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.
Sensemaya
Ana Belén Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
La culebra tiene los ojos de vidrio
La culebra viene y se enreda en un palo
Con sus ojos de vidrio en un palo
Con sus ojos de vidrio
La culebra camina sin patas
La culebra se esconde en la yerba
Caminando se esconde en la yerba
Caminando sin patas
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Tú le das con el hacha, y se muere
Dale ya
No le des con el pie, que te muerde
No le des con el pie, que se va
Sensemayá, la culebra, sensemayá
Sensemayá, con sus ojos, sensemayá
Sensemayá, con su lengua, sensemayá
Sensemayá, con su boca, sensemayá
La culebra muerta no puede comer
La culebra muerta no puede silbar
No puede caminar, no puede correr
La culebra muerta no puede mirar
La culebra muerta no puede beber
No puede respirar, no puede morder
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Ana Belén's "Sensemaya" is a rendition of a poem by Cuban writer Nicolás Guillén, which tells the story of a snake and its relationship to death, nature, and the Orisha religion. The snake, which is referred to as "la culebra," is depicted as having eyes of glass and the ability to move without legs. The snake is both revered and feared, able to hide in the grass and climb trees, while also being killed easily with an axe. In Orisha, the snake is associated with the god Oshun, who is said to have created the world with the help of snakes.
Throughout the song, the repetition of the phrase "Mayombé, bombé, mayombé" serves as a calling of the Orishas, invoking their power and presence. The phrase "sensemayá" is also repeated frequently, which refers to a type of drum that is used in Orisha ceremonies. The lyrics also allude to the idea that the dead snake is unable to do anything, including eat or drink, suggesting that death is the ultimate end.
Overall, "Sensemaya" is a powerful and evocative poem, full of symbolism and cultural references. By setting the poem to music, Ana Belén brings the words to life in a way that is both haunting and beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
Mayombé, bombé, mayombé
Repeating the phrase 'Mayombé, bombé, mayombé' reflects the rhythm of the song and invokes a mystical, trance-like atmosphere
La culebra tiene los ojos de vidrio
The snake's glassy-eyed stare symbolizes the serpent's hypnotic power
La culebra viene y se enreda en un palo
The snake's habit of coiling around a branch embodies the potency of its movements and its ability to ensnare prey
Con sus ojos de vidrio en un palo
The snake's glassy gaze makes it all the more alluring and fearsome
La culebra camina sin patas
The snake's legless slithering evokes a primal, visceral sense of danger
La culebra se esconde en la yerba
The snake's stealthy maneuvering within the grass makes it a difficult creature to spot and track
Caminando se esconde en la yerba
The reptile's movement patterns and camouflage afford it the advantage of surprise
Caminando sin patas
The snake's lack of legs means it must use serpentine motion to travel, which is both fluid and unsettling
Tú le das con el hacha, y se muere
It takes extreme force to equalize the potency of the snake, as even a slight injury can cause death
Dale ya
This call to action encourages quick, decisive action before the serpent can strike
No le des con el pie, que te muerde
This warning highlights the danger of underestimating the serpent, as even the slightest retaliation from it can be hazardous
No le des con el pie, que se va
This warning reflects the snake's ability to slither away quickly after an attack, making it hard to catch or subdue
Sensemayá, la culebra, sensemayá
The word 'Sensemayá' serves as an invocation to the mystical powers of this snake and reflects the song's theme of veneration and awe towards the serpent
Sensemayá, con sus ojos, sensemayá
This line emphasizes the hypnotic and powerful gaze of the serpent
Sensemayá, con su lengua, sensemayá
This line suggests the danger of the snake's long, flickering tongue, which can sense the slightest movements and scents in its environment
Sensemayá, con su boca, sensemayá
The serpent's fangs and powerful bite are the most dangerous parts of its body, as they can deliver a lethal dose of venom
La culebra muerta no puede comer
The death of the snake means it can no longer hunt, feed or replenish its body
La culebra muerta no puede silbar
The death of the snake symbolizes the loss of its potency, mystique, and power to intimidate
No puede caminar, no puede correr
The death of the snake reduces its movement to nil, giving it no advantage or power
La culebra muerta no puede mirar
The death of the snake means it no longer has the ability to captivate others with its entrancing gaze
La culebra muerta no puede beber
The death of the snake means it can no longer obtain water, a necessary part of life
No puede respirar, no puede morder
The death of the snake means it cannot breathe or inflict injury on prey, rendering it completely powerless
Writer(s): Batista Nicolas Guillen, Sergio Pablo Aschero
Contributed by Micah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Danton Aparicio
a no olvidar que los negros llegaron a abyayala en barcos esclavistas españoles.