Founded by Winston De La Rosa and his brother in-law Rafael Vargas, Fulanito is the first group known to combine "perico ripiao" - traditional accordion-based merengue sounds from the hills of the Dominican Republic - with modern hip-hop and rap.
While industry leaders initially questioned the commercial potential of such an unusual mix of sounds, Fulanito proved them wrong, becoming a party favorite in the U.S., the top-selling act in Colombia, and one of the most recognizable and adored Latin acts from Chile to Switzerland to Japan.
With their 1997 debut album, "El Hombre Mas Famoso de la Tierra" "(The Most Famous Man in the Land,)" Fulanito fast gained international fame with the hit singles "Guallando" ("Grinding") and "La Novela" ("The Soap Opera.") The album sold 500,000 copies, shocking even Winston and Rafael, who say they expected it to sell no more than 10,000, and hoped it would simply "help us get gigs".
"Guallando" featured 61-year-old accordionist Arsenio "El Maestro" De La Rosa's (Winston De La Rosa's Father) lightening chops, and was a surprise hit, co-opted for jingles spun endlessly in nightclubs across the hemisphere. According to Miami-based music writer Karl Ross, "Guallando" marked the first time U.S.-born Dominican performers began to mine their musical roots for inspiration. The addictive, resulting sound appeals as readily to rap fans and world music aficionados - and to many in between. Boston Globe music writer Elijah Wald called Fulanito's sound "fresh and hip, completely different from the mechanical beat of most house fusions". The word "Fulanito" means, roughly, "Little John Doe" in Spanish slang. The roots of the word lie in West Africa, where Spaniards kidnapped men and women to be brought to Spanish colonies in the New World. Among the people brought to the Spanish Caribbean were those of the Fulani nation, known in Africa as great merchants. They brought their skills of commerce with them, and eventually it was known in the Caribbean that if you wanted something done, you went to the Fulani, or business guy.
Vargas was born in the Washington Heights neighborhoods of Manhattan, Winston in the South Bronx during the beginning of the hip-hop era. They grew up in homes saturated with tradition Latin sounds, including merengue and bolero.
In the early 1990s Vargas scored an international dance/house music hit in English with "Wiggle It", recorded by his first organized group, 2 in a Room. The single sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. Vargas later joined Jose Rafael "Pickles" Fuentes and Winston "Big Win" De La Rosa who were known as the 740 BOYZ. Together as the 740 BOYZ, they went on to created a huge international hits like "SHIMMY SHAKE" and "BUMP BUMP". While hanging out at the De La Rosa household, Vargas was treated to many impromptu concerts by the elder De La Rosa, and was reminded of how excited Dominicans got when they heard the traditional old merengue sounds. Having shunned thier parents' music for most of thier lives, the BOYZ suddenly became intrigued by the idea of combining rap, hip-hop and perico ripiao. They asked the elder Arsenio De La Rosa if he would mind experimenting a bit. Soon, the accordionist and the rappers were recording "Guallando".
The song was completed in 1996, and when they played it for friends and family to test the waters, "They loved it", they said. "They went nuts". They approached several large Latin labels, and were rejected by all. "They said they didn't think it would sell anywhere outside of New York and the D.R."
Finally, they convinced thier house/dance label, Cutting Records, to press a Fulanito CD in 1997. The resulting half million in sales astounded everyone in the Latin music industry, where a mere 50,000 sold represents a gold album.
Fulanito's second album, "El Padrino" "(The Godfather)", was released in 1999. On it, Winston experimented even more, incorporating the sounds of samba and other Latin rhythms. Vargas raps about his life, about people he has known, and about having a good time. Fuentes gave his input and ideas of his life in the tough Washington Heights. They were sorry to see the title cut from "El Padrino" misinterpreted by some as glorifying gangster life, saying Their intentions were just the opposite. "The gangster dies at the end", they say. "Sure, he had a lot of money, cars, women, but none of it mattered because he was dead". Vargas says he wrote it with some of the young men he'd grown up with in mind. Another song on the album, "Mother's Day," shows a softer side of the BOYZ, as they pay tribute to their mothers.
