Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with Puerto Rican gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican musical influences. His music career followed a pair of stints in Coxsackie State Prison. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records, . The tune was a hit with the New York Latin market despite the English lyrics sung by Joe, and exemplified the nascent Latin Soul sound. In early anticipation of the disco formula, "Gypsy Woman" created dance energy by alternating what was fundamentally a pop-soul tune with a break featuring double timed hand claps, . Joe would take this tendency even further on his influential Salsoul, which fused funk and latin influences in slick yet soulful orchestrations. Salsoul remains influential as a rare groove cult item, but pointed to the future at the time of its release. The LP embodied the artist's highly deliberate and culturally aware musical concept. Bataan theorized the '70s next big thing as a hybrid: an Afro Cuban rhythm section playing Brazilian influenced patterns over orchestral funk. In many ways, his vision was on the money, though most of the money would go to others, and mainstream stardom would elude him. He did, however, get in on the ground floor of the new trend as an early hit maker. His biggest commercial move was a Salsoul production released under the Epic umbrella, and promoted to the new disco market as Afrofilipino, which included 1975's "The Bottle", a much anthologized classic that drives an R&B horn arrangment with a relentless piano montuno.
Always in touch with the street, Joe Bataan picked up on rap very early in the game. His minor rap hit, "Rap-O, Clap-O" was a bit more successful in Europe than in the States, and is remembered as rap's debut in the European market. Nevertheless, his legacy remains his gritty and realistic Latin soul lyrics, his self identification as an "Ordinary Guy", and his highly personal and prophetic merger of Latin and soul influences.
Rap-O Clap-O
Joe Bataan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
We got a new thing out, gonna make you shout
Got rhythm, got heat, gonna move your feet
Got class, finesse, a whole lotta style
Gonna be around for a long, long while
Got something for the young, something for the old
Something that's missing from the rock and roll
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
It'll make you move, it'll make you go
Puts a capital "D" on the word "Disco"
Started in the States, jumped to Japan
Now it's known from land to land
It's known in Egypt, it's known in Rome
Known in Puerto Rico, from home to home
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
You heard it in England, you heard it in France
The music's bound to make you dance
the music's good and sounds terrific
Written in Chinese and hieroglyphics
It's got a new beat and I want you to know
It's a new thing out called mestizo
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
Rock, swing, shake, sing
Dance, everybody, to a brand new thing
Get up, everybody, and boogie to the beat
Fly girls, cool guys, stamp your feet
Just ring my bell, ding-a-ling-a-ling
Come on, everybody, come on and shake your thing
Just rock, everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake, everybody, everybody rock and sing
I'm a wizard in biology, don't you know
I can disect a frog from head to toe
I can play basketball and jump so high
I can leap tall buildings, I can even fly
I'm known in the east and I'm known in the west
My blood is mestizo, known as the best
Just rock everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake everybody, everybody rock and sing
They're dancing in the streets and cling 'round town
Rap-o-clap-o, that's the sound
Smack 'em in the head and kick 'em in the knee
Wake 'em from the dead to dance with me
Just kick off your shoes and count to five
Rock to the rhythm and come, come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands)
(You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
The lyrics of Joe Bataan's song "Rap-O Clap-O" are all about getting people to dance and have a good time. The song starts off with a call to action, asking everybody to clap their hands and ring the artist's bell. With rhythm, heat, and finesse, this new thing is going to make people shout and move their feet. It's not just for the young or old, but it fills a void that's been missing from rock and roll. The song's contagious energy has spread worldwide, from the States to Japan, Egypt to Puerto Rico, and throughout Europe.
The song celebrates the universality of music and its ability to bring people together. The music is not just a new beat, but a completely new thing called mestizo. The music has captivated audiences everywhere and has become a worldwide phenomenon. The lyrics encourage listeners to dance and shake their thing, to come alive to the rhythm of the music. This song celebrates the power of music to connect people from all walks of life, regardless of where they live or their background.
