She sang in public for the first time in a radio contest at the age of ten. She didn't win that year, but won the next year. Her early singing caught the attention of a movie producer who introduced her to the cinema audiences as "Ana Belen" in the movie "Zampo y Yo" when she was thirteen.
Ana didn't want to become a child-star and focused on her studying. It wasn't until she finished drama school that she went back performing in public, being theater her prefered way to do so. She did small incursions in movies till she was offered major parts.
In 1973 she was cast opposite Víctor Manuel in Morbo and he became her husband as well as the composer of the songs included in her first album. In 1982 she released "Ana en Rio", an album with Brazilian music that included the song "Balance" and became an instant hit.
In 1986, took one more step and became one of the first female movie directors in Spain with the movie "Cómo ser mujer y no morir en el intento" which earned her the Gold Medal of Spanish Cinematographic Academy. That year concluded with another major success, a tour with Victor Manuel and many special guests of which they released a live album: "Mucho mas que dos". The success of this tour lead to a new one, "El Gusto es Nuestro" with Miguel Rios, Joan Manuel Serrat y Victor Manuel.
She releases several albums through the 90's that achieve great success like "Veneno para el Corazon" that included Spanish versions of Cole Porter songs among others, "Mirame" full of duets with the most important Spanish voices or "Lorquiana", a double CD with popular songs and poems of Federico García Lorca.
The new century finds her busy with filming and recording songs. Albums "Peces de Ciudad" or "Viva L'Italia" are released as she appears on stage plays and her name is on some of the most acclaimed films of the moment.
In 2006, she is currently touring with her husband Víctor Manuel across Spain with "Una Cancion me Trajo Aqui", a CD+DVD has been released of their very first performance in Segovia.She also has a new album in the works and a new movie pending.
Jambo
Ana Belén Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te saludan al pasar Jambo
En esa esquina de Gran Vía y Fuencarral
Pasan los días.
Jambo
Se te enreda por la piel Jambo
La madrugada
Van cerrando los cafés y tú de guardia.
Lejos queda África.
Tan lejos que ya no la ves
Pero arrastra como uno mujer
El camino largo
Se te borra y no sabrás volver
Naufrago de un tiempo que sepultará
Tú sombra entre sombras.
Jambo
Se te van o helar los pies Jambo
Muere la noche
Nada más amanecer bajas al metro
Jambo
No carnet de identidad Jambo
Abres un bolso
Y le entregas un papel al policía.
Los resucitados van deprisa
Y ni te mirarán
Les dirás Sana mi querer comer
Un reloj, un walkman, gomas nuevas
Cosas de marfil
Jambo ser amigo de la gente de aquí
No rabo no engaña.
Jambo
Te saludan al pasar Jambo
En esa esquina de Gran Vía y Fuencarral
Pasan los días
Jambo
Por tu acera viene y va uno princesa
Jambo
Reina de la oscuridad pidiendo guerra
Jambo
Se te enreda por la piel la madrugada.
The song "Jambo" by Ana Belén tells the story of an African immigrant who has left everything behind to start a new life in Madrid, Spain. The main character, Jambo, is a familiar figure to everyone who passes by him on the corner of Gran Vía and Fuencarral. He stands guard by the closed cafes at night, ready to help anyone who needs it. The song describes his struggles as an undocumented immigrant, and how he has to carry a piece of paper to show to the police in case he gets stopped.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Jambo's life - his feet hurting from standing on the cold pavement all night, his skin covered in a layer of grime that he can't seem to shake off, and his heart heavy with the weight of all the things he left behind in Africa. The song speaks to the struggles of immigrants everywhere, who must navigate a new land that is often hostile to them, and who must find a way to make a home in a place that is not always welcoming.
Overall, "Jambo" is a poignant and powerful song that speaks to the experience of immigrants in a way that is both personal and universal. It reminds us that we are all human beings, and that we all have dreams and hopes and fears, no matter where we come from.
Line by Line Meaning
Te saludan al pasar Jambo
People greet you as you pass by, Jambo
En esa esquina de Gran Vía y Fuencarral
At that corner of Gran Vía and Fuencarral
Pasan los días
Days go by
Se te enreda por la piel Jambo
Jambo, the night entangles you in its grip
La madrugada
The dawn
Van cerrando los cafés y tú de guardia
Cafes close down as you keep vigil
Lejos queda África
Africa is far away
Tan lejos que ya no la ves
It is so distant that you cannot see it anymore
Pero arrastra como uno mujer
Yet it pulls you like a woman
El camino largo
The long journey
Se te borra y no sabrás volver
It fades away, and you won’t know how to get back
Naufrago de un tiempo que sepultará
You are a castaway of a time that will bury you
Tú sombra entre sombras
Your shadow among shadows
Se te van o helar los pies Jambo
You either lose feeling or freeze your feet, Jambo
Muere la noche
The night dies
Nada más amanecer bajas al metro
As soon as the sun rises, you go down to the metro
No carnet de identidad Jambo
No ID card, Jambo
Abres un bolso
You open a bag
Y le entregas un papel al policía
And hand over a paper to the policeman
Los resucitados van deprisa
The resurrected move quickly
Y ni te mirarán
And won't even look at you
Les dirás Sana mi querer comer
You'll say to them, ‘Heal my desire to eat'
Un reloj, un walkman, gomas nuevas
A watch, a walkman, new tires
Cosas de marfil
Ivory items
Jambo ser amigo de la gente de aquí
Jambo, you like to be friends with the people around here
No rabo no engaña
No trickery without a tail
Por tu acera viene y va uno princesa
A princess walks up and down your street
Reina de la oscuridad pidiendo guerra
Queen of darkness, asking for war
Se te enreda por la piel la madrugada.
Jambo, the night entangles you in its grip
Contributed by Carson S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jean
on Nana de Sevilla
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