The group's third album, The Remixes, was released in March of 2001, and contains three new songs. Their fourth album is expected in the fall of 2001. With a solid tour schedule that takes the group from North Carolina to Japan in the span of a month, Fulanito shows no signs of slowing down.
Sabado en la noche
Fulanito Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sabado en la noche
a quien no le gusta
un sabado en la noche
vamo pa la disco
vamono a bailar
sabado en la noche
un sabado en la noche
y en Puerto Rico ya lo estan bailando
y en el mundo entero ya los estan gozando
sabado en la noche yo lo estoy bacilando
ven no lo piense y vamono pal mambo
y del Carolina yo me voy pal bonce
mami no lo piense y montate en mi coche
no te tardes mucho que ya son las doce
busca tu cori y vamono en un bonche
y lo es y!
vamo a bailar(a beber)
salir(por ahi)
que se sale de jeremy! wepa!
sabado
a ti te toca despues de trabajar toda la semana goza!
sabado(muevelo todo)
sabado en la noche(muevelo!)
sabado(sin parar,sin parar)
sabado en la noche(new york city)
sea que jey te fido a la fiebre
todo el mundaso viene
patica caliente
cuando la noche viene
mujeres fueron al salon
ponerse buenas
por eso no voy a la playa
con arena
vengo del fulmar y tobaguerra
listo pa trasnocharme y dal las penas
vamono de bonche gente que esta fiesta sigue para siempre
en la Republica Dominicana yo la baile
en Costa Rica yo ahi vi una gema y yo la baile
en Venezuela con una chama yo lo baile
Tuipa Colombia y un sabado en la noche yo me goze,yo me goze
sabado y ya,pal que quiera bailar
güayando,güayando
pepepegadito, suavecito y lento! es como se baila esto
sabado y ya,pal que quiero bailar
wepa!
metete en mi adentro y brinca conmigo toda la noche...
bacaneria!
fulanito!
güayando,güayando,güayando
y sigo bacilando bien en la maltilla
güayando en la evilla
jacobo esa niña
los fin de semana mio nunca tienen fin
a los sabado en la noche cuando me la como ripia
con muchas chicas ricas guapisimas
yo me la paso todita con mi victima
es que a todisimas
las dejo contentisimas
pidiendo mas y mas
ellas quieren mas de musica
la noche esta buena
pa güayar hasta la madrugada
pegate,ven y mirame que esta noche yo te voy a dar candela
la noche esta buena
pa güayar hasta la madrugada
pegate,ven y mirame que esta noche yo te voy a dar candela
candela,candela,candela
sabado..sabado en la noche
sabado..sabado en la noche
eyey
que se sepa
fulanito!
bacaneria!
y lo es y!
tonny tun tun!!
con el fulano
fulanito!
fulanito!
el güacin
el man e
of the days
el binao
güayando,güayando
pegadito,suavecito,pegadito
suavecito
y en Puerto Rico ya lo estan bailando
y en el mundo entero ya los estan gozando
sabado en la noche yo lo estoy bacilando
ven no lo piense y vamono pal mambo
y del Carolina yo me voy pal bonce
mami no lo piense y montate en mi coche
no te tardes mucho que ya son las doce
busca tu cori y vamono en un bonche
bacaneria!
The song "Sabado en la noche" by Fulanito is a celebration of Saturday nights and the joy of dancing. The song opens with the question "A quien no le gusta irse a bailotear?" (Who doesn't like to go dance?), expressing the universal love for dancing and having fun on the weekend. The lyrics go on to describe the excitement of going to the disco to dance and have a good time.
Throughout the song, the lyrics reference different locations where the song has been enjoyed, such as Puerto Rico, New York City, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. The verses use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the nightlife scene in these places, with references to hot girls, cars, and partying all night long. The chorus repeats the refrain "Sabado en la noche" as a reminder of the song's central theme.
Line by Line Meaning
a quien no le gusta irse a bailotear....
