Talk:Bamboléo

Relation to "Caballo Viejo"
There are some sources Bamboleo with "Caballo Viejo", but the extent of relation is unclear. In any case, the two seems quite different in music and lyrics. It would be appreciated if the magnitude of the relationship between the two songs in clarified. werldwayd werldwayd (talk) 16:44, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Accented "Bamboléo"
Many sources use Bamboleo. However the cover for the original single clearly uses the accent on "e". I have created the page as Ba,boléo with Bamboleo as a redirect to the accented version. If the version without the accent is more accurate, I don't have an objection of turning the two around. werldwayd (talk) 16:44, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Bamboleo (unaccented, as 1s person singular from bambolear) is orthographically correct, I don't know why they've used accent. 2001:7D0:88FE:680:9C8F:37C1:8A6:18C0 (talk) 15:24, 8 January 2021 (UTC)

Composer
I'm confused. In the album (The Best of The Gypsy Kings - US release), it is written that the composer is Richie Valens. Which one is correct? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.166.206.153 (talk) 14:17, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

Spanish song?
All the singers are French (French gipsy, and one is French-Algerian)

It should say song in Spanish language? (edit: now it's the case or I missed it)

Would be interesting too to mention they are french who took Spanish names, and for the French-Algerian (not a gipsy) who liked so much Spanish and gipsy culture, that he took a Spanish name, would be very interesting in the article, why it's not even mentioned? Not talking about all their lives, but this fact worth to mention because everyone think they're all gipsy or all Spanish. That's informative.


 * As a native Spanish I can tell you this is not true Spanish language (which shouldn't be called Spanish but Castellano..), but rather some kind of invented pseudo-Spanish..
 * Some of the words are actual real words, while some other are like invented/unfinished approximations; and while the overall structure of the sentences is a good mock up of the language, none of it makes much sense at all, and it's very open to one's subjective interpretation..
 * However since the song is very catchy and upbeat it doesn't matter, it could be seen as a playful/dadaist version of the Spanish languaje which is used to great effect in their music/hits. Quintessence7 (talk) 16:30, 14 August 2020 (UTC)



pseudo-Spanish

 * I don't think it is justified to call it "pseudo Spanish". In the written version of lyrics (https://www.metrolyrics.com/bamboleo-lyrics-gipsy-kings.html), most of the words seem to make sense. "Este amor llega asi esta manera" = "This love comes this way"; "porque mi vida yo la prefiero vivir así" = "because my live, I prefer to live it this way" etc. Some parts don't seem to make sense (to a non-native speaker) but could be dialectal (Andalusian or Caló?), whatever. Their pronunciation is definitely non-standard but again, this can be dialectal. To my ear, their "este" [this] sounds like "essi" which is a bit like Portuguese. Some words are pronounced with Andalusian accent (no surprise!) "mes pasado" (last month) --> "mé pasado",  "esta manera" (this way) -->  "eta manera", "lo mismo" (the same) --> "lo mi'mo". There are some things I can't make sense of. "amor de comprementa" in written version doesn't seem to mean anything but it could be "compraventa". "Caballo le ven sabana" -- the words make sense but syntax is weird, "horse - they see - savanna" -- but this could be badly written down. What is written as "bembele" (no meaning?) sounds "venderén" (=they will sell). So I'll delete "pseudo", it is not in an invented language, most of it (when written) makes sense in Spanish (at least to a non-native speaker:) and the rest is not so different from any other song. 2001:7D0:88FE:680:9C8F:37C1:8A6:18C0 (talk) 15:24, 8 January 2021 (UTC)

I'm sorry but you are making things up bro.. Look, I'm a Native Spaniard, half my family is Andalusian, the other half is Catalan, and I'm telling you: they don't speak with Andalusian accent, and they don't speak Caló (at least in this song).

I appreciate your Interest in the subject, and your Imagination, but alas that's not what it is..

"Este amor llega asi esta manera" is Wrong, it should be: El amor llega así, de esta manera.

"porque mi vida yo la prefiero vivir así" is Right, but that's not the way they say it in the song, in the song they say: "porque mi vida yo la PREFIER vivir así", which is Wrong, it should be PREFIERO as you wrote.

Their pronunciation is beyond non-satandard, but often Wrong or Incomplete, and is not really Andalusian nor Caló (which is a different language spoken by some Gypsy/Rom ppl).