Line by Line Meaning
Just clap your hands, everybody
Start clapping your hands, this applies to every single person listening to this song
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Every single person has to clap their hands, so come on, start clapping
You can ring my bell, everybody
Every single person listening can ring my bell
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
Again, every single person is invited to ring this person's bell
We got a new thing out, gonna make you shout
This song is introducing a new type of music that will make you want to yell and scream in excitement
Got rhythm, got heat, gonna move your feet
This new music has amazing rhythm and energy that will make you want to dance
Got class, finesse, a whole lotta style
The music has class, sophistication, and a lot of style
Gonna be around for a long, long while
This new type of music will be popular and prevalent for a long time
Got something for the young, something for the old
This music caters to both the youth and the elderly
Something that's missing from the rock and roll
This music fills a void that the rock and roll genre has been missing
It'll make you move, it'll make you go
This music has a great beat that will make you want to dance and move around
Puts a capital "D" on the word "Disco"
This music elevates the genre of disco to a new level
Started in the States, jumped to Japan
This music originated in the United States and then spread to Japan
Now it's known from land to land
This music is now popular in many different countries
It's known in Egypt, it's known in Rome
This music is popular in countries like Egypt and Rome
Known in Puerto Rico, from home to home
This music is popular in Puerto Rico, and it has spread to many other places
You heard it in England, you heard it in France
This music is popular not just in America, but also in countries like England and France
The music's bound to make you dance
This music is guaranteed to make you want to dance
The music's good and sounds terrific
This music is really good and sounds amazing
Written in Chinese and hieroglyphics
This music has become so widespread that it is now written about in different languages such as Chinese and is even inscribed in ancient languages like hieroglyphics
It's got a new beat and I want you to know
This new type of music has a fresh beat and the singer would like everyone to be aware of this
It's a new thing out called mestizo
This new music genre is called "mestizo" and it is taking the world by storm
Rock, swing, shake, sing
This music has elements of rock, swing, shaking, and singing
Dance, everybody, to a brand new thing
Everyone should dance to this new type of music
Get up, everybody, and boogie to the beat
Everyone should stand up and dance to the amazing beat of this music
Fly girls, cool guys, stamp your feet
This music is for everyone, including girls who like to dance and cool guys. Everyone should stomp their feet
Just ring my bell, ding-a-ling-a-ling
This line refers to a certain sound effect or instrument that is popular in this type of music. The artist wants everyone to play it
Come on, everybody, come on and shake your thing
Everyone should shake their bodies to the beat of this music
Just rock, everybody, everybody shake your thing
Everyone should rock their bodies and shake to the rhythm of this music
Just shake, everybody, everybody rock and sing
Everyone should shake their bodies and rock out with this music while singing along
I'm a wizard in biology, don't you know
This line is a boastful statement from the singer to show off his intelligence
I can disect a frog from head to toe
This is another boastful statement from the singer, showing off his knowledge in biology
I can play basketball and jump so high
This is yet another boastful statement from the singer, bragging about his skills on the basketball court
I can leap tall buildings, I can even fly
This is a hyperbolic statement from the singer, emphasizing how great he is
I'm known in the east and I'm known in the west
The singer has gained recognition from people in both the Eastern and Western parts of the world
My blood is mestizo, known as the best
This line refers to the singer's ethnicity, which is a mixture of different ethnicities. He believes it is the best
They're dancing in the streets and cling 'round town
Because of this amazing new music, people are dancing in the streets and in every corner of the town
Rap-o-clap-o, that's the sound
This refers to the unique sound that this new type of music creates. It is catchy and sounds like "rap-o-clap-o"
Smack 'em in the head and kick 'em in the knee
This line is an expression of excitement and enthusiasm for this new type of music
Wake 'em from the dead to dance with me
This line means that even people who are completely uninterested or inactive can be roused to dance to this music
Just kick off your shoes and count to five
This music is so great that even with no one else around, one should kick off their shoes and count down from 5 to start dancing
Rock to the rhythm and come, come alive
Finally, a call to action to dance and enjoy the music. Everyone should rock to the rhythm and come alive
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Repeating the previous direction of clapping in case anyone forgot
Everybody, come on, clap your hands)
Everyone should clap their hands again, the song is almost over
(You can ring my bell, everybody
Repeating the previous invitation for everyone to ring the singer's bell
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
This is the last invitation for everyone to ring the singer's bell. The song ends here
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@paolatapia6311
Rap-O Clap-O Joe Bataan
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
We got a new thing out, gonna make you shout
Got rhythm, got heat, gonna move your feet
Got class, finesse, a whole lotta style
