[edit] Musical career
In 1950, when he was 19 years old, he played for J. Panama and also for a group called La Alfarona X. The group soon disbanded and Cuba enrolled in college to study law. While at college he attended a concert in which Tito Puente performed "Abaniquito". He went up to Tito and introduced himself as a student and fan and soon they developed what was to become a lifetime friendship. This event motivated Cuba to organize his own band. In 1954, his agent recommended that he change the band's name from the Jose Calderon Sextet to the Joe Cuba Sextet and the newly named Joe Cuba Sextet made their debut at the Stardust Ballroom.[1]
In 1962, Cuba recorded "To Be With You" with the vocals of Cheo Feliciano and Jimmy Sabater Sr.. The band became popular in the New York Latin community. The lyrics to Cuba's music used a mixture of Spanish and English, becoming an important part of the Nuyorican Movement.[2]
In 1965, the Sextet got their first crossover hit with the Latin and soul fusion of "El Pito (I Never Go Back To Georgia)" . The "Never Go Back To Georgia" chant was taken from Dizzy Gillespie's intro to the seminal Afro-Cuban tune, "Manteca". Sabater later revealed that "none of us had ever been to Georgia. [3]
Along with fellow Nuyorican artists such as Ray Barretto and Richie Ray, Cuba was at the forefront of the developing Latin soul sound in New York, merging American R&B styles with Afro-Cuban instrumentation. Cuba was one of the key architects behind the emerging Latin Boogaloo sound, which became a popular and influential Latin style in the latter half of the 1960s. In 1966, his band which included timbales, congas, sometimes bongos, bass, vibraphones, and the piano among its musical instruments, scored a "hit" in the United States National Hit Parade List with the song "Bang Bang" - which helped kick off the popularity of the boogaloo. He also had a #1 hit, that year in the Billboards with the song "Sock It To Me Baby". Charlie Palmieri, who was his musical director, died in 1988 of a heart attack upon his arrival to New York from Puerto Rico.[4]
[edit] Later years and death
On April 1999, Joe Cuba was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2004, he was named Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican Day Parade celebrated in Yonkers, New York. He was also the director of the Museum of La Salsa, located in Spanish Harlem, Manhattan, New York.
Joe Cuba died on February 15, 2009 in New York City, after being removed from life support. He had been hospitalized for a persistent bacterial infection. Cuba's remains were cremated at Woodhaven Cemetery.[5] He is survived by his 2 adult children from his first wife (Nina, married in 1960), son Mitchell and daughter Lisa, 3 grandchildren Nicole, Alexis and Rebecca; and his second wife Maria (Married in 1994).
[edit] Discography
Among the songs recorded by Joe Cuba and his sextet are the following:[6]
* 1. Bang Bang
* 2. Cocinando
* 3. Ay Milagro
* 4. El Raton
* 5. Joe Cubas Latin Hustle
* 6. My Man Speedy
* 7. Quinto Sabroso
* 8. El Pito
* 9. Trip To Mamboland
* 10. Sock It To Me""
* 11. Y Tu Abuela Donde Esta
* 12. Oriza Oco
* 13. Psychedelic Baby
* 14. Pataquibiriquambambaram
* 15. Quires Volver
* 16. Yo Y Borinquen
* 17. Mi Salsa Buena
* 18. Bailadores
* 19. Joe Cubas Madness Pts 1 And 2
* 20. Oye Bien
* 21. Mujer Divina
* 22. La Tortilla
* 23. Talk About Love
* 24. Alafia
* 25. Ritmo De Joe Cuba
* 26. Hey Joe Hey Joe
* 27. Elube Chango
* 28. Wakini
* 29. No Coman Cuento
* 30. To Be With You
* 31. Mi Lindo Son
* 32. Oh Yeah
* 33. Flacos Cha Cha
* 34. La Malanga Brava
* 35. Contigo Aprendi
* 36. Ya Se Acabo
Bang Bang
Joe Cuba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bang bang bang
Is it the way that you're movin'
The way that you're makin' my heart beat
Is it the sound of your voice
The way that you're talkin' to me
Is it the scent of your hairThe look of your smile,Idon't know
You believed you're the best
No,I thing it's the look in your eyes
Bang,bang,bangYou drive me insane,sane,sane
Bang,bang,bang
Bang,bang,bang,insane,sane,sane
Bang,Bang
Na,na
Bang,bang
It it the look of your face
I'm Losin' my base (can't see you)
Is it the style of your walk
Or the way you talk,I don't know
Is it the way that you're dressed,That you believe you're the best
No,I thing it's the look in your eyes
Like bang,bang,bang
Bang,bang,bang,insane,sane,sane
Bang,Bang
The song "Bang! Bang!" by Joe Cuba is a passionate love song that is full of questions that the singer asks in his effort to understand what exactly makes him so crazy about his lover. The song begins by asking if it is his lover's movement that is driving him insane or if it is the sound of her voice that is making his heart beat so fast. He wonders if it could be the scent of her hair or the look of her smile. Despite all these questions, he admits that he doesn't know what exactly it is about her that is making him feel this way.
