La Rumba me llamo yo
Daymé Arocena»Cubafonía
Gilles PetersonFonky jazz
Daymé Arocena (born January 1992) is an Afro-Cuban jazz singer and composer… Read Full Bio ↴Daymé Arocena (born January 1992) is an Afro-Cuban jazz singer and composer from Havana who has been described as Cuba's "finest young female singer". She is on National Public Radio's (NPR) list of 50 favourite albums of 2015, with the album "Nueva Era". Arocena won the 2015 Juno Award for the best jazz album as a member of the jazz band Maqueque performing with Canadian musician Jane Bunnett.
Share:
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dice mi madre, que el negro está regala'o
Que se me acerca pa' sombra
Y que no los quiere a mi la'o
Que soy hija de la suerte
Que lo mio es natural
Que no reparta mi gloria
Pa' que no me quiera mal
Dice mi madre, tu ocha no es babalawo
Pero si fueras un hombre, tambor fueras consagrado
Moyugba Eggun, que no te deja caer
Que va a la guerra contigo para que pueda vencer
Dice mi madre será fina y delgade
Pero la conga contigo, bailándote pa'l bembé
Que te regala la risa y un tumbao que tumba
Y que por eso los muertos, te van a halar pa' la rumba
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo
La rumba me llamo yo, la rumba me llamo yo
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo...
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo...
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo...
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo...
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo...
Imborooooo
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
Rumba, ven, ven
¿Qué tú quiere' hacer?
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
Rumba, ven, ven
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
Rumba, ven, ven
(Dime qué tú quieres, que te den?)
¿Qué es lo que tú quiere' que te den?
Rumba, ven, ven...
The lyrics to Dayme Arocena's song "La Rumba Me Llamo Yo" explore the singer's identity as a black woman in Cuba, and the influence of her mother's wisdom and the Afro-Cuban spiritual tradition on her life. The song opens with Arocena recounting her mother's words that a black man has approached her for shade, but her mother won't allow them to be together because Arocena is "lucky" and shouldn't share her good fortune with anyone. Arocena asserts that her talent is natural and that she won't share her "glory" with anyone who might harm her.
Arocena goes on to reference the Orishas, or deities of the Yoruba religion, of which many Afro-Cuban people are devotees. She calls on Eggun, the spirits of the ancestors, to protect her and says that even though she is not a Babalawo, a male priest of the religion, she would be a consecrated drum if she were a man. Arocena's mother also encourages her to dance the conga, a style of music that originated in Cuba and was developed by African slaves. Arocena is said to have the power to make people dance and laugh, and the dead will come to join her in the rumba.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo" which translates to "I am Iya, I am Bongo, I am called Rumba". The first two are references to different types of drums used in Afro-Cuban music, while the third line affirms Arocena's identity as a singer of rumba music, which often incorporates Yoruba rhythms and lyrics. Overall, the song is a celebration of Afro-Cuban identity and heritage, and the power of music to unite people across generations and cultures.
Dice mi madre, que el negro está regala'o
My mother says that you are a generous person,
Que se me acerca pa' sombra
especially when you come close to offer shade
Y que no los quiere a mi la'o
She also says that you do not want anyone around me
Que soy hija de la suerte
My mother says I am lucky,
Que lo mio es natural
and that my gift comes naturally
Que no reparta mi gloria
So I should not give away my glory
Pa' que no me quiera mal
to protect myself from jealousy
Dice mi madre, tu ocha no es babalawo
My mother says you are not a babalawo (diviner),
Pero si fueras un hombre, tambor fueras consagrado
but if you were a man, you would have been dedicated as a drummer
Moyugba Eggun, que no te deja caer
She also says that Moyugba Eggun (ancestor salutation) will never let me fall
Que va a la guerra contigo para que pueda vencer
and that they will fight with me to ensure that I win
Dice mi madre será fina y delgade
My mother says that I am slim and delicate,
Pero la conga contigo, bailándote pa'l bembé
but I dance the conga with you, especially during a bembé (Afro-Cuban religious celebration)
Que te regala la risa y un tumbao que tumba
She says that my laughter and rhythm can shake up anyone
Y que por eso los muertos, te van a halar pa' la rumba
And that is why even the dead will join the party with you
Soy Iya, soy Bongo, la rumba me llamo yo
I am Iya, I am Bongo, I am called the Rumba
Imborooooo
a sound of joy and excitement
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
What do you want to be given?
Rumba, ven, ven
Rumba, come, come
¿Qué tú quiere' hacer?
What do you want to do?
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
What do you want to be given?
Rumba, ven, ven
Rumba, come, come
¿Qué es lo que tu quiere' que te den?
What do you want to be given?
Rumba, ven, ven
Rumba, come, come
(Dime qué tú quieres, que te den?)
(Tell me what you want to be given?)
¿Qué es lo que tú quiere' que te den?
What do you want to be given?
Rumba, ven, ven...
Rumba, come, come...
Writer(s): Dayme Arocena Uribarri Contributed by Cooper C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
