Saxophonist Jessy J is bound to get more recognition for her 2008 Peak Reco… Read Full Bio ↴Saxophonist Jessy J is bound to get more recognition for her 2008 Peak Records debut, Tequila Moon, than she did for her self-titled album of 2007. She has hooked up with producer Paul Brown, who makes the album a virtual collaboration, also serving as co-writer of five out of the 11 tunes, arranging, engineering, mixing, and playing guitar. Brown is a king of contemporary jazz, of course, but he doesn't so much impose his style here as bring out Jessy J's, which also has strong ties to Latin jazz. She even puts down her axe and pleasantly sings the standards "Mas Que Nada" and "Besame Mucho," and the arrangements tend to have a Spanish tinge. She turns from her usual tenor to soprano sax on her and Brown's "Running Away" and a cover of Phoebe Snow's "Poetry Man" to excellent effect. This is commercial jazz, to be sure, but the saxophonist shows off an individual voice and a gift for melodic improvisation. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Mas Que Nada
Jessy J Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
Ô, Ô Ô Ô Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
Mas Que Nada
Sai da minha frente
Que eu quero passar
Pois o samba está animado

E o que eu quero é sambar
Esse samba
Que é misto de maracatu
Samba de Preto Velho
Samba de Preto Tutú
Mas Que Nada
Um samba como este tão legal
Você não vai querer
Que eu chegue no final
Ô, Ô Ô Ô Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Esse samba é gostoso
Essa dança é danada
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Ô Mas Que Nada!
Esse samba é gostoso
Essa dança é danada
Esse samba
Que é misto de maracatu
Samba de Preto Velho
Samba de Preto Tutú
Mas Que Nada
Um samba como este tão legal
Você não vai querer
Que eu chegue no final
Ô, Ô Ô Ô Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
Obá! Obá! Obá!

Obá! Obá! Obá!
Mas Que Nada!

Overall Meaning

"Mas Que Nada" is a song about the joy of samba and its power to uplift people. The song starts with the refrain "Ô Ariá! Raiô! Obá! Obá! Obá!" which are words in Portuguese that are typically used in samba music to express excitement and encouragement. The main singer then declares that she wants to pass through and dance to the samba music which is so animated and energizing. The samba itself is a mix of maracatu, a traditional Brazilian rhythms, and samba styles such as samba de preto velho/tutu. The song ends with a repetition of the title phrase, "Mas Que Nada!", emphasizing the spirit of the music and dance that is so central to the song's message.

Line by Line Meaning

Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Exclamation of excitement and energy

Obá! Obá! Obá!
Exclamation of joy

Ô, Ô Ô Ô Ô Ariá! Raiô!
Repeated exclamation of excitement and energy

Obá! Obá! Obá!
Exclamation of joy

Mas Que Nada
But that's nothing

Sai da minha frente
Get out of my way

Que eu quero passar
Because I want to dance

Pois o samba está animado
Because the samba is lively

E o que eu quero é sambar
And what I want to do is dance samba

Esse samba
This samba

Que é misto de maracatu
That is a mixture of maracatu