Most of the Salsa that has appeared here so far is from a genre of salsa romántica known colloquially as Salsa Rosa (Salsa Rose) which garnered popularity in the late 80’s. It is a softer and more delicate Salsa raising emotions of romance and sex; with hits from the likes of Puerto Rican legends Eddie Santiago and Jerry Rivera. Critics of salsa romántica called it a “commercialized, watered-down” form of Latin pop in which formulaic, sentimental love ballads were simply put to an Afro-Cuban beat—leaving no room for classic salsa’s brilliant musical improvisation, or for classic salsa lyrics that tell stories of daily life or provide social and political commentary.
Today’s Salsa is from one of the pioneers of Salsa music and a best-selling artist in the genre – Willie Colón. On his website, Colón claims to hold the “all time record for sales in the Salsa genre, [having] created 40 productions that have sold more than thirty million records worldwide.” Today’s featured track Sin Poderte Hablar (I can’t talk to you) is from his 1979 record – ‘Solo’ which fittingly is one of Colón’s solo albums featuring a mix of traditional and modern Salsa styles, with Colón’s distinctive trombone playing and vocals taking center stage. Solo has been praised for its energetic and soulful performances, making it a standout in Colón’s discography.
What I enjoy and admire most listening to Sin Poderte Hablar is how it blends classic salsa (by its rich rhythmic foundation) and Western pop sensibilities reminiscent of the kitsch ’60’s city sounds of Petula Clark’s Downtown, a ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’ Sally’s Tomato or Burt Bacharach. The slight crossover feel or ‘fusion’ between traditional and modern (salsa romántica at least lyrically), and latino and western music enabled it to gain mainstream attention amongst American and Latin audiences at the same time. When hearing Sin Poderte Hablar you really do feel like you are the forefront of salsa’s evolution. Colón was a true innovator.
An English translation of the lyrics follow:
[Verse x 2]
I know I shouldn’t say
What my emotion dictates
I feel like you like me (Ah la la la)
And I don’t know why
Jealousy is killing me
I want to be close to you
And my love is waiting for you
I want to make you happy
Oh, oh, oh
I would like to tell you so many things
When you’re looking at me
But I already know that life is like that
When time goes by
And I can’t talk to you
(And I can’t talk to you, and I can’t talk to you)
Stay seated where you are
Until the end, as if nothing
By your side your control
You will be able to notice our looks
You drive me crazy
I can’t control myself anymore
I would give my whole life
To be able to kiss you
But I can only look at you, babe
And I can’t talk to you
(And I can’t talk to you) What bad luck I have
If I could talk to you
I’d tell you what I feel
You’d be my lover
But I can only look at you, babe
And I can’t talk to you
In a room full of people
A heart was dying
Knowing that never ever
Will I be able to achieve what I expected
(And I can’t talk to you)
References:
1. Willie Colón – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Leave a comment