Born at a dance in San Luis, Cuba, near the city of Santiago de Cuba, Ferrer's mother died when he was 12, leaving him orphaned and forcing him to sing on the streets (busk) to earn money. The next year, Ferrer joined his first ever musical group, a duet alongside his cousin called Jóvenes del Son (Spanish: Youth of el Son). They performed at private functions and the two youths managed to scrape together enough money to live.
Over the next few years, Ferrer would perform with many musical groups, including Conjunto Sorpresa and Orquesta Chepin-Choven.
The leader of the latter composed one of Ferrer's biggest hits, "El Platanal de Bartolo".
In 1953 Ferrer started to play with Pacho Alonso's group in Santiago. In 1959 the group moved permanently to Havana, renaming themselves Los Bocucos, after a type of drum widely used in Santiago.
With Alonso, Ferrer primarily performed guarachas, sones and other sorts of up-tempo songs. However, he yearned to sing boleros. It was not until almost 40 years later, with the release of Ry Cooder's Grammy Award winning, Oscar nominated Buena Vista Social Club recording in 1999, that Ibrahim Ferrer's talent as a bolero singer would become widely known.
In 1996, Ferrer took part in the World Circuit sessions, when it was announced than an old-style bolero singer would be required. In that year, he recorded the album A Toda Cuba le Gusta with the Afro-Cuban All Stars, an album nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 1998 he recorded an album for the Cuban label EGREM, Tierra Caliente: Ibrahim Ferrer con Los Bocucos. It features Ferrer's unique voice and phrasing, band leader Roberto Correra's rich, intricate arrangements and excellent lead trumpet, and tight, rhythmic playing by the Bocucos. The album's is in the style of son-jazz big band fusion.
In 1999 Ry Cooder recorded Ferrer's first solo album, shown above.
In 2000 Ferrer famously received a Latin Grammy for "best new artist" - at the age of 72.
In 2001 he appeared on the track Latin Simone on the self-titled debut album of the virtual-band Gorillaz.
Ferrer toured internationally in Europe in 2005, after releasing his second solo recording, Buenos Hermanos, in 2003.
He was an adherent of the Santería faith, a blending of traditional African religions and Catholicism. He died of multiple organ failure on 6 August 2005 at CIMEQ hospital in Havana, Cuba, after returning from a European tour. He was 78.
Bruca Manigua
Ibrahim Ferrer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Negro de nación
Sin la libertad
No pue'o vivi'
Mundele cabá
Con mi corazón
Tanto maltratá
Mundele cumba fiote
Siempre ta' ngarua'cha
Queta' por mucho
Que yo lo ndinga
Seimpre ta' maltratá
Ya ne me tabá
Labio de buirí
Ya ne me tabá
Labio de buirí
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Abre cruita buirindingo
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Si ramento suaro suare
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Como un teinda derechito
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Un paso, un paso ubbe Yobelle lla
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Ya yorrucu mandendo
Bruca Maniguá yaeooo
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Yo son carabalí, son mandinga
Quiero mi libertad (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Congo tiene teremende
Bruca Maniguá yaeooo (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Yo ta'tantando lo mundele
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Que esa negra a mi me engaña
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Que esa negra a mi me engaña
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
The lyrics of Ibrahim Ferrer's "Bruca Maniguá" speak of the struggle for freedom and the hardships faced by black Africans, particularly those in the Congo. In the beginning of the song, Ferrer identifies himself as a "son carabalí" and "negro de nación", emphasizing his African identity. He declares that he cannot live without freedom and expresses the physical and emotional pain experienced by those who have been mistreated and abused ("tanto maltratá cuerpos ta' furí eh").
The chorus, "Yenyere Bruca Maniguá," is a phrase derived from the African Bantu language and is a call for the people to rise up and fight for their freedom. The lines that follow offer a series of instructions or chants for the uprising, such as "abre cruita buirindingo" ("open up the path") and "como un teinda derechito" ("like a straight line"). The repetition of the phrase "Bruca Maniguá" throughout the song serves as a rallying cry, a reminder of the shared African heritage of those who are fighting for their freedom.
