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August 07, 2005

Ibrahim Ferrer of Buena Vista Social Club Dies

Ibrahim Ferrer Buena Vista Social Club CD album cover

Ibrahim Ferrer, an icon of traditional Cuban music and a leading voice of the Buena Vista Social Club is dead. Ferrer was 78 years old and suffered from emphysema. During the course of his long career, revitalized with the release and subsequent world-wide popularity of the Buena Vista Social Club (original release date: September 16, 1997) Ferrer was known for his trademark gray cap, his high-energy and ever present humor. He was passionate about Cuba's traditional "son" music of the 1940s and 1950s, reintroducing it, along with fellow Buena Vista Social Club performers (under the direction of producer Ry Cooder), for new generations of fans.

In 1999, Ferrer was featured in one of a string of albums that followed, Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer, and won a Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2000.

Two other well-known members of the original Buena Vista group, singer Compay Segundo and pianist Ruben Gonzalez, died in 2003.

Ay Candela Lyrics

Ay candela, candela, candela, me quemo aé.
Ay candela, candela, candela, me quemo aé.

Puso un baile un jutía, para una gran diversión.
De timbalero un ratón, que alegraba el campo un día.
Un gato también venía, elegante y placentero,
'Buenas noches, compañero'
siempre dijo así el timbal
'Para alguien aquí poder tocar,
para descansar un poco'.
Salió el ratón medio loco,
'también voy a descansar'.
Y el gato en su buen bailar, bailaba un
danzón liviano.
El ratón se subió al guano, y dice
bien placentero:
¡Y ahora si quieren bailar, búsquense
otro timbalero!

Ay candela, candela, candela, me quemó aé.

Oye, Faustino Orama' y sus compañeros,
necesito que me apaguen el fuego.
Margarita llama pronto a los bomberos para
que vengan a apagar el fuego.
Oye, si estás perdida llama a los siete ceros,
y asi vendrán más pronto los bomberos.
Ay candela, candela, candela, me quemo aé,
mama ¡Aaaay!

Tilán tilán
Didilán didilán

Margarita que me quemo
Yo quiero seguir gozando
La candelame está llevando
Me gusta seguir guarachando
Esta tarde venimo' acabando
Como quiera venimo' tocando
La mujer cuando se agacha
Se le abre el entendimiento
La mujer cuando se agacha
Se le abre el entendimiento
Y el hombre cuando la mira
Se le para el pensamiento
De tí me gusta una cosa
Sin que me cueste trabajo
De tí me gusta una cosa
Sin que me cueste trabajo
De la barriga pa'rriba, de la cintura pa'bajo
Mira se quema, se quema, mama
Mira se quema, se quema, oye
Mira mama que me quemo
Mira llama pronto a los bomberos, para que
vengan a apagar el fuego
Mira que el fuego me está quemando
Y yo quiero seguir guarachando
Mira se quema Báyamo, mira que Songo
está que arde
Mira se quema La Maya, mira ese pito
que suena.
Malaguën está que corta mama
Santiago de Cuba está que te mete en llamas
Se quema, se quema, se quema, oye, mira
me quemo, me quemo.
Mira que me quemo, oye, yo quiero
seguir guarachando.
Mira mama que yo vengo quemando.
Faustino Orama' tú está acabando
Mira se quema, se quema
Pero mira mi mami se quema
Oye se quema, se quema

Oh fire, fire, fire, I'm burning!
Oh fire, fire, fire, I'm burning!

A rodent put on a dance for some great amusement
He chose a mouse as his drummer, to play for the whole day.
An elegant and amiable cat came along too,
'Good evening my friend'
He said to the drummer
'I can play too,
And you can take a rest'.
The mouse left the room half-crazy,
'Now I'll have to go and rest!'
And the cat played a lighthearted danzón in his delightful way.
The mouse got up on the palm-tree roof and announced politely:
'And now if you want to dance, find yourself another drummer!'

[English translation]
Oh fire, fire, fire, I'm burning!

Listen, Faustino Orama' and friends,
I need someone to put out the flames.
Margarita call the fire-men quickly, to put out the flames.
Listen, if you are lost, dial seven zeros,
That way the fire-brigade might turn up.
Oh fire, fire, fire, I burnt myself,
Mamma, ay!

Tilán, tilán
Didilán didilán

Margarita I'm burning
I like it, I can't stop
The fire is taking me with it
I don't want to stop
This afternoon it'll be time to end
We'll carry on playing as we choose
When a woman bends over
She opens her mind
When a man looks at her
His brain just stops
I like one thing about you
It's not hard to see
From the belly down, from the waist up
Look, he's burning, burning, mama
Look, he's burning, burning, mama
Look, mama, I'm burning
Look, call the fire-brigade, tell them to put out the fire
Look, I'm burning up
But I don't want to stop
Look, Báyamo is burning,
look, Songo is a blaze
Look, La Maya is burning, listen to the whistle blowing.
Malagüen is in trouble mama
Santiago de Cuba can set you alight
He's burning, burning, burning, listen
look, I'm burning, I'm burning.
Look, I'm burning
I can't stop myself.
Look, mama I'm burning up.
Faustino Orama' you are coming to a close
Look, he's burning, he's burning
But look, mama, he's burning
Listen, he's burning, he's burning.

Ibrahim Ferrer, Ay Candela!

Candela (Son/Tumbao), a composition by Faustino Oramas. Candela is a song of the guayabero style of singing which talks of everyday life. Listeners of Ry Cooder's Buena Vista Social Club will not forget Ibrahim Ferrer's rendition of this rousing song. [ Ibrahim Ferrer (Wikipedia) | Ibrahim Ferrer Biography ]

Posted by BIGBAER at August 7, 2005 09:39 AM

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