-Andalusian accents differ, for instance the Sevilla accent, the Jerez accent, or Granada accent etc, are all a bit different from each other.

But in any case an Andalusian person (except Sevillan) will pronounce "mes pasado" with an Aspirated S, which is almost silent, but not completely silent. So it will be more like "me'h pasado", or why not "me'h pasao'".

"esta manera" would be: "ehta manera" "lo mismo" would be: "lo mih'mo"

-"amor de comprementa" is wrong, and as I already stated in the transcription of the song it should be: "Amor de compra y venta". Altough "amor de compraventa" would also be correct. For instance when you buy a house, you gotta sign a "Contract of Compraventa".

The "Caballo le dan sabana" part makes little sense, and I already explained that in the transcription and in later comments.

The "Bembele" part is just Word Play, no real meaning behind it. Then, "venderén" would be wrong, it should be "venderán", but that's not what they're saying, and would make little sense in that context. -So yeah, I still stand for what I said in previous comments: It's all some kind of invented Pseudo-Spanish language, most of the words are actual real words, while some other are like invented/unfinished approximations.

And while the overall structure of the sentences is a good mock up of the language, in the end it's not correct, it doesn't make much sense at all, and thus it's very open to one's subjective interpretation..

This varies from song to song, some are more Real, some are more Invented. However since their songs are very Catchy and upbeat it doesn't matter, it could be seen as a Playful/Dadaist version of the Spanish language which is used to great effect in their music/hits.

But again, I still like the song/music and think it's Alright besides the language inconsistencies; this is what Gipsy Kings does/always did, it's part of their style and I wouldn't change it. -As a final comment, Gipsy Kings are French gypsies, which is Great. But they are Not Spanish, nor Andalusian, and they don't speak true Spanish, regardless of their accent/pronunciation.

I don't want to open a can of worms, but you have to understand that, a trend has always existed of trying to benefit/capitalize on things that are seen/sold as being Spanish, or things that are seen/sold as being Flamenco.

To name a quite blatant example, there's "Manitas de Plata", a French gypsy who became a successful/consolidated artist, by playing Rumba and -> Fake Flamenco. (It would be long to explain, but yes it's Fake. It's just a Very Rough/Rushed/Lazy Imitation of Flamenco which doesn't follow the Metric patterns, doesn't follow or even tries to replicate true "Palos" (styles) of Flamenco, doesn't apply or use the correct guitar Techniques, and doesn't respect/follow the rules of Flamenco in the broadest sense. So yeah you could call it flamenco-like, or flamenco-inspired music, but it's not True and Real Flamenco, and it's never gonna be. Being a professional true Flamenco player, for instance Vicente Amigo or Gerardo Nuñez, takes Decades if not a Lifetime of continuous Study and Dedication, and that's a LOT of Effort.)

Or for instance, Hillary Baldwin, who seems to have been impersonating someone with a real Spanish background, with real Spanish family ties, education and culture. But in reality she's from Massachusetts, studied and lived all her life in the US, and didn't go to Spain until she was 19. And her parents/family are American British descents for many generations, maybe 5?, coming from the days of the revolution.. whatever. There's nothing wrong in appreciating another language/culture, learning from it, or adopting certain aspects, and I've got to say, even tho she clearly needs more practice, Hillary does indeed have a very nice Spanish pronunciation/accent. But tryin to capitalize/make a living out of it, creating a fake persona and coming out as this Latina woman etc, is just Wrong. More so when she's blatantly lying about her heritage/ancestors, and insists on it even when it's been proven she's just as Spanish as the Queen of England, which is to say = None.

Now, I'm Not saying, and I don't think the Gipsy Kings are on that level of deception/disrespect. I Like the Gipsy Kings, it's Great and Fun music; all the Power to them and Long Live the Gipsyes! And I can respect them because they put good effort at what they do. But things are the way they are, and there's nothing wrong in realizing and explaining it.

The Gipsy Kings are French, not Spanish nor Andalusian, and they play Rumba based music to great effect/result.

It's all great, fun, catchy and upbeat tracks, written in a language which very closely approximates Castellano/Spanish. But it's not the real thing. It's not the real language, but a loose playful interpretation. And I bet any native Spaniard that took a look at the Song/Lyric will most certainly agree with me. Quintessence7 (talk) 20:09, 2 June 2021 (UTC)

Bamboléo, bamboléa
I admit I do not speak much Spanish, but I cannot help but wonder at the two variations of the word "Bamboléo" or "Bamboléa". Do these two words really have the exact same translation? Is one masculine and one feminine, and therefore they would be referring to two different people? Or is there some other reason that I'm missing for the variations? Beerslayer 08:58, 4 May 2018 (UTC)


 * Bambolea could be understood as the third person of the verb Bambolear, but well it doesn't really matter..

Even tho the song is catchy and tight, nothing of what it says really makes much sense, it's all some kind of invented pseudo-spanish languaje and it's very open to one's subjective interpretation.. (I'm a native Spanish) Quintessence7 (talk) 16:30, 14 August 2020 (UTC)


 * GoogleTranslate (when pushed) renders "bambolear" as "wobble". Martinevans123 (talk) 16:54, 14 August 2020 (UTC)

Also I've got to say in Spain Bamboleo is not a commonly used word at all.. The only idea/connotation that comes to my mind would be the Swinging/Rocking of a boat, but the common and technically valid term for that in navigation is Balance/Balanceo.

Whereas in my limited knowledge, the English words Wobble/Wobbly could refer for instance to a highly deformed LP/vynil disc, or perhaps the wobbly movements the needle would do when reproducing it.. or the irregularities of a surface/terrain or a drawn line.

Still the word Bamboleo could be more common in Portuguese, which is the defining/direct feature they borrowed from Carmen Miranda's song.

In English swing/sway/rock/wobble seem to be somehwat synonyms, so I guess it's up to native English speakers to choose which word is the more adequate for this context.

The idea that the song is trying to express is: "the singer" prefers having a more exciting/true type of life, rather than a still/boring existence, and it's linked to love relationships..

This is my literal transcription of the lyric, along my try to normalize what's saying in regular true Spanish:

Ese amor llega asi esta manera No tiene la culpa

(El amor llega así de esta manera / Love comes like this, in this way No tiene la culpa / It's not to blame)

Caballo le dan sabana Porque muy depreciado Por eso no te perdon do llorar

(Caballo le dan sábana / Horse is given bed sheet Porque es muy despreciado / Because he's very despised [makes no sense][although if they said Apreciado instead, it would] Por eso no tiene perdón de llorar / And that's why it's got no forgiveness of crying [makes no sense] [This whole paragraph makes absolutely no sense, and as most of the track, it's clearly borrowed from Simon Diaz's Caballo Viejo song]

Ese amor llega así esta manera No tiene la culpa [same as before]

Amor de compra y venta (Purchase and sale love) [Perhaps "bargained love"?] Amor del mes pasado (Past month's love)

Bembele, bembele, bembele, Bem, bembele, bembele [word play]

Bamboleo, bambolea Porque mi vida, yo la prefier vivir así X2

(Bamboleo, bambolea Porque mi vida, la prefiero vivir así / Because I prefer living my life like this/this way)

No tiene perdón de dios Tu eres mi vida, la fortuna del destin El destino tende sa-parado Lo mismo ya que ayer Lo mismo soy yo

(No tiene perdón de Dios / It doesn't have God's forgiveness [a common yet old Spanish expression] Tu eres mi vida, la fortuna del destino / You're my life, destiny's fortune El destino nos tiene separados / Fate has us separated Lo mismo que ayer / The same as yesterday [the "ya" is incorrect, to be correct it should be "hoy" (today)] Lo mismo soy yo / The same I am [very weak, almost nonsense)

No te encuentro a l'abandon E' imposible no te encuentro de vardad Por eso un dia no cuento si de nada Lo mismo ya que ayer Yo pienso en ti

(No te encuentro en el abandono / I don't find you in the abandonment [makes little sense] Es imposible no te encuentro de verdad / It's impossible I don't truly find you Por eso un dia no cuento si de nada / That's why one day I don't tell if of nothing [makes no sense] Igual que ayer / Just as yesterday Yo pienso en ti / I think about you)

Maybe now you can understand why I say it doesn't make much sense, and why I qualify it as Pseudo-Spanish.. Quintessence7 (talk) 12:14, 16 August 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the translation. I'm not sure how much of this could be added to the article. Yes, in English "wobble" is more usually used for e.g. someone on a bicycle who is about to fall off, or a large jelly on a plate, or perhaps Boris Johnson's belly as he runs for a bus. Not exactly a "gentle sexy swaying." Martinevans123 (talk) 13:27, 16 August 