Vocalist/guitarist David Hidalgo and drummer Louie Pérez met at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, and bonded over their mutual affinity for obscure musical acts such as Fairport Convention, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder. Pérez recalls, "We’re looking at each other, 'You like this stuff? I thought I was the only weird one.' So I went over to his house one day for about a year, which we spent listening to records, playing guitars, and starting to write songs." The two borrowed reel-to-reel recorders from a friend and created multi-track recordings of music spanning from parody songs to free-form jazz. They later enlisted fellow students Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano to complete the group's line-up in 1973.
Formed in the late 1970's, band members Dave Hidalgo, Cesar Rojas, Steve Berlin, Louie Pérez and Conrad Lozano became the bellwether for Mexican-American music in the U.S. when they recorded the music for "La Bamba" in 1987, which added popular acclaim to the critical praise they had received for their 1984 album "How Will the Wolf Survive?".
They have since become one of the mainstays of the Latin music scene as well as rock music in general, staying together through over 20 albums, and for almost three decades, through changing music climate and personal tragedies, they've continued cranking out albums and touring to dedicated fans.
La Bamba
Los Lobos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa' mí, pa' ti, ay, arriba y arriba
Ay, arriba y arriba, por ti seré
Por ti seré, por ti seré
Yo no soy marinero
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitán
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba
Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa' mí, pa' ti, ay, arriba y arriba
Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa' mí, pa' ti, ay, arriba y arriba
Ay, arriba y arriba, por ti seré
Por ti seré, por ti seré
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
"La Bamba" is a traditional Mexican folk song that has gained international popularity in the late 1950s through the rock and roll adaptation of the legendary Ritchie Valens, and was later revived in the 1980s when Los Lobos performed their version for the Ritchie Valens biographical movie. The song's lyrics highlight the importance of having a little bit of grace or rhythm when dancing La Bamba, as it's a fast and lively dance that requires skill and coordination. The chorus of the song repeats itself, chanting the word Bamba multiple times while encouraging everyone to dance, which adds to the infectious and upbeat nature of the song.
The singer acknowledges that he is not a sailor but rather, he is the captain. This line could be interpreted as him taking charge and leading the dance or commanding the party. In addition, the lyrics "por ti seré" means "for you, I'll be" in English, possibly indicating that the singer is dedicating his performance to someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
Para bailar la bamba
To dance the Bamba
Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia
To dance the Bamba, a little bit of grace is needed
Una poca de gracia pa' mí, pa' ti, ay, arriba y arriba
A little bit of grace for me, for you, up and up
Ay, arriba y arriba, por ti seré
Up we go, for you I will be
Por ti seré, por ti seré
For you I will be, for you I will be
Yo no soy marinero
I am not a sailor
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitán
I am not a sailor, I am a captain
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, Bamba
Bamba
Bamba
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ritchie Valens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim Wood
on Me Estas Matando
I would like to learn this song. My Spanish is sufficient, but I require the lyrics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Wood
on Me Estas Matando
I can't seem to find lyrics for this song. Can anyone help me out?