Records, the Golden Agueybana Award, ACE, Diplo and Paoli Awards. In 2000, the Puerto Rican Senate paid tribute to Willie Rosario in recognition of his 40 years in the field of music. In 2002, Willie Rosario was inducted into The International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
Wllie Rosario's last production was "La Banda Que Deleita". He continues to play small venues in the San Juan area, having last been seen performing at Shots Bar & Grill in the Isla Verde Mall in late October 2006.
La Mitad
Willie Rosario Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
y falta tu presencia y no está tu mano
en mi mano franca
que una vez te di
siento que la vida se aleja de mi.
Tu no eres ni siquierta la mitad
de lo que fuiste una vez
y las penas se quedaron por allá
por donde quiera que vas
y te encuentras todavía.
Como aún me gustas
si quieres que te ame
voy a amarte niña
como no te he amado
estoy a tu orden
si preocupación
de una forma libre a tu disposición.
Yo no soy ni siquiera la mitad
de lo que fui una vez cuando contigo vivía,
y las penas se quedaron por allá
por donde quiera que vas y te encuentras todavía
Ya no existe ni siquiera la mitad
de mis problemas de ayer
ni de mi melancolia
solo existe el cariño y nada más
aquella forma de amar ya no existe vida mía
Coro:
La mitad ya no existe la mitad de lo que había
Al pensar en el pasado siento
que la vida se me va y me doy cuenta
de que ya no estas
Coro
Como aún me gustas y quieres que te ame
voy a amarte niña claro que te voy a amar
pero recuerda que nunca va a ser igual
Coro
Ahora me siento distinto
no se si te pasa igual
que interesante como hace el tiempo cambiar
Coro
De aquella suma total de cariño
solo queda en el momento
un 50% y nada más
Coro
Y de las penas siquiera ya no quedan
hoy en dia la mitad
melancolía y problemas quedaron atras
Coro
Lo intentamos una vez
y yo aprendi a fracasar
estaba escrito lo que no fue no será
Coro
De este corazón voy a entregarte solamente la mitad
todo ha cambiado no te puedo dar más
Coro
In Willie Rosario's song "La Mitad," the singer admits that his life feels incomplete and that he misses the presence of his loved one when he crosses a particular street without her. He recounts how when he previously held her hand, it made him feel complete, but now that she is gone, he feels like his life is slipping away. The singer realizes that she is no longer the person she once was, "ni siquiera la mitad" (not even half) of what she once was. He pledges to love her again as he always has, but he understands that things can never be the same.
The song's lyrics reflect on the idea that love can change, grow, and diminish over time. The singer understands that while his feelings have not changed, the relationship and circumstances have. His life no longer revolves around the person he once loved completely- she is no longer "even half" of the same person anymore. Despite the changes, he still yearns for her and wants to love her, even if their love can only be "la mitad" (half) of what it once was.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando me doy cuenta que cruzo la calle
When I realize that I crossed the street
y falta tu presencia y no está tu mano
And your presence is missing, your hand is not there
en mi mano franca
In my frank hand
que una vez te di
That I once gave to you
siento que la vida se aleja de mi.
I feel like life is leaving me.
Tu no eres ni siquierta la mitad
You're not even half
de lo que fuiste una vez
Of what you used to be
cuando conmigo vivías
When you were living with me
y las penas se quedaron por allá
And the sorrows stayed back there
por donde quiera que vas
Wherever you go
y te encuentras todavía.
And you're still there.
Como aún me gustas
As I still like you
si quieres que te ame
If you want me to love you
voy a amarte niña
I'm going to love you, girl
como no te he amado
Like I haven't loved you before
estoy a tu orden
I'm at your service
si preocupación
Without worry
de una forma libre a tu disposición.
In a free way at your disposal.
Yo no soy ni siquiera la mitad
I'm not even half
de lo que fui una vez cuando contigo vivía,
Of what I used to be when I was living with you,
y las penas se quedaron por allá
And the sorrows stayed back there
por donde quiera que vas y te encuentras todavía
Wherever you go and you're still there.
Ya no existe ni siquiera la mitad
Not even half exists anymore
de mis problemas de ayer
Of my problems from yesterday
ni de mi melancolia
Nor of my melancholy
solo existe el cariño y nada más
Only affection exists, nothing more.
aquella forma de amar ya no existe vida mía
That way of loving does not exist in my life anymore.
La mitad ya no existe la mitad de lo que había
Half does not exist anymore, half of what was there.
Al pensar en el pasado siento
When I think about the past I feel
que la vida se me va y me doy cuenta
That life is leaving me and I realize
de que ya no estas
That you're no longer here.
Como aún me gustas y quieres que te ame
As I still like you and you want me to love you
voy a amarte niña claro que te voy a amar
I'm going to love you, girl, of course I'm going to love you
pero recuerda que nunca va a ser igual
But remember that it will never be the same.
Ahora me siento distinto
Now I feel different
no se si te pasa igual
I don't know if you feel the same
que interesante como hace el tiempo cambiar
How interesting it is how time makes things change.
De aquella suma total de cariño
From that total sum of love
solo queda en el momento
Only in the moment is what's left
un 50% y nada más
50% and nothing more
Y de las penas siquiera ya no quedan
And the sorrows don't even remain
hoy en dia la mitad
Nowadays, only half
melancolía y problemas quedaron atras
Melancholy and problems were left behind.
Lo intentamos una vez
We tried once
y yo aprendi a fracasar
And I learned to fail
estaba escrito lo que no fue no será
It was written that what wasn't, will not be.
De este corazón voy a entregarte solamente la mitad
I'm only going to give you half of this heart.
todo ha cambiado no te puedo dar más
Everything has changed, I can't give you more.
Coro
Chorus
Writer(s): Zulma Gonzalez
Contributed by Zoe D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.