Spanish Grease
Willie Bobo Lyrics
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Ain't no love
Ain't no love
Ain't no love
We're missing in action living in a time when it's in fashion
To be gun flashing, blasting that's why we ain't lasting
All fastened, strapped ready for rivals harassing
Looking over your shoulder ducking cars that are passing
In my rumbo you hear that latin lingo
Guns shoot through at pachucos fuckin? sickos
With four nickels nobody walks around single
Get caught slipping they'll pull your card from a window
It's that simple locals get gaffled by barrio locos
Steal their spanish grease making them shed a tear like willie bobo
Over dollars, chains and rings things that are worth poco
A coco's out there stealing 'cause they're fiending for perico
A head crack will strike and attack for a sack
Pawn or sell your shit to buy a rock and bring that high back
That's why I strap it's my defense against those
Who are committing defense randomly becoming foes?
Shit is survival of fittest testing who's biggest and realest on the street
Feel this beware of killers, stealers and dealers
Rebel guerillas striking on policemen who give us
Hard times in the city where no love is with us
Ain't no love
Ain't no love
In the city?
In the city?
Ain't no love
Ain't no love
Ain't no love
Ain't no love
In the city
In the city
In the city
In the city
Ain't no love
The lyrics to Willie Bobo's song "Spanish Grease" speak to the realities of living in a violent and dangerous urban environment. The repeated refrain of "Ain't no love" underscores the feeling of hopelessness and mistrust that permeates the lyrics. The verses delve into the specifics of this reality, describing the prevalence of gun violence and the need to be constantly on guard. The use of "latin lingo" and references to "pachucos" (a subculture associated with the zoot suit style popular in the 1940s) situates the song specifically within a Chicano/Latino context, highlighting the experience of a marginalized community.
The line "Steal their Spanish grease making them shed a tear like Willie Bobo" is especially poignant, as it refers to the theft of a valuable hair pomade popular among Latino men at the time. The image of someone crying over their stolen Spanish grease serves as a metaphor for the loss of identity and cultural heritage that can result from living in a hostile environment. The song ultimately suggests that this lack of love and connection is caused by larger societal forces, in particular an economic system that values material possessions over human life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no love
There is no love or kindness in our surroundings
Ain't no love
There is no love or mercy in our environment
Ain't no love
There is no love or compassion in our community
Ain't no love
There is no love or affection in our society
We're missing in action living in a time when it's in fashion
We are absent because it's the current trend to show off weapons and use them for crime
To be gun flashing, blasting that's why we ain't lasting
Using guns for intimidation and violence is the reason why we are not able to survive
All fastened, strapped ready for rivals harassing
We are always prepared and geared up to face enemy attacks
Looking over your shoulder ducking cars that are passing
We are always on high alert and avoiding getting hit by passing vehicles while being cautious of our surroundings
In my rumbo you hear that latin lingo
In my neighborhood, you can hear the authentic latin language and dialects
Guns shoot through at pachucos fuckin? sickos
Guns are fired by crazy and twisted Pachuco gang members
With four nickels nobody walks around single
No one walks alone with just four bullets in the chamber
Get caught slipping they'll pull your card from a window
If you get caught off guard, they will use your past to defame your reputation
It's that simple locals get gaffled by barrio locos
It's a basic concept that the residents get robbed and taken advantage of by local gangs
Steal their spanish grease making them shed a tear like willie bobo
The spanish essence that people hold dear is snatched away by thieves, causing them to lament and weep like Willie Bobo did
Over dollars, chains and rings things that are worth poco
Get rich quick schemes that prey on people's valuables lacking true worth
A coco's out there stealing 'cause they're fiending for perico
Thieves are out there, dedicated to stealing and robbing to feed their cocaine addiction
A head crack will strike and attack for a sack
Getting your skull hit is part of the trade for a quick buck
Pawn or sell your shit to buy a rock and bring that high back
Pawning or selling your possessions to buy drugs and experience that 'high' all over again
That's why I strap it's my defense against those
Carrying a weapon is my way of defending myself against such people
Who are committing defense randomly becoming foes?
Those that randomly attack and turn into enemies
Shit is survival of fittest testing who's biggest and realest on the street
Life is based on survival of the fittest and the streets determine who is truly the biggest and the most real
Feel this beware of killers, stealers and dealers
Be cautious and aware of the dangerous people out there who are potentially looking to kill, rob or sell drugs
Rebel guerillas striking on policemen who give us
Rebellious guerrilla fighters are attacking the police due to the oppression and injustice they feel
Hard times in the city where no love is with us
It's difficult times in the city where love and compassion are nowhere to be found
Ain't no love
There is no love or kindness in our surroundings
Ain't no love
There is no love or mercy in our environment
In the city?
Is this how it is in our city?
In the city?
Is this what we've accepted in our city?
Ain't no love
There is no love or compassion in our community
Ain't no love
There is no love or affection in our society
Contributed by Connor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Scott Shankster
Those aren't the lyrics... It's pretty much the same as " Ain't Got Nobody to Depend On " .
@mr.chronograph9022
Timeless ! I imagine Don Draper listened to this in 1965 and now we are listening to it in 2022 !
@indigo771
Timeless classic is even better with age.
@davidcutts9079
Great album! I like the cover (s) of It's Not Unusual. Dig the yummy album cover too. All the songs on here are good! Sidenote: Eric Bobo, Willie's son, played congas for the Beastie Boys. Yeah boy! Thanks for posting great tunes...
@anttemo41
He also plays bongos for Cypress Hill
@lKnivesAndAxes
The icon Eric bobo EEEEPPPP
@williamperri3437
Bobo on the corner!
@haileybalmer9722
I guess 2021's the year I learned a bunch of the cool songs I've heard over the years were by Willie Bobo.
@CadillacL
Wow, I’m just discovering Willie Bobo.
@Aardcore
this is so badass