(excerpt from SSP!'s Media Info page)
"Fiery Balkan brass, throbbing funk grooves, killer Gypsy accordion and virtuoso jazz chops make Slavic Soul Party! NYC's OFFICIAL #1 brass band for BalkanSoul GypsyFunk. With Latin, Jewish, Gypsy and American roots... SSP! makes new music out of the unplanned results of immigration, proximity and globalization. Pumping a strong Balkan brass sound through the life in New York's outer boroughs. This nine piece band has won fans in Carnegie Hall, Serbian schoolyards, skate punk tours and pasha's palaces! Playing over 300 shows in the past six years and releasing four albums."
Get even more up to date info by visiting the bands website at: http://slavicsoulparty.com/main.html
Opa Cupa
Slavic Soul Party! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Khelav mange majlacho
Oj andale mandale
E chora man astaren
Kas me astarava
Me mange asava
Samo jekh chaj ni mangel
Voj mande puchel
Ti daj ka merel ako ni keles
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
Sa e chaja kelena
Voj ni mangel te khelel
Oj andale mandale
Mudarel man o devel
Ava Ruza ava khel
Pa i tiro mek avel
Oj andale mandale
E sviracha ka kelen
O opa cupa na ker mange chaje muka
Ti daj ka merel ako ni keles
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
Chao maj o hutalo
I Ruza so ni kelel
Oj andale mandale
An bobo ki astarel
Ava Ruza ava khel
Pa i tiro mek avel
Oj andale mandale
E sviracha ka kelen
O opa cupa na ker mange chaje muka
Ti daj ka merel ako ni keles
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
The lyrics to Slavic Soul Party!'s song "Opa Cupa" are in Romani, the language of the Roma people, and English translations vary. In general, the song seems to be about a group of people having fun and dancing together. The singer mentions playing music and dancing, and asks for more tea to be brought to him. He also mentions an unclear conflict with someone who may be asking him to do something he doesn't want to do. Despite this, he insists on continuing the festivities with the refrain of "Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde," which seems to be a general encouragement to dance and have a good time.
Overall, the song seems to capture the joy and energy of Romani music and dance, with a focus on improvisation and communal celebration. The use of Romani language adds an extra layer of cultural specificity and highlights the connections between the Roma people and their musical traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Me sem gova chavoro
I am a smart boy
Khelav mange majlacho
I play the violin nicely
Oj andale mandale
Oh, let’s dance
E chora man astaren
This girl is my favorite
Kas me astarava
When I danced with her
Me mange asava
I was very happy
Samo jekh chaj ni mangel
I only need one thing
Voj mande puchel
But she asked me
O opa cupa na ker mange chaje muka
Oh, opa cupa, please don’t hurt my feelings
Ti daj ka merel ako ni keles
Give me a kiss if you love me
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
A nonsense refrain to dance along with
Sa e chaja kelena
That girl with the skirt
Voj ni mangel te khelel
She didn't want to dance with me
Mudarel man o devel
The devil messed with me
Ava Ruza ava khel
Ruza played well
Pa i tiro mek avel
And her brother came
E sviracha ka kelen
Playing the accordion
Chao maj o hutalo
The wind blew hard
I Ruza so ni kelel
And Ruza did not dance
An bobo ki astarel
Her dad came to ask
O opa cupa na ker mange chaje muka
Oh, opa cupa, please don’t hurt my feelings
Ti daj ka merel ako ni keles
Give me a kiss if you love me
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
A nonsense refrain to dance along with
Lumbaj, lumbaj, lumbalaj ajde ajde ajde
A nonsense refrain to dance along with
Writer(s): Saban Bajramovic
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cair018
This song and music composed by my father Mustafa Ismailović Saban Bajramovic and he sings! They are from Serbia Nis
@zvezdanradlovacki2453
gde ste moje dame sve ste mi preslatke u tim suknjama i haljinama pogotovo ova devojčica samo napred tako nastavite
@MrCardboard00
Saban did real good with this. Greetings from Hungary!
@badmonkeynobanana4165
Music is the best proof for Gods existance!!
@pjotr60dvd
Heard this song first played by Brass Menazeri! Fantastic song! Love it!
@capt.alcummins3364
I love this song.
@c9rlos
this music is so near to mexican banda
@IMAMPOJMA
Slavic is mix of all best equal rumanian or not make party with us
@yordanmadzharov849
Вечна му памет на Шабан Байрамович от гр. Ниш.
@SatirSatirSatir
Wow! Like it!