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.
Son de Negros en Cuba
Ana Belén Lyrics
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Iré a Santiago de Cuba
Iré a Santiago
En un coche de agua negra
Iré a Santiago
Cantarán los techos de palmera
Iré a Santiago
Cuando la palma quiere ser cigüeña
Y cuando quiere ser medusa el plátano
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Con la rubia cabeza de Fonseca
Iré a Santiago
Y con el rosa de Romeo y Julieta
Iré a Santiago
Mar de papel y plata de monedas
Iré a Santiago
¡Oh Cuba! ¡Oh ritmo de semillas secas!
Iré a Santiago
¡Oh cintura caliente y gota de madera!
Iré a Santiago
¡Arpa de troncos vivos, caimán, flor de tabaco!
Iré a Santiago
Siempre he dicho que yo iría a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Cantarán los techos de palmera
Iré a Santiago
Cuando la palma quiere ser cigüeña
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Con la rubia cabeza de Fonseca
Iré a Santiago
Y con la rosa de Romeo y Julieta
Iré a Santiago
En un coche de agua negra
Iré a Santiago
Brisa y alcohol en las ruedas
Iré a Santiago
Mi coral en la tiniebla
Iré a Santiago
Calor blanco, fruta muerta
Iré a Santiago
¡Oh bovino frescor de cañavera!
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
Iré a Santiago
¡Oh Cuba! (Iré a Santiago) ¡Oh curva de suspiro y barro!
Iré a Santiago!
Ana Belén's "Son de Negros en Cuba" is a song that is all about expressing the desire to visit Santiago de Cuba. The lyrics imply that the singer is eagerly anticipating a journey to the vibrant, atmospheric city of Cuba, which is known for its beauty and richness of culture. The song's first stanza talks about the singer's excitement for the approaching full moon, which will mark the start of their trip to Santiago de Cuba. They imagine travelling in a black water cart and listening to the melodious sounds of palm trees and ostrich-themed birds.
In the second stanza, the singer continues to describe their excitement for the trip. The mention of Fonseca's blonde hair and the rose from Romeo and Juliet represent sensory impressions from past experiences of Cuba. The singer also mentions the vibrant colours of the sea, its resemblance to paper and the glitter of coins. Through these sensory images, Ana Belén reflects the vivid rhythm of Cuba’s streets and culture. Furthermore, the lyrics reflect the singer's eagerness to experience the unique cultural elements of Cuba, such as suave waistlines, wood-like perspiration drops and a haphazard mix of flora and fauna.
Overall, "Son de Negros en Cuba" reflects the singer's willingness to explore the rich and vibrant culture of Santiago de Cuba, a city with its unique rhythm and musical traditions. The song's use of vivid sensory imagery emphasizes the singer's eagerness to experience the diverse elements of Cuban culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando llegue la luna llena
When the full moon arrives
Iré a Santiago de Cuba
I'll go to Santiago de Cuba
Iré a Santiago
I'm going to Santiago
En un coche de agua negra
In a black water car
Cantarán los techos de palmera
The palm roofs will sing
Cuando la palma quiere ser cigüeña
When the palm wants to be a stork
Y cuando quiere ser medusa el plátano
And when the banana wants to be a jellyfish
Con la rubia cabeza de Fonseca
With Fonseca’s blonde head
Y con el rosa de Romeo y Julieta
And with the rose of Romeo and Juliet
Mar de papel y plata de monedas
Sea of paper and silver coins
¡Oh Cuba! ¡Oh ritmo de semillas secas!
Oh Cuba! Oh rhythm of dry seeds!
¡Oh cintura caliente y gota de madera!
Oh hot waist and drop of wood!
¡Arpa de troncos vivos, caimán, flor de tabaco!
Harp of living logs, alligator, tobacco flower!
Siempre he dicho que yo iría a Santiago
I've always said I would go to Santiago
Brisa y alcohol en las ruedas
Breeze and alcohol in the wheels
Mi coral en la tiniebla
My coral in the darkness
Calor blanco, fruta muerta
White heat, dead fruit
¡Oh bovino frescor de cañavera!
Oh bovine freshness of sugar cane fields!
¡Oh Cuba! (Iré a Santiago) ¡Oh curva de suspiro y barro!
Oh Cuba! (I'll go to Santiago) Oh curve of sigh and mud!
Writer(s): Michel Camilo, Federico Garcia Lorca
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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