LA BAMBA LYRICS

     Hundreds of years before it hit the Top 40 with Los Lobos, “La Bamba” was being sung and played in the Mexican Gulf part of Veracruz. The music reflects Caribbean and African influences and the lyrics mention aspects of Veracruz; colorful history as Mexico’s principal port of entry and of invasion.

Baila		bamba
BYE-lah		BAHM-bah
dance the bamba
para		bailar		la	bamba
PAH-rah		bye-LAHR		lah	BAHM-bah
in order to dance the bamba
una		poca		de	gracia
OO-nah		POH-kah		day	GRAH-sya
a little bit of grace
ay	arriba		y	arriba
I	ah-RREE-bah		ee	ah-RREE-bah
ah higher and higher
para		bailar		la	bamba
PAH-rah		bye-LAHR		lah	BAHM-bah
in order to dance the bamba
se	necesita			una	poca	de	gracia
say	neh-seh-SEE-tah			OO-nah	POH-kah	day	GRAH-sya
a little bit of grace is needed
una		poca		de	gracia
OO-nah		POH-kah		day	GRAH-sya
a little grace
y	otra		cosita
ee	OH-trah		koh-SEE-tah
and another little thing
y	arriba		y	arriba
ee	ah-RREE-bah		ee	ah-RREE-bah
and higher and higher
ay	arriba		y	arriba
I	ah-RREE-bah		ee	ah-RREE-bah
ah higher and higher

arriba	iré		arriba	iré
ah-RREE-bah	ee-RAY		ah-RREE-bah	ee-RAY
higher I will go, higher I will go
arriba	me		iré
ah-RREE-bah	may		ee-RAY
higher I will take myself
baila	bamba
BYE-lah	BAHM-bah
dance the bamba
para	bailar		la	bamba
PAH-rah	bye-LAHR		lah	BAHM-bah
in order to dance the bamba
una	poca		de	gracia
OO-nah	POH-kah		day	GRAH-sya
a little bit of grace
ay arriba		y	arriba
I ah-RREE-bah		ee	ah-RREE-bah
ah higher and higher
yo no	soy		marinero
yo no	soy		mah-ree-NEH-roh
I am not a sailor
yo no	soy		marinero
yo no	soy		mah-ree-NEH-roh
I am not a sailor
por ti	seré,		por	ti	seré
pohr tee	seh-RAY		pohr	tee	seh-RAY

La Bamba lyrics in Spanish and English, with pronunciation guide from Musical Spanish