“She Never Spoke Spanish to Me”: Texas Tornados’ Tejano Music

I met her in old Mexico
She would live in sad and young
This smokey room where no one could see
Her favorite poets all agree
Spanish is a loving tongue
But she never spoke Spanish to me

She was born in Monterrey
And all the Christmas songs were sung
Padres knew what she would grow up to be
Saints and sinners all agree
Spanish is a loving tongue
But she never spoke Spanish to me

“She Never Spoke Spanish to Me” is a song recorded and performed by the Tejano band Texas Tornados. It was written by singer-songwriter Butch Hancock. He wrote it specifically for the band. The song actually appeared on the band’s 1990 album, Texas Tornados, and on their 2005 album, Live From Austin TX.

Lead singer Freddy Fender opens the song with his bandmates playing the accompaniment. The song is about a man who loves someone from Mexico. He describes her as a beautiful woman, perfectly fit to be a partner. However, with all the efforts he has done, she never spoke Spanish to him.

WATCH: Band lead singer Freddy Fender and the Texas Tornados perform “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me” live:

Texas Tornados: American Tejano Band

One of the bands that became prominent in the late 1980s, Texas Tornados was an influential group that represented the Tejanos during that decade. Tejano or Texan-Mexican (Tex-Mex) music refers to the forms of folk and popular music that originated among the Mexican-American populations of the Central and Southern Texas.

Texas Tornados considers their musical style a varied one. Aside from being Tejano, their music is a conjunto (German and Norteno Mexican fusion music of Texas) combining with rock and country style of music.

The original and founding members of the band were Flaco Jiménez, Augie Meyers, and Doug Sahm who performed in an event in San Francisco before. Initially, they were just solo performers who performed together during the event. However, after their well-praised performance from the audience, they felt the genuine bond in their music. Eventually, they met halfway and formed the group. They took their name Texas Tornados after Sahm’s song entitled “Texas Tornado”.

In 1990, a couple of record company executives approached Sahm and Meyers to cash in on some regional music. The two felt that it was a great opportunity then presented it to Jiménez who later brought longtime Freddy Fender with him. The four then collaborated together, thus, forming the Texas Tornados.

Fun Facts About the Original Members of the Band

• Freddy Fender produced a number of chart-topping hits. “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” are his two best songs which eventually became pop crossover songs.
• Flaco Jiménez is known as the “Father of Conjunto“. He used to play conjunto with his accordion and has already played with some acts like the Rolling Stones and Dwight Yoakam.
• Augie Meyers is a member of the Texas Music Hall of Fame. He has performed with some of the music legends such as the Allman Brothers Band, Bob Dylan, and the like.
• Together with Meyers, Doug Sahm was once a member of the 1960 pop-rock band the Sir Douglas Quintet. Their hit songs include “She’s About a Mover” and “Mendocino“.

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