Gonna be around for a long, long while
Got something for the young, something for the old
Something that's missing from the rock and roll
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
It'll make you move, it'll make you go
Puts a capital "D" on the word "Disco"
Started in the States, jumped to Japan
Now it's known from land to land
It's known in Egypt, it's known in Rome
Known in Puerto Rico, from home to home
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
You heard it in England, you heard it in France
The music's bound to make you dance
The music's good and sounds terrific
Written in Chinese and hieroglyphics
It's got a new beat and I want you to know
It's a new thing out called mestizo
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
Rock, swing, shake, sing
Dance, everybody, to a brand new thing
Get up, everybody, and boogie to the beat
Fly girls, cool guys, stamp your feet
Just ring my bell, ding-a-ling-a-ling
Come on, everybody, come on and shake your thing
Just rock, everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake, everybody, everybody rock and sing
I'm a wizard in biology, don't you know
I can disect a frog from head to toe
I can play basketball and jump so high
I can leap tall buildings, I can even fly
I'm known in the east and I'm known in the west
My blood is mestizo, known as the best
Just rock everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake everybody, everybody rock and sing
They're dancing in the streets and cling 'round town
Rap-o-clap-o, that's the sound
Smack 'em in the head and kick 'em in the knee
Wake 'em from the dead to dance with me
Just kick off your shoes and count to five
Rock to the rhythm and come, come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands)
(You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
@777romero
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
We got a new thing out, gonna make you shout
Got rhythm, got heat, gonna move your feet
Got class, finesse, a whole lotta style
Gonna be around for a long, long while
Got something for the young, something for the old
Something that's missing from the rock and roll
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your
hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your
hands
It'll make you move, it'll make you go
Puts a capital "D" on the word "Disco"
Started in the States, jumped to Japan
Now it's known from the land to land
It's known in Egypt, it's known in Rome
Known in Puerto Rico, from home to home
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your
hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your
hands
You heard it in England, you heard it in France
The music bound to make you dance
the music good and sounds terrific
Written in Chinese and hieroglyphics
It's got a new beat and I want you to know
It's a new thing out called mestizo
Just clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your
hands
Just clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your
hands
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
(You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
Rock, swing, shake, sing
Dance, everybody, to a brand new thing
Get up, everybody, and boogie to the beat
Fly, girls, cool guys, stamp your feet
Just ring my bell, ding-a-ling-a-ling
Come on, everybody, come on and shake your thing
Just rock, everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake, everybody, everybody rock and sing
I'm a wizard in biology, don't you know
I can disect a frog from head to toe
I can play basketball and jump so high
I can leap tall buildings, I can even fly
I'm known in the east and I'm known in the west
My blood is mestizo, known as the best
Just rock everybody, everybody shake your thing
Just shake everybody, everybody rock and sing
They're dancing in the streets and cling 'round town
Rap-o-clap-o, that's the sound
Smack 'em in the head and kick 'em in the knee
Wake 'em from the dead to dance with me
Just kick off your shoes and count to five
Rock to the rhythm and come, come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
One, two, three, four, five
Rock, everybody, everybody come alive
(Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands
Just clap your hands, everybody
Everybody, come on, clap your hands)
(You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell
You can ring my bell, everybody
Everybody, come on, ring my bell)
@marvingonzalez6891
6 years old in 1979 living in Puerto Rico heard this song and got the 45 out of the jukebox from the Bodega across the street from my house and played it nonstop. My introduction to Rap music
@claertonarcoverde7053
Marvin Gonzalez ! Congratulation for you , i listening a lot . I'm from Brazil 🇧🇷🤙
@juniortorres3967
I was in High School in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 at that time every body clap your hands ✋👏
@dexho1457
On record, this might be the very first actual rap music video. Rap began during the disco era mostly as a street art, but in terms of main stream notice. Joe Bataan is a pioneer if not one of The Godfather’s of Rap along with Rudy Ray Moore, but Joe’s success was entirely overseas in Europe and Latin America.
@Pogo-qo1ob
I totally agree. Been obsessing over 79 and earlier rap since middle school and I can’t think of a single rap song from this early on with as much international attention
@nadimovitch9237
Look up Pigment Markham
@dpalaoro
@@nadimovitch9237Pigmeat 😂
@philg4116
No he isn't. He just picked up on the cutting edge music rooting up in the black world from people with no record deals, just their hoods listening to them, totally different from everything he'd been doing up to that point, tossed in some disco, and decided to make some money out of it. He's no godfather of rap, more like a Bill Haley of rap.
@dexho1457
@@philg4116 he is half black, so is that not his world and culture too?
@ciprianoderore4792
THE FIRST RAP OF THE WORLD..MR JOE BATAAN 1978