PART ONE 1942 September 10: Sylvia Galindo is born. She will become Ray's mother. 1958 | Age 15–16 Sylvia becomes pregnant with Ray. According to Sylvia's later account, the father is Eddie Mercado, a married bartender with four children. Eddie tells Sylvia to get an abortion. According to the family story, he subsequently proposes that Juan A. Ruiz, a man who owes Eddie money from gambling, marry Sylvia so the child will have a father's name. Sylvia marries Juan Ruiz. While setting up their apartment, Sylvia discovers that Juan is already married to another woman in Washington State. She throws him out. The marriage is later annulled. 1959 | Age 0 September 3: Raymond Ruiz is born in the Bronx, New York City. His birth certificate identifies Sylvia Galindo as his mother and Juan A. Ruiz as his father, although Sylvia later tells Ray that Eddie Mercado is his biological father. Approximately age 0–1: Ray sees his maternal grandfather, Ramon Galindo, once as an inf...

If someone destroys my guitar, I can turn it into a lamp. If someone destroys my prized collectible record album, I can put it back in the sleeve, frame it and hang it on the wall as album cover art. If after years of commitment, sacrifice and devotion, someone destroys my love for them, all I can do is write a song. ~ Ray Galindo Note About the Commentaries The analysis, observations, and commentaries accompanying the lyrics in this book are presented from a perspective separate from that of the songwriter. They are intended to provide the reader with additional context, interpretation, and insight into the songs, their themes, and the circumstances surrounding their creation. These commentaries are not necessarily the songwriter's own interpretations, nor should they be regarded as definitive explanations of the work. They represent an independent reading of the material by a second party, whose perspective may sometimes reveal connections, meanings, or possibilities that the so...