Bongo Bong
Manu Chao Lyrics


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Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in the jungle
I start bangin' my first bongo

Every monkey'd like to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong

I went to the big town
Where there is a lot of sound
From the jungle to the city
Looking for a bigger crown

So I play my boogie
For the people of big city
But they don't go crazy
When I'm bangin' on my boogie

I'm the king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come, baby
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Nobody'd like to be in my place instead of me
'Cause nobody go crazy when I'm bangin' on my boogie

I'm a king without a crown, hanging loose in a big town
But I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong

King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come, baby
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come

They say that I'm a clown making too much dirty sound
They say there is no place for little monkey in this town
Nobody'd like to be in my place instead of me
'Cause nobody go crazy when I'm bangin' on my boogie

I'm the king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come, baby
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come

Bangin' on my bongo, all that swing belongs to me
I'm so happy there's nobody in my place instead of me

I'm a king without a crown hanging loose in a big town
I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong

King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come, baby
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come

Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in a jungle
I start bangin' my first bongo

Every monkey'd like to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong

Hear me when I come




Hear me when I come, baby (king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong)
Hear me when I come

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Manu Chao's "Bongo Bong" are a biography of sorts, telling the story of the singer's rise to power as the "king of bongo." The song's opening lines are a nod to his parents - Mama was queen of the mambo, Papa was king of the Congo. Chao grew up between France and Spain, but both his parents are from South America; his mother is Basque and his father is Galician. The next lines suggest that the singer, like many budding musicians, started playing music at a young age, and his first instrument was a bongo.


The second verse, however, shows a shift in the tone and theme from the first. The singer leaves the jungle and goes to the big town (presumably Paris or Barcelona) in search of a bigger crown. He plays his music for the people there, but they don't appreciate his sound. The chorus brings back the monkey imagery from the earlier lyrics, with every monkey wishing to be in his place. The third verse brings back the negative tone, stating that some people think the singer is a clown making too much noise. The final chorus repeats the first, with a reiteration of the singer's power and his ability to command attention with his music.


Overall, "Bongo Bong" can be interpreted as a tale of the outsider artist who, despite the rejection of the mainstream, remains content and empowered through music. The singer claims his rightful place as the "king of bongo," a symbol of the power inherent in his unique sound.


Line by Line Meaning

Mama was queen of the mambo
My mother was a skilled performer in the mambo dance style


Papa was king of the Congo
My father was a leader in the Congo region


Deep down in the jungle, I start bangin' my first bongo
As a child growing up in the jungle, I started playing the bongo drums


Every monkey'd like to be in my place instead of me, 'cause I'm the king of bongo, baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
The monkeys in the jungle envy my status as a skilled musician and leader in the community


I went to the big town, where there is a lot of sound, from the jungle to the city, looking for a bigger crown
I moved to the city in search of fame and recognition for my musical talents


So I play my boogie for the people of big city, but they don't go crazy, when I'm bangin' on my boogie
Despite my efforts to impress the people of the city with my music, they do not appreciate or respond to it as much as I had hoped


I'm a king without a crown, hanging loose in a big town, but I'm the king of bongo, baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
Although I may not have the recognition or status I desire in the city, I still know that I am a leader in my community and a skilled musician


They say that I'm a clown making too much dirty sound, they say there is no place for little monkey in this town
Critics and skeptics in the city disparage my music and suggest that I do not belong there


Bangin' on my bongo, all that swing belongs to me, I'm so happy there's nobody in my place instead of me
Despite the challenges and doubt I face, I am confident in my musical abilities and enjoy playing the bongo drums


Hear me when I come, hear me when I come, baby (king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong)
I want people to take notice and appreciate my music and my leadership in the community




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jose Manuel Chao

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@cesaralfonsoespinosabolano6827

Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in a jungle
I started banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause I'm the king of Bongo, baby
I'm the king of Bongo Bong
I went to the big town
Where there is a lot of sound
From the jungle to the city
Looking for a bigger crown
So I play my Boogie
For the people of big city
But they don't go crazy
When I'm banging all my boogie
I'm the
Hear me when I come, baby
(King of the Bongo)
(King of the Bongo Bong)
Nobody likes to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause nobody go crazy
When I'm banging on my boogie
I'm a king without a crown
Hanging loose in a big town
But I'm the king of Bongo, baby
I'm the king of Bongo Bong
Hear me when I come, baby
(King of the Bongo)
(King of the Bongo Bong)
Hear me when I come
They said that I'm a clown
Making too much dirty sound
They said there is no place
For little monkey in this town
Nobody liked to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause nobody go crazy
When I'm banging on my boogie
I'm the
Hear me when I come, baby
(King of the Bongo)
(King of the Bongo Bong)
Hear me when I come
Banging on my bongo
All that swing belongs to me
I'm so happy there's nobody
In my place instead of me
I'm a king without a crown
Hanging loose in a big town
I'm the king of Bongo, baby
I'm the king of Bongo Bong
King of the Bongo bong)
Hear me when I come, baby
(King of the Bongo)
(King of the Bongo Bong)
Hear me when I come
Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in a jungle
I started banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause I'm the king of Bongo, baby
I'm the king of Bongo Bong
Hear me when I come
Hear me when I come, baby
(King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong)
Hear me when I come


Je ne t'aime plus
Mon amour
Je ne t'aime plus
Tous les jours
Parfois j'aimerais mourir
Tellement j'ai voulu croire
Parfois j'aimerais mourir
Pour ne plus rien avoir
Parfois j'aimerais mourir
Pour plus jamais te voir
Je ne j'aime plus
Mon amour
Je ne t'aime plus
Tous les jours
Parfois j'aimerais mourir
Tellement Y'a plus d'espoir
Parfois j'aimerais mourir
Pour plus jamais te revoir
Parfois j'aimeris mourir
Pour ne plus rien savoir
Je ne t'aime plus
Mon amour
Je ne t'aime plus
Tous les jours...



@franktonio

Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in the jungle
I started bangin' my first bongo
Every monkey like to be
In my place instead of me
'Cause I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong
I went to the big town
Where there is a lot of sound
From the jungle to the city
Looking for a bigger crown
So I play my boogie
For the people of big city
But they don't go crazy
When I'm bangin' in my boogie
I'm the "king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong"
Hear me when I come, baby
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Nobody like to be in my place instead of me
'Cause nobody go crazy when I'm bangin' on my boogie
I'm a king without a crown
Hanging loose in a big town
But I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong
Hear me…



@CaminosYsenderos

Español;
Como este artista junta gente de todos lados, es impresionante. Al fin y cabo somos todos humanos, somos iguales no importa raza religión ni plata. Somos humanos y la gente que escucha a estos artistas mucho más.

English ;
How this artist gathers people from all over the place, it is impressive. At the end of the day we are all human, we are the same no matter race, religion or money. We are human and the people who listen to these artists much more.

français,
Comment cet artiste rassemble des gens de partout, c'est impressionnant. En fin de compte, nous sommes tous humains, nous sommes les mêmes, peu importe la race, la religion ou l'argent. Nous sommes humains et les gens qui écoutent ces artistes beaucoup plus.

Português;
Como esse artista reúne pessoas de todos os lugares, é impressionante. Afinal, somos todos humanos, somos os mesmos, não importa raça, religião ou dinheiro. Somos humanos e as pessoas que ouvem muito mais esses artistas.



All comments from YouTube:

@therugthug

Before my mom died we would all circle around her computer and dance to this song because we loved it so much, still hits :.(

@jacobbarbosarc27

Damn brother im so sorry to hear that man,rip to your mama bro 🙏💯😢

@anopinion3469

My mother just recently passed from ALS. I know exactly the feeling of music and memories! Sharing my love with you

@riccardomastellone8035

Stay strong bro ❤️❤️❤️

@bobbyfischer6149

......

@jeremiahmendez563

God is with you all that you have to do is too make your move

28 More Replies...

@user-ih7qv7zd9k

I was a little child, this was 2010s and our family traveled across country. We went to various places, and every time we were at highway, my parents used to turn on Manu Chao songs. I love that times, no school, no responsibility and no stress at all(

@tomaszolejnik3471

Za, śeee

@foodie_602

I was never born at 2010's😅

@luciefix2163

I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia two years ago. I thought it was normal for people to hear voices and see things that nobody else would see. I've entered hospital yesterday. I'm all alone in a room full of my thoughts. All I have is this song which reminds me of the new friends I made myself on the beach before I enter the hospital. They are everything I could have dreamt of. I know I'm not alone, and I know I have to go through this to get better. I don't care about how hard this can be, I only think about the final exit, where I'll be able to think by myself and enjoy life as it really is. :) I'm so grateful for this song to make me feel better. Please, don't stop listening to music. It is, according to me, the only way to feel surrounded. Life isn't easy, being seen as crazy isn't easy either. Sometimes you have to go through your worst phase to find your inner peace. Please don't give up. Let's try to enjoy life together.

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