During one of my conversations with Héctor, I once asked him if he was fully aware of his greatness and the fact that he had touched the lives of so many people. With a puzzled expression in his face, he replied: "Izzy, I am and will always be just a simple jibarito puertorriqueño." Throughout his career, Héctor Lavoe chose songs and improvised lyrics that expressed his undying love for his native Puerto Rico. This compilation focuses on the many tracks that Héctor recorded with his beloved Borinquen in mind.

1. Borinquen
This delighful oldie is ideal for dancing. Dedicating a guaguancó to Puerto Rico, Héctor sings of Christopher Columbus discovering this little gem of a Caribbean island. An ideal tune for anybody who misses Puerto Rico and wants to feel happy again.

2. Canto A Borinquen
During the Christmas season, this song is played constantly on Puerto Rican radio. Borinquen soy tu hijo/ y no voy a olvidar, sings Héctor to his motherland. Though many artists have re-recorded this song with more advanced technology, none of them have been able to match the nasal vocalizing of our beloved flaco.

3. Paraíso de Dulzura
When Lavoe sings que de dónde vengo, que pa' dónde voy, he's basically telling you that he's very proud of his origins. Whenever I travel to Puerto Rico, I play this song while packing, at the airport, and on the plane. As the plane begins its descent and I see the island's beautiful landscape, I tend to fool myself into thinking that only Héctor and I could be this excited about returning to our homeland.

4. Isla del Encanto
Yet another boricua anthem. Héctor mentions a variety of places and talks about the specific feel of being in the island. He describes sounds, people and sights, La Parguera beach, the Yunque rainforest, La Perla in old San Juan, and los caseríos, which are always identified with the island's humble people. Puerto Rico is calling him. All he wants is to return.

5. Ponce
There are so many different references to Ponce in this song, it is truly remarkable. My favorite line: su bello parque de bombas/único en el mundo entero/Dr. Pila, San Antón, Machuelito, la Cantera/Bélgica, la playa entera/para Ponce es mi canción, these are all different areas of Ponce. He talks about el gran Garay, el viejo hospital, composer Morel Campos (and his music school, which still stands) el Chivo Pepe, Chuito pega frenos, Uvita, oddball characters who used to roam the city of Ponce.

6. Mi Gente
Lavoe performed this song with all of his fans in mind, but he mentions Puerto Ricans in every version I hear. Whether he calls us boricuas, jíbaros, mentioning the island itself or his native Ponce (like he does in some live versions of the tune), it is clear that the references to the homeland are at the core of this track.

7. Ah-ah/O-no
A charming song. Lavoe sings about how he can't win or lose with a certain lady in his life. As the song progresses, he tells this woman how much he cares for her: de Puerto Rico llevo bomba/ te llevo a vacilar/la fiesta de San Juan. And also: después te llevo pa' Ponce/a la casa 'e Doña Monse. When he talks about taking this lady to Mrs. Monse's house in Ponce, I believe that he is making a reference about his grandmother. He adds: y nos vamos a Bélgica/allí yo pago en la seis. Bélgica is his neighborhood in Ponce, and la seis is a road that had a toll at the time. I have heard Héctor singing about this same road on "Songorocosongo."

8. Potpourri III
The coro goes: Mama Borinquen me llama/este país no es el mío/Borinquen es pura flama/y aquí me muero de frío. Héctor is singing about his sense of urgency to leave a cold wintery place and go back to the warmth of his country, where he can wear a shirt as opposed to a heavy coat. You have to love this.

9. Panameña
After saluting women from Panama and the Dominican Republic, the second half of the song switches to an aguinaldo and an ode to Puerto Rican women. Héctor sings: Yo canto guajira, yo canto un danzón/te canto bolero,canto un guaguancó/pero no me olvido del aguinaldo.

10. Pa' los Pueblos
It's Christmas time, and Héctor sends greetings to his people in Puerto Rico, as well as every other country in Latin America. He also mentions a very important Puerto Rican treat: the cuchifrito: cuchifrito y harina es mi alimento. The man loved the island and its people, and we loved him back.

11. El Son
In this track, Héctor sings about the borincano essence of his song: te canto un son borincano/para tener un encuentro con el que se sienta hermano/que alegra a la patria mía. He is emphasizing the fact that his particular brand of son hails from Puerto Rico.

12. Tranquilidad
After a beautiful solo by Yomo Toro on the cuatro, Héctor talks about offering a nice Aguinaldo, first to Puerto Rico, then to the rest of the world, too. By doing this, he reminds us of where his priorities lie.

13. La Parranda Fania
Plenty of references to Puerto Rico in this song. First, the coro instructs us to grab a couple of traditional Puerto Rican instruments used for parrandas: the cuatro and güiro. He also mentions his hometown, as well as Comerío, yet another humble Puerto Rican town. Then, it's time to mention the typical delicacies from the island: lechón and pasteles. Irresistible.

14. Mr Brownie
Another song in which Héctor underscores the contrast that exists between Puerto Rican culture and the rest of the world. He portrays a Spanish speaking gringo on a mission to get himself acquainted with the traditional cuatro and the guiro, then drinking rum and throwing petardos (firecrackers.) Back to being himself, Héctor pokes fun at the gringo: no hay aguinaldo mejor que'l jíbaro borincano/¿cómo te cae eso, gringo?

15. Songoro Cosongo
A lot of boricua references in this song. I decided to include it, because it illustrates the subtlety with which Héctor would give a Puerto Rican context to his songs. Halfway through, he sings casually: cuéntenme lo que está pasando en Bélgica/ que muy pronto los veré. He sings about wanting to know what's happening in his old neighborhood (Belgica), because he is making a trip back there. I often think about the many people who listen to this classic without having any idea of what Héctor is referring to. That, to me, is what makes it so special. In just one line, Héctor achieves an instant connection with his closest neighbors from Ponce.



Compiled by Izzy Sanabria and Gilbert Rivera

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