Who doesn't like to go out dancing?
sabado en la noche
Saturday night
a quien no le gusta
Who doesn't like
un sabado en la noche
a Saturday night
vamo pa la disco
Let's go to the disco
vamono a bailar
Let's go dance
sabado en la noche
Saturday night
a quien no le gusta
Who doesn't like
un sabado en la noche
a Saturday night
y en Puerto Rico ya lo estan bailando
And in Puerto Rico, they're already dancing to it
y en el mundo entero ya los estan gozando
And in the whole world, they're already enjoying it
sabado en la noche yo lo estoy bacilando
On Saturday night, I'm dancing to it
ven no lo piense y vamono pal mambo
Come on, don't think about it and let's go to the Mambo
y del Carolina yo me voy pal bonce
And from Carolina, I'm going to Bonce
mami no lo piense y montate en mi coche
Mami, don't think about it and get in my car
no te tardes mucho que ya son las doce
Don't take too long, it's already midnight
busca tu cori y vamono en un bonche
Look for your friends and let's go to a party
vamo a bailar(a beber)
Let's go dance (and drink)
salir(por ahi)
To go out (somewhere)
que se sale de jeremy! wepa!
It's super fun! Wepa!
sabado
Saturday
a ti te toca despues de trabajar toda la semana goza!
It's your turn to enjoy after working all week!
sabado(muevelo todo)
Saturday (move everything)
sabado en la noche(muevelo!)
Saturday night (move it!)
sabado(sin parar,sin parar)
Saturday (non-stop, non-stop)
sabado en la noche(new york city)
Saturday night (in New York City)
sea que jey te fido a la fiebre
So if you accept the fever
todo el mundaso viene
Everyone is coming
patica caliente
Hot feet
cuando la noche viene
When the night comes
mujeres fueron al salon
Women went to the salon
ponerse buenas
To get ready
por eso no voy a la playa
That's why I'm not going to the beach
con arena
With sand
vengo del fulmar y tobaguerra
I come from Fulmar and Tobaguerra
listo pa trasnocharme y dal las penas
Ready to stay up all night and forget my troubles
vamono de bonche gente que esta fiesta sigue para siempre
Let's go party with people who know this party will never stop
en la Republica Dominicana yo la baile
In the Dominican Republic, I danced to it
en Costa Rica yo ahi vi una gema y yo la baile
In Costa Rica, I saw a beauty and I danced to it
en Venezuela con una chama yo lo baile
In Venezuela, I danced to it with a girl
Tuipa Colombia y un sabado en la noche yo me goze,yo me goze
In Colombia, I enjoyed a Saturday night, I enjoyed it
sabado y ya,pal que quiera bailar
It's already Saturday, for anyone who wants to dance
güayando,güayando
Moving your hips, moving your hips
pepepegadito, suavecito y lento! es como se baila esto
Very close, smooth and slow! That's how you dance this
wepa!
Wepa!
metete en mi adentro y brinca conmigo toda la noche...
Get inside of me and jump with me all night...
bacaneria!
Greatness!
fulanito!
Fulanito!
güayando,güayando,güayando
Moving your hips, moving your hips, moving your hips
y sigo bacilando bien en la maltilla
And I keep dancing well in Maltilla
güayando en la evilla
Moving my hips in the evilla
jacobo esa niña
That girl Jacobo
los fin de semana mio nunca tienen fin
My weekends never end
a los sabado en la noche cuando me la como ripia
On Saturday nights when I enjoy myself
con muchas chicas ricas guapisimas
With many beautiful, gorgeous girls
yo me la paso todita con mi victima
I spend the whole time with my victim
es que a todisimas
It's just that all of them
las dejo contentisimas
I always leave them satisfied
pidiendo mas y mas
Asking for more and more
ellas quieren mas de musica
They want more music
la noche esta buena
The night is good
pa güayar hasta la madrugada
To shake it until dawn
pegate,ven y mirame que esta noche yo te voy a dar candela
Get close to me, come and look at me because tonight I'm going to give you fire
candela,candela,candela
Fire, fire, fire
eyey
Hey hey
que se sepa
Let it be known
tonny tun tun!!
Tonny Tun Tun!
con el fulano
With Fulano
fulanito!
Fulanito!
el güacin
The güacin
el man e
The man is
of the days
Of the days
el binao
The binao
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.