Overall, the lyrics of "Bruca Maniguá" are a powerful testament to the struggle for liberation and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo son carabalí
I am of the Carabalí tribe
Negro de nación
A black man by birth
Sin la libertad
Without freedom
No pue'o vivi'
I cannot live
Mundele cabá
The white man's whip
Con mi corazón
Has broken my heart
Tanto maltratá
Abused so much
Cuerpo ta' furí eh
My body is aching
Mundele cumba fiote
The white man throws crumbs
Siempre ta' ngarua'cha
Always trying to deceive
Queta' por mucho
Though I refuse it
Que yo lo ndinga
I do not give in
Seimpre ta' maltratá
Still being mistreated
Ya ne me tabá
I was not satisfied
Labio de buirí
With the sweet talk
Yenyere Bruca Maniguá
Hey Bruca Maniguá
Abre cruita buirindingo
Open the door wide
Bruca Maniguá (ae)
Bruca Maniguá
Si ramento suaro suare
Make a strong oath
Como un teinda derechito
Like a straight arrow
Un paso, un paso ubbe Yobelle lla
One step at a time, down to Yobelle
Ya yorrucu mandendo
Descending with the dark night
Yo son carabalí, son mandinga
I am Carabalí and Mandinga
Quiero mi libertad (ae)
I want my freedom
Congo tiene teremende
Congo has power
Yo ta'tantando lo mundele
I'm fighting against the white man
Que esa negra a mi me engaña
That black woman deceives me
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ SCULL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SolidSnake85
Yo son carabalí
Negro de nación
Sin la libertad
No pue'o vivi'
Mundele cabá
Con mi corazón
Tanto maltráta
Cuerpo ta'furi, eh
Mundele cumba flote
Siempre ta'ngarua'cha
Por mucho
Que yo lo ndinga
Siempre 'tá maltratá
Yane me tabá
Labio de buirí
Yane me tabá
Labio de buirí
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Abre cuita buirindingo
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Si ramento suaro suare
Bruca Maniguá
Ae, Chéchere
Bruca Maniguá
Como un tienda derechito
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Un paso, un paso
Ubbe Yube lla
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Ya yorrucu mandengo
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Yo son carabalí, son mandinga
Quiero mi libertad Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Congo tiene teremende
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Yo esta tandando lo mundele
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Esa negra
A mi me engaña
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá
Esa negra a mi me engaña
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Chéchere Bruca Maniguá.
@zxdfty77
Aquí hay la letra para tí:
BRUCA MANIGUÁ
por Ibrahim Ferrer
Lyrics
Yo son carabalí
Negro de nación
Sin la libertad
No pue'o vivi'
Mundele cabá
Con mi corazón
Tanto maltráta
Cuerpo ta'furi, eh
Mundele cumba flote
Siempre ta'ngarua'cha
Queta' por mucho
Que yo lo ndinga
Siempre 'tá maltratá
Yane me tabá
Labio de buirí
Yane me tabá
Labio de buirí
Abre cuita buirindingo
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Si ramento suaro suare
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Ae, Chéchere
Bruca Maniguá
Como un tienda derechito
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Un paso, un paso
Ubbe Yobolle Ila
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Ya yorrucu mandengo
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Yo son carabalí, son mandinga
Quiero mi libertad Ae
Congo tiene teremende
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Que esa negra
A mi me engaña
Bruca Maniguá Ae
Bruca Maniguá Ae
🎼💕🎶💕
@joaquinperez8553
I'm 62 now, I came to America in 1980. I always loved Ibrahim Ferrer. Even though this song is younger than me it gives me fond memories of my life in Cuba. You don't even have to understand Spanish to understand the amount of soul in this song.
@melaniefranz5190
❤❤❤❤❤❤
@xochitlmontoya6613
Bruca manigua melodia
@Kujo787
I’m from qatar but I fall in love with Cuba 🇨🇺 and the culture the history and the people ❤️
@poesiascaetano9649
Hay que escuchar esa música en uno de esos bares de la calle obispo en La Habana ❤ Dios me dió la oportunidad un día y llevo ese momento en mi corazón.
@erickurielosorioisunza3386
It's awesome! I'm earing this song on 2023.
@masepta
this beauty of this song is beyond the border of language
@enriquegranados5179
La mejor versión de esta canción.
Los recitativos de Ibrahim Ferrer son de una melodiosidad increíble.
¡Admiro mucho a este viejo!
@MARIACLARA-zw2fn
~♥~
@1Ntux
No abla espanyol too