Kaoma is a French-Brazilian pop group made up of former members of the band… Read Full Bio ↴Kaoma is a French-Brazilian pop group made up of former members of the band Touré Kunda: Chyco Dru (bassist), Jacky Arconte (guitarist), Jean-Claude Bonaventure (producer and keyboardist), Michel Abihssira (drums and percussion), Fania (vocals), and Loalwa Braz (lead singer), Chico and Roberta (dancers). Chyco Dru is from Martinique, Jacky Arconte from Guadeloupe, and Loalwa Braz from Brazil. They are best known for their 1989 hit single, "Lambada", a direct cover of Brazilian singer-songwriter Márcia Ferreira's 1986 dance hit "Chorando se foi," which itself was a legally authorized Portuguese-translated rendition of the original 1981 slow ballad, "Llorando se fue" by the Bolivian group Los Kjarkas. Given Kaoma's clear act of plagiarism and release of their single without Los Kjarkas' permission, Los Kjarkas successfully sued.
"Dançando Lambada" and "Mélodie d'amour" were the next two singles and were also hit singles, although they failed to earn the same success as "Lambada". "Lambada" peaked at number 46 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.
The same year, the band released its first album Worldbeat which achieved worldwide success,becoming,along with Beto Barbosa, one of the legends of Brazilian lambada. At the 1990 Lo Nuestro Awards, Kaoma won two awards for Pop Group of the Year and New Pop Artist of the Year.
In 1991, Kaoma released the album Tribal-Pursuit which provided the singles "Danca Tago-Mago" and "Moço do dende".
The band disbanded in 1998 but reformed again in 2006.

Loalwa Braz (3 June 1953 – 19 January 2017)

Lambada is a dance from Pará, Brazil, of African origin. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in Latin America and Caribbean countries. It has adopted aspects of dances such as forró, salsa, merengue, maxixe and the carimbó.

Lambada is generally a partner dance. The dancers generally dance with arched legs, with the steps being from side to side, turning or even swaying, and in its original form never front to back, with a pronounced movement of the hips. At the time when the dance became popular, short skirts for women were in fashion and men wore long trousers, and the dance has become associated with such clothing, especially for women wearing short skirts that swirl up when the woman spins around, typically revealing 90s-style thong underwear.

Salsita
Kaoma Lyrics

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Vamos dançar que vai ficar gostoso

Eu só quero admirar essa moça bonita no salão
Ela mata só no olhar, sua ginga acelera o coração
Eu só quero admirar essa moça bonita no salão
Ela mata só no olhar, sua ginga acelera o coração

Vem, me leva pra dançar

Que eu quero sentir o teu cheiro
O meu peito aliviar ligeiro
Eu não sei d′onde ela vem, ah
Só sei que é tão maneira
O seu corpo faz pensar, uh

Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você

Eu só quero admirar essa moça bonita no salão
Ela mata só no olhar, sua ginga acelera o coração
Eu só quero admirar esse moço bonito no salão
Oi, moreno, vem me dar um pouquinho de mel e dendê

Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você

Quero, venha
Quero te levar
Quero, venha
Quero te levar
Quero, venha
Quero te levar
Quero, venha
Quero te levar

Que cheirinho de dendê
Ê, baianinho gostoso

Vem, me leva pra dançar
Que eu quero sentir o teu cheiro
O meu peito aliviar ligeiro
Eu não sei de onde ele vem, eu
Só sei que é tão maneiro
O seu jeito faz pensar, uh

Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você

Quero, venha, quero te levar
(Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você)
Quero, venha, quero te levar
(Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você)
Quero, venha, quero te levar
(Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você)
Quero, venha, quero te levar
(Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você)
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você

Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você

Overall Meaning

"Vamos dançar que vai ficar gostoso" translates to "let's dance, it's going to be delicious." The singer of the song expresses their desire to admire a beautiful woman in the ballroom. She captivates people with her gaze and makes hearts beat faster with her moves. The first verse repeats the desire to admire this woman and feel her energy as she dances. The chorus praises the "moço do dendê," a man whose scent is delicious and who has a special charm that attracts people. The singer of the song wants to dance with this "baianinho gostoso," a man from Bahia, Brazil, who exudes sexuality and passion.

In the second verse, the singer shifts their attention to a handsome man in the ballroom. They call out to him to offer them some "mel e dendê," which literally translates to "honey and palm oil," but in this context, it means they want him to give them some attention and affection. The chorus repeats the praises of the "moço do dendê" and their irresistible aura. The bridge of the song repeats the desire to dance and feel close to this person whose scent is so alluring.

One interesting aspect of this song is that it combines various genres and cultural elements: samba, lambada, and African-influenced rhythms. The song was released in 1989 and became a massive hit in Brazil, France, and other countries. The group Kaoma consisted of musicians from various backgrounds, including Brazil, Guyana, Martinique, and France. The song was originally written by Chico César, a Brazilian singer and songwriter, but the Kaoma version became more popular. The song was used in various movies and TV shows, including the French film La Haine and the animated TV series The Simpsons.

Line by Line Meaning

Vamos dançar que vai ficar gostoso
Let's dance, it's going to be enjoyable

Eu só quero admirar essa moça bonita no salão
I just want to admire that beautiful girl in the hall

Ela mata só no olhar, sua ginga acelera o coração
She kills just by a look, her movements accelerate the heart

Vem, me leva pra dançar
Come, take me to dance

Que eu quero sentir o teu cheiro
Because I want to smell you

O meu peito aliviar ligeiro
To lighten my chest quickly

Eu não sei d′onde ela vem, ah
I don't know where she comes from, ah

Só sei que é tão maneira
I only know she's so cool

O seu corpo faz pensar, uh
Her body makes me think, uh

Moço do dendê, moço do cheiro gostoso, é você
Young man of dendê, young man of the good scent, it's you

Oi, moreno, vem me dar um pouquinho de mel e dendê
Hey, brunette, come give me a little bit of honey and dendê