Los Van Van
El negro no tiene na lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1988
- Genre
- Son Cubano
- Length
- 5:57
Ahora voy a contarles
Now I'm going to tell you
Una historia verdadera
A true story
Una amiga me lo conto'
A friend told me
Que a ella le sucedio'
That happened to her
Vino a verla una vecina
A neighbor came to see her
Muy triste, muy afligida
Very sad, very troubled
Hondamente compungida
Deeply distressed
Le dijo: mi amiga no somos nada
She said: my friend, we are nothing
El que contaba la sandunguera
The one who told the tales
El que tenia titimania
The one who had jitters
Ese mismito se dio' candela
That same one caught fire
Candela, ni loco!
Fire, not a chance!
Y yo vestido muy elegante
And I dressed very elegantly
Fui a visitar a mi amigo
I went to visit my friend
Y del susto que se dio'
And from the fright he got
Fue' a parar a la cocina
He ended up in the kitchen
Mira negro
Look, man
Tu eres un fantasma
You are a ghost
Por que te diste candela
Why did you catch fire?
Lo dice la habana entera
The whole of Havana is saying it
Tremendo fue el comentario
It was a tremendous comment
Y sin pensarlo me acerco a ella
And without thinking, I approach her
Ven y tocame, pa' que veas
Come and touch me, so you can see
Que todavia doy mucha guerra
That I still can stir up a lot of trouble
Coro
Chorus
Entonces, el negro no tiene na'
So, the guy's got nothing, right?
Caballero entonces
So, gentleman
Coro
Chorus
Eh? que te pasa tu?
Eh? What's wrong with you?
Coro
Chorus
Eh? que te pasa tu?
Eh? What's wrong with you?
El negro no tiene na', caballero
The black man has nothing, my friend
Key vocabulary
- nada
- nothingA2
- contarles
- tellB1
- conto
- told tale
- titimania
- titmania
- loco
- crazyB2
- elegante
- elegantA2
- susto
- frightB2
- fantasma
- ghostB1
- dice
- saysB2
- tocame
- touch
About this song
Los Van Van is a Cuban band in the son genre that helped pioneer songo in the late 1960s, blending electric instruments, jazz influences, and dance-focused son with topical lyrics. They are among Cuba’s most popular groups, known for shaping a sound that draws on African roots and island song traditions.