Celia Cruz (born as Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso in La H… Read Full Bio ↴Celia Cruz (born as Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso in La Habana, Cuba on 21 October 1925 – died 16 July 2003) was a Cuban-American and was one of the most successful salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums. She was renowned internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" as well as "La Guarachera de Cuba.

In 1950, Cruz made her first major breakthrough, after the lead singer of the La Sonora Matancera, a renowned Cuban orchestra, left the group and Cruz was called to fill in. Cruz was hired permanently by the orchestra, but she wasn't well accepted by the public at first. However, the orchestra stood by their decision, and soon Cruz became famous throughout Cuba. During the 15 years she was a member, the band traveled all over Latin America.

Obatala
Celia Cruz Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

El Hijo de Obatala
Ray Barreto
Eñeñeñeñeñeñeñe
Enñeñeñeñeñeñeñe
Tiene todos los sabores del africa primitiva
Tiene todos los sabores del africa primitiva
Pero dimelo en tambores por que el tambor fue mi vida
Pero dimelo en tambores por que el tambor fue mi vida

Si me llevas como hermano pon tu mano en el tabor que el hijo de obatala ya se contento
Si me llevas como hermano pon tu mano en el tabor que el hijo de obatala ya se contento

El hijo de obatala ya se contento
Trompeta
El hijo de obatala ya se contento
Trompeta
El hijo de obatala ya se contento
Trompeta
El hijo de obatala ya se contento
Y el hijo el hijo de obatala e..se e..se soy yo
El hijo de obatala ya se contento
Obatala y obatal a el santo mayor cabeza de los demás
El hijo de obatala ya se contento

Mambo (Piano) y descarga conga

Tambo tambo tambo tambo que la rumba llama*
Ya se contento
No pare, no pare que la rumba llama*
Ya se contento
Obatala obatala
Ya se contento
Yo soy un niche del africa primitiva
Ya se contento
Barreto toca el tambo que a mi eso me inspira
Ya se contento
Eh tambo tambo tambo tambo
Ya se contento
Ehh tambores tabores
Ya se contento
El africa se viste de mil sabores
Ya se contento
Que siga que siga no pares los cueros
Ya se contento
Esto esto si esta bueno
Ya se contento

Hay no pare la rumba que esta sabrosa
Fin

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Celia Cruz's song Obatala revolve around the titular character, who is the child of the Yoruba god Obatala. The song begins by describing the many flavors of Africa that the child of Obatala possesses. The singer then asks to be taken as a brother and for the hand of the drum to be placed on him so that the child of Obatala is content. The song then repeats the phrase "The son of Obatala is content" several times, punctuated by a trumpet.

The song then breaks into a mambo with piano and conga, in which the singer proclaims himself as a "niche of primitive Africa." The percussion continues to build, with the singer exhorting the drums to keep going and declaring that the African culture is full of many flavors. The song ends with the singer declaring the rumba to be delicious and urging it to continue.

Overall, the song celebrates the culture and flavor of Africa, particularly through the lens of the Yoruba god Obatala and his child.

Line by Line Meaning

El Hijo de Obatala
The child of Obatala

Tiene todos los sabores del africa primitiva
Has all the flavors of primitive Africa

Pero dimelo en tambores por que el tambor fue mi vida
But tell me in drums because the drum was my life

Si me llevas como hermano pon tu mano en el tabor que el hijo de obatala ya se contento
If you take me as a brother, put your hand on the drum that the child of Obatala is already satisfied

El hijo de obatala ya se contento
The child of Obatala is already satisfied

Trompeta
Trumpet

Y el hijo el hijo de obatala e..se e..se soy yo
And the child of Obatala, e..se e..se, is me

Obatala y obatal a el santo mayor cabeza de los demás
Obatala, the greatest saint and head of the others

Tambo tambo tambo tambo que la rumba llama*
Drum, drum, drum, drum, the rumba calls*

No pare, no pare que la rumba llama*
Don't stop, don't stop, the rumba calls*

Obatala obatala
Obatala, Obatala

Yo soy un niche del africa primitiva
I am a niche of primitive Africa

Barreto toca el tambo que a mi eso me inspira
Barreto plays the drum, that inspires me

El africa se viste de mil sabores
Africa is dressed in a thousand flavors

Que siga que siga no pares los cueros
Let it continue, don't stop the skins

Esto esto si esta bueno
This, this is really good