Guantanamera
Wyclef Jean feat. Refugee Camp Allstars Lyrics

Come on!
Let's go!

Spanish Harlem
A neighborhood in New York with a large Hispanic population

Boogie Down Bronx
Another neighborhood in New York

Manhattan
A borough of New York City

Back to Staten
Referring to Staten Island, another borough of New York City

Guantanamera (Hey yo I'm standing at the bar with a Cuban cigar)
The singer is at a bar smoking a Cuban cigar

Guajira, guantanamera (Hey, yo, I think she's eyeing me from afar)
The singer believes a woman is checking him out from a distance

Guantanamera
Referring to the song 'Guantanamera'

Guajira, guantanamera
Referring to a female farmer or peasant who sings 'Guantanamera'

Yo, I wrote this in Haiti, overlooking Cuba
The artist wrote this song in Haiti, with a view of Cuba in the distance

I asked her what's her name, she said, 'Guantanamera'
The woman the singer met at the bar introduced herself as 'Guantanamera'

Remind me of an old latin song, my uncle used to play
The name 'Guantanamera' reminds the artist of a song his uncle used to listen to

On his old forty-five when he used to be alive
The uncle used to listen to the song on a vinyl record

She went from a young girl, to a grown woman like a Virgin
The woman the singer met has grown up and changed over the years, like Madonna's song 'Like a Virgin'

So she sex with no average man
The woman the singer met is not interested in having sex with just anyone

Peep the figure, move like a caterpillar
The woman's body is attractive and moves smoothly

Fly like a butterfly, let your soul feel her glide
The woman moves gracefully, like a butterfly

Pac Woman better yet Space Invader
The woman is powerful and intimidating, like a video game character

If your name was Chun-Li, we'd be playing Street Fighter
Referring to the video game Street Fighter, where the character Chun-Li is a powerful fighter

Penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your kiss
The artist is willing to pay for the woman's thoughts and kiss

A dime if you tell me that you love me
The artist is willing to pay more if the woman tells him she loves him

Soy una mujer sincera (Do you speak English?)
The woman is introducing herself in Spanish and asking if the artist speaks English

De donde crece la palma (Can I buy you a drink?)
The woman is asking the singer if she can buy him a drink, in Spanish

You killin' me
The artist is overwhelmed by the woman's beauty and charm

Y antes de morir, yo quiero
The woman is saying that before she dies, she wants

Cantar mis versos del alma (Te quiero mama, te quiero)
To sing her soulful verses, and to express love for her mother

Yo, she was a rose in Spanish Harlem, mamacita beg your pardon?
The woman the singer met is like a beautiful rose from Spanish Harlem

Make stakes at a faster rate than she fornicates
The woman is skilled at making money quickly

Pure traits of genius, goddess of Black Venus
The woman is intelligent and beautiful, like the goddess Venus

Crab niggaz angry cause they can't get between us
Other men are jealous of the singer's relationship with the woman

To no selección, smooth complexión
The woman has a smooth and attractive complexion

The lexicon of Lexington, parents came from Cuba
The woman's parents are from Cuba and she speaks Spanish like people from Lexington Avenue

Part Mexican, pure sweet, dimes fell to her feet
The woman is of Mexican descent and is very attractive

She like Movado, and shook her hips like Delgado
The woman likes Movado's music and is a good dancer

And broke niggaz down from the grounds to Apollo
The woman is capable of seducing men from all walks of life

And then some, she took her act sent it to dim sum
The woman has a successful career and travels the world

And waited patiently while the businessmen come
The woman is patient and knows how to work with important people

Call late on purpose, got even politicians nervous
The woman intentionally calls people late at night to make them nervous

And made plans to infiltrate the street secret service
The woman is capable of infiltrating secret organizations

This gentle flower, fertility was her power
The woman is delicate and beautiful, but also powerful and capable of bearing children

Sweet persona, Venus Flytrap primadonna
The woman is sweet and charming, but also can be dangerous and intimidating

Qué será, qué será, she turned dinero to dinera
Referring to the song 'Qué Será, Será', the woman is skilled at making money

Guantanamera (Hey yo I'm standing at the bar with a Cuban cigar)
The singer is still standing at the bar smoking a Cuban cigar

Guajira, guantanamera (Hey, yo, John Forte, I think she's eyeing me from afar)
The artist now believes a different woman, someone named John Forte, is checking him out from a distance

Guantanamera
Referring again to the song 'Guantanamera'

Guajira, guantanamera
Again, referring to a female farmer or peasant who sings 'Guantanamera'