As the song progresses, the singer continues to ask questions. He wonders if it is the way she dresses that makes her think she's the best or the look in her eyes that makes him feel like he's going crazy. He concludes that it must be the latter, as he repeats the catchy refrain of "bang, bang, bang" several times over.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of being completely lost in love and unable to explain why. The repetitive nature of the chorus and the singer's passionate delivery only add to the intensity of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Bang bang bang
The singer is expressing the sound of excitement and amazement that he is experiencing.
Is it the way that you're movin'
The singer is wondering if it is the movement of the other person's body that is causing his excitement.
The way that you're makin' my heart beat
The singer is expressing that the other person is making his heart beat faster due to the excitement he is feeling.
Is it the sound of your voice
The artist is questioning if it is the way the other person speaks that is causing his excitement.
The way that you're talkin' to me
The artist is wondering if the way the other person is talking to him is causing his excitement.
Is it the scent of your hair
The singer is questioning if it is the smell of the other person's hair that is causing his excitement.
The look of your smile,Idon't know
The singer is expressing uncertainty about whether it is the look of the other person's smile that is causing his excitement.
Is it the way that you're dressed
The artist is wondering if it is the attire of the other person that is causing his excitement.
You believed you're the best
The artist is acknowledging that the other person seems to be confident in their appearance.
No,I thing it's the look in your eyes
The artist has come to the conclusion that it is the look in the other person's eyes that is causing his excitement.
Bang,bang,bangYou drive me insane,sane,sane
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by his excitement for the other person, as they are driving him insane.
Bang,bang,bang
The artist is repeating the sound of the previous line, expressing his excitement for the other person.
Bang,bang,bang,insane,sane,sane
The singer repeats his previous statement with a slight variation, emphasizing that he is both excited and overwhelmed by his feelings.
Bang,Bang
The singer repeats his excitement for the other person one last time.
Na,na
The singer adds this line to express his excitement and energy in a playful way.
Is it the look of your face
The artist is wondering if it is the appearance of the other person's face that is causing his excitement.
I'm Losin' my base (can't see you)
The artist is expressing that he is becoming so overwhelmed by his excitement that he is losing focus and cannot see the other person clearly.
Is it the style of your walk
The singer is wondering if the other person's manner of walking is causing his excitement.
Or the way you talk,I don't know
The singer is acknowledging that he is unsure of what specifically is causing his excitement for the other person.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIMMY SABATER, JOE CUBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertgrotto7058
I'm 74 and Italian. Grew up in the tenements of NYC in the 50's and early 60's. I remember this song and others of the era on hot summer nights. No ac. A small window fan. The smell of garbage wafting up from the street. Listening to this and other songs of the times. I remember block parties where Hector Lavoe and others jammed. Italians, blacks, Irish, Polish, Puerto Ricans etc all had a great time. We mostly all got along. Yes, there were gangs and fights but the most of the hard working people and the families got along. You know why? We were all poor. It's always been more about the color green of the dollar then skin color. IMHO it's worse today. Keep rockin and God bless.
@bridgetedwards2378
Thank you for your story. I believe you - it's FAR worse today. Back then, even during the worst of times - at the time - simple pleasures were the best. I'm 65, raised in Cali - enjoyed the music of the 50s, 60s, 70s - of all flavors. Music was the BEST back then. Yep. I said what I said. :-) Blessings - and keep rockin!
@bernicejackson4902
I remember being so happy singing and dancing to this this great song back in my early days in the Farragut Projects of Brooklyn NY ❤️💃🥰💃
@newzcutter
Lower East side?
@robertgrotto7058
@@newzcutter West side. 93rd street. A block from Riverside drive. The same street that has that little park with the Joan of Arc statue. It was a bad neighborhood when I lived there. It's all gentrified now and looks great. A real shithole when I was a kid. The ball fields look like Yankee stadium now. When I was a kid they were just dirt. We used too clean them up in the summer so we could play ball. Old tires, broken glass, junkie needles all over. Junkies would watch us play until they nodded off. LOL.
@bocastacker9005
It was the same for me when I was young. No divisions among different ethnicities. We all got along and music brought us all closer together. What the hell happened to this world?? Politicians divide us to try to control us.
@Carlospjr
I grew up in the 60s & 70s in NYC and the Bronx and the music flowing out the windows on Friday night and Saturdays was Heavenly. This was a classic.
@Dune137
I miss just plain, simple and fun music like this. I think I was about 3 years old when my mom bought this album. We used to play this song over and over.
@arnoldgratacos5460
Joe Cuba king of Spanish Harlem music...I played it all thru my high school years. Thank you Joe!!
@dannyphantommm
Thank you for posting this video. My grandfather is Joe Cuba, he died when I was three and I love his music. My mom, Joe Cuba's daughter has his golden discs in our house and pictures of my grandfather including this art.