Mas Que Nada
Black Eyed Peas; Sergio Mendes Lyrics

Oariá raiô
A joyful chant that captures the celebratory nature of samba.

Obá obá obá
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.

Mas que nada
Portuguese phrase meaning 'but that's nothing' or 'it's no big deal.' In the song, it's used to signify the group's confidence and nonchalance.

Black Eyed Peas came to make it hotter
The Black Eyed Peas aim to bring energy and heat to the song.

We be the party starters
The Black Eyed Peas view themselves as the ones who kick off the party and get people dancing.

Bubblin' up just like lava, like lava
Their performance is building up like lava in a volcano, becoming more and more intense.

Heated like a sauna
Their music is hot, intense, and sweat-inducing, like a sauna.

Penetrating through your body armor
Their music is powerful enough to break through any defenses and reach deep into the listener's emotions.

Rhythmically we massage ya
Their music moves and grooves in a way that's relaxing and pleasurable like a massage.

With hip hop mixed up with samba
The song combines elements of hip hop and samba music genres.

You know we never stop we never rest, y'all
The Black Eyed Peas are committed to working hard, making music, and keeping the energy going.

The Black Eyed Peas'll keep it funky fresh, y'all
Their music will continue to be energizing, grooving and modern.

And we won't stop until we get y'all, 'til we get y'all sayin'
The Black Eyed Peas will continue until every person in the room is dancing and enjoying themselves.

Peter Piper picked peppers
Peter Piper is a tongue-twister phrase that Taboo uses as a playful nod to the classic nursery rhyme.

But Tab rocked rhymes-a
Taboo is playing on words and saying that he can rap better than the traditional nursery rhyme.

Heavy rotation played by every kind-a
The song is constantly played on a wide variety of radio stations for maximum exposure.

Radio stations blastin' every mind-a
The song is so popular and ubiquitous that it's hard not to hear it everywhere you go.

We crossing boundaries like everyday
Their music reaches people from all walks of life, transcending cultural and geographic boundaries.

To rock ya body, Bobbie be on the R and the Bay
A clever rhyme by will.i.am, referencing the San Francisco Bay area and the movements of dancehall dancing.

We got we got Tab magnifications
Taboo's presence on the song is magnified and emphasized, highlighting his skills and talent.

Tab magnified like every day
Taboo's importance to the group and to the song is highlighted every day.

Drop hot hot be my daily operation
will.i.am's daily process involves creating and releasing music that is energetic and exciting.

Got to put in work in this crazy occupation
Making music is not an easy task, but requires hard work and dedication.

Gotta keep it movin' (that's the motivation)
The motivation behind their work is to keep the music, and the dance floor, moving.

Gotta ride the waves and keep a tight relation
They have to go with the flow and stay connected and in tune with their listeners.

With my team keep it moving, and doing it right
The Black Eyed Peas work collaboratively and tirelessly to keep the energy going.

Up in the lab every day 'til daylight
They work long hours creating music in the studio, only stopping when they see the first light of day outside.

That's the way things move in this monkey business
The music industry can be a chaotic and unpredictable world, but they navigate it with ease.

(We took an old samba song and remixed it)
The version of the song is the Black Eyed Peas' reinterpretation of Sergio Mendes' classic samba song.

Sai da minha frente
Portuguese for 'get out of my way' or 'move over.'

Que eu quero passar
Portuguese for 'because I want to pass.'

Pois o samba esta animado
Portuguese for 'because the samba is lively.'

O que eu quero e sambar
Portuguese for 'what I want to do is dance samba.'

Este samba, que e misto de maracatu
Portuguese for 'this samba is a mixture of maracatu.' Maracatu is a style of music with African roots.

E samba de preto velho
Portuguese for 'and samba of black elder.' The phrase refers to a traditional type of samba music.

Samba de preto tu
Portuguese for 'your samba is black.'

Ba badada ba
Wordless syllables that add rhythm to the song.

Sergio, play yo piano
A command for Sergio Mendes to play the piano.

Piano (ano ano ano ano ano ano)
Wordless sounds expressing the upbeat rhythm of the piano.

Oariá raiô Obá Obá Obá (lá, lá, lá, lá, lá)
Repeating the joyful chanting from the beginning of the song.

Este samba, que e misto de maracatu E samba de preto velho Samba de preto tu (lá, lá, lá, lá, lá)
Repeating the verses about the mixed style of samba and its influences.