From the recording ELIXIR
In Havana at the age of 15, Juan Carlos Formell, growing up in the house of his legendary father, the founder of Los Van Van, writes “Mulata”, a brilliant, innocent, ode to a brown skin woman, in which he, at once, celebrates her sensuality and the pride for being “mestizo” – of mixed blood with poetic lyrics and melodic son! He originally recorded the song in Cemeteries and Desire with voice and guitar only. OLA FRESCA’s version adds a big band arrangement with two coros and the commentary in the soneos.
lyrics
Lyrics
MULATA – Juan Carlos Formell
Te dicen Mulata
Porque llevas en las venas
La Rumba y el Guaguanco
Y tu gran movimiento
inspira a los hombres a cantarte un buen son
Y tu gran movimiento
inspira a los hombres a cantarte un buen son
Es que tu sabor
Es mas que un simbolo
Es el Guarapo de mi dulce Caña
Y tu representas con ezmero
A la mujer Cubana
Te Dicen Mulata
Pues no hay quien
guarache eh …
Como tu este son
Y tu eres el verso, la cancion y el cuento
Que canto yo hoy
Y tu eres el verso, la cancion y el cuento
Que canto yo hoy
Coro 1
Rumba y Guaracha eh la Mulata
Coro 2
Tu Eres Guarapo de Caña, Un dulce Mezclao
Azucar Morena, Un Rico Melao
Ritmo de rumba y guaracha en sus venas
Y ojos que calman las penas
Ella es un Cuento de la historia
Mas que pura
Sensualidad
Es la Hija de Oshun
Semilla de Africa
Songoro cosongo de mamey
Un poquito de congo, azucar y hatuey
Es eso y mucho mas
La mulata que me arrebata
Eh guarapito de caña
Que tiene el mundo facinao
Hay camina con orgullo mulata
Tu tiene tumbao tumbao de la raza
Y no hay
Quien guarache-eh te son
Como tu mi dulce morena
MULATA – Juan Carlos Formell
They call you Mulata
Cause you have in your veins
The rumba and guaguanco
And your grand movement
Inspires men
To sing you
A good son
It’s that a taste of you
Is more than a symbol
It’s the juice of my sugar cane
And you represent
With zeal
The Cuban woman
They call you Mulata
Well there is no one who swings like you
This sweet son
And you are the verse, the song, and the story
That I sing today
Coro 1
Rumba y Guaracha
is the Mulata
Rhythms of rumba and guaracha in your veins
And eyes that calm pain
She is a historic story
And more than mere sensuality
She is the daughter of Oshun
Seed of Africa
“Songoro cosongo de mamey” (Nicolas Guillen Quote)
a little congo, sugar, and “Hatuey” (legendary Taino Chief from Cuba)
She is that and much more
The Mulata which makes me crazy
Coro 2
She is the Juice from Cane, a sweet mixture,
Brown sugar, a rich melao (a brown sweet liquid
sugar desert)
Oh sweet cane sugar
(Rico Melao)
Who has the world fascinated
Walk with pride mulata
You have serious groove
And no one can swing the son
Like you my sweet brown sugar
credits