Más que nada
Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66/86 Lyrics
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Obá obá obá
Oariá raiô
Obá obá obá
Mas que nada
Black Eyed Peas came to make it hotter
We be the party starter
Heated like a sauna
Penetrating through your body armor
Rhythmically we massage ya
With hip hop mixed up with samba
With samba
So yes, yes, y'all (yes, y'all, y'all)
You know we never stop we never rest, y'all (rest, y'all, y'all)
The Black Eyed Peas'll keep it funky fresh, y'all (fresh, y'all, y'all)
And we won't stop until we get y'all, 'til we get y'all sayin'
Oariá raiô
Obá obá obá
Oariá raiô
Obá obá obá
Peter Piper picked peppers
But Tab rocked rhymes-a
1, 2, 3, 4, several times-a
Heavy rotation played by every kind-a
Radio stations blastin' every mind-a
We crossing boundaries like everyday
To rock ya Robbie Bobbie Beamer on the Bay
We got, we got Tab magnifications
Tab magnified like every day
So yes, yes, y'all (yes, y'all, y'all)
You know we never stop we never rest, y'all (rest, y'all, y'all)
The Black Eyed Peas'll keep it funky fresh, y'all (fresh, y'all, y'all)
And we won't stop until we get y'all, 'til we get y'all sayin'
Oariá raiô
Obá obá obá (la, la, la, la, la)
Oariá raiô
Obá obá obá
Drop hot hot be my daily operation
Got to put in work in this crazy occupation
Gotta keep it movin' (that's the motivation)
Gotta ride the waves and keep a tight relation
With my team keep it moving, and doing it right
Up in the lab every day 'til daylight
That's the way things move in this monkey business
We took an old samba song and remixed it
Mas que nada
Sai da minha frente
Que eu quero passar
Pois o samba esta animado
O que eu quero e sambar
Este samba, que e misto de maracatu
É samba de preto velho
Samba de preto tu
Mas que nada, we gonna make you feel lil' hotter
The Peas and Sergio Mendes heating up samba
Ba, badada, ba
Ba, badada, ba
(Ba, badada, ba) Sergio, play yo piano
(Oh, eh, oh) Sergio, play yo yo yo yo yo
Piano (ano ano ano ano ano ano)
Check it out
Oariá raiô
Obá Obá Obá (lá, lá, lá, lá, lá)
Oariá raiô
Obá Obá Obá (lá, lá, lá, lá, lá)
Oariá raiô
Obá Obá Obá
Este samba, que e misto de maracatu
É samba de preto velho
Samba de preto tu
Este samba, que e misto de maracatu
É samba de preto velho
Samba de preto tu (lá, lá, lá, lá, lá)
The lyrics of Sergio Mendes' hit song "Mas Que Nada" can be interpreted to describe the joyous energy and spirit of the samba dance, rooted in African rhythms and traditions. "O ariá rai" and "Obá, obá, obá" signify the call and response patterns prominent in African music, inviting listeners to join in and participate. The refrain "Mas que nada" translates to "but nothing" in Portuguese, and can be interpreted as a playful dismissal of any distractions or obstacles that may stand in the way of enjoying the moment and indulging in the dance.
The verses describe the joy and pride that come with the samba, highlighting its blended origins and the contribution of Afro-Brazilian culture. The blend of maracatu and samba rhythms acknowledge the mixed heritage of Brazilian music and its roots in both African and indigenous cultures. The reference to "preto velho" or "old black" samba dance suggests a reverence for the elder statesmen of the dance and their role in preserving and passing down the traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
O ariá rai
Vague and meaningless exclamation used to express excitement or joy.
Obá, obá, obá,
Another expression of excitement or joy, used in Brazilian Portuguese slang.
O (o, o, o, o,) ariá rai
Repetition of the meaningless exclamation from the first line, with slight variation.
Obá, Obá, Obá,
Repetition of the slang expression from the second line, with slight variation.
Mas que nada
But that's nothing, or That's nothing special.
Sai da minha frente eu quero passar
Get out of my way, I want to pass through.
Pois o samba está animado
Because the samba is lively and energetic.
O que eu quero é sambar
What I want to do is dance the samba.
Este samba que é misto de maracatu
This samba is a blend of maracatu, a traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythm.
É samba de preto velho
It's a samba played by old black men, with deep roots in Afro-Brazilian culture.
Samba de preto tu
Another way of emphasizing the African roots of this particular samba.
Um samba como esse do legal
A samba like this is awesome or cool.
Você no vai querer
You won't want to.
Que eu chegue no final
That I reach the end, or That I finish dancing.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jorge Lima Menezes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind