Más que nada
Sérgio Mendes feat. Gracinha Leporace Lyrics

The lyrics to Sérgio Mendes' song Mas que Nada speak of the joy and excitement of the samba, a lively and rhythmic Brazilian dance. The opening lines "O ariá rai, Obá, obá, obá" are a celebratory chant that sets the upbeat tone. The lyrics then declare, "Mas que nada, sai da minha frente eu quero passar" which translates to "But nothing, get out of my way, I want to pass" – conveying the idea that nothing will stop the singer from enjoying the samba. The lyrics express that the samba is a mixed rhythm of maracatu - a traditional Afro-Brazilian music genre - and a spirit of black ancestors.

The song itself is buoyant and upbeat, with brass and percussion instruments working in sync to create a festive sound. The lyrics talk about a samba that is 'misto de maracatu' which means that the genre varies between samba and maracatu. The lines then say, "samba de preto velho, samba de preto tu" which means that the samba is a style of black people, and everyone is invited to dance to it. The singer states that everyone will want to dance to this samba because of its energy and excitement.