Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manu_Chao
Discography
Clandestino (1998)
Próxima Estación: Esperanza (2001)
Radio Bemba Sound System (2002)
Sibérie m'était contéee (2004)
La Radiolina (2007)
Baionarena (2008)
King of Bongo Bong
Manu Chao Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 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
The lyrics of Manu Chao's "King of Bongo Bong" can be interpreted in a few different ways. On one level, they tell the story of a musician who grew up in the jungle playing the bongo, and later moved to the big city in search of fame and fortune. Despite his talent and his title as "king of bongo," he feels like an outsider in the city and gets criticized for his unconventional style of music. Nevertheless, he remains proud of his skills and confident in his identity as the king of bongo bong.
On a deeper level, the song can be seen as a commentary on cultural appropriation and the commodification of music. The singer is proud of his African roots and his traditional playing style, but he struggles to gain recognition in a city that values commercial success and Western musical conventions. The lyrics suggest that there is something valuable and authentic about the "dirty sound" that the singer produces on his bongo, and that it should be valued for its own sake rather than judged by commercial standards.
Overall, "King of Bongo Bong" is a catchy and upbeat song that celebrates the joy of music-making, while also touching on themes of identity, cultural heritage, and artistic integrity.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama was queen of the mambo
My mother was known and revered for her ability to dance the mambo.
Papa was king of the Congo
My father was a prominent figure in the Congo region.
Deep down in the jungle
I was born and raised in the heart of the jungle.
I started bangin' my first bongo
I began playing music at a young age, starting with the bongo drums.
Every monkey like to be
All the animals in the jungle aspire to be like me.
In my place instead of me
They want to have my talent and success.
'Cause I'm the king of bongo, baby
I am the best musician in the jungle, with a signature sound that everyone loves.
I'm the king of bongo bong
I am the ruler of the jungle's music scene, with mastery over its sounds and rhythms.
I went to the big town
I decided to take my talents to the city.
Where there is a lot of sound
In the city, music is loud and abundant.
From the jungle to the city
I made the journey from my home in the jungle to the bustling metropolis.
Looking for a bigger crown
I was seeking greater recognition and fame for my music.
So I play my boogie
I perform my music style, known as boogie.
For the people of big city
I play my music for the residents of the city.
But they don't go crazy
My music does not excite or captivate the city dwellers.
When I'm bangin' in my boogie
Even when I play my music at its best, the city people do not appreciate it.
Nobody like to be in my place instead of me
No one wants to switch places with me because no one can appreciate my talent and achievements.
'Cause nobody go crazy when I'm bangin' on my boogie
Even when I play my heart out, no one is moved or stirred by my music.
I'm a king without a crown
I am a great musician, without any recognition or titles to prove it.
Hanging loose in a big town
I roam the city, without any attachments or accomplishments.
They say that I'm a clown
People mock my music style and brand it as comical and unserious.
Making too much dirty sound
My music has a raw, unrefined quality that many consider unpleasant.
They say there is no place for little monkey in this town
People scorn and dismiss my music, saying that it is not suited for the city's atmosphere or audience.
Bangin' on my bongo all that swing belongs to me
Despite the criticisms, I stand by my love and passion for my music.
I'm so happy there's nobody in my place instead of me
I am content with my life and my music, even if others do not appreciate it.
Hear me when I come
Pay attention to my music and my talents.
Hear me when I come, baby
Listen to my music, and appreciate its unique qualities.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jose Manuel Chao
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@billyrocka7797
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
@toployonestin
@Juan Jose Viadero Rivas
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...
@thevilwoman3234
qué genial leer comentarios en inglés, español, portugués, francés esto me deja claro que la música y el amor son un lenguaje universal, buenas vibras al que lea esto 💚
@clintstewart5545
Português !!!
@andrevictor1287
Brasilll
@jeffersonbarbosa8443
a musica dele e boa no mundo todo
@falak204
la vrdd
@marinahferreira5299
🇧🇷🇧🇷
@samolitheerd
I remember me and my family on our trips to distant places of our country and this song playing in dozens of others. I don't know why, but this biiing sound is one of the most nostalgic sounds in my life
@saharmartinez6253
yesss! This album was the album of all my family road trips as well haha
@TheRealOneJtR
Sounds a lil bit similiar like spongebob haha
@akahige8967
yeah it was everywhere. mtv went nuts with it. i hated it, i was a 12yo kid looking into british rock and this felt like absolute crap to me. hearing it again is so goddamn nostalgic. and yes, i don't hate it now. it's not my cup of tea, but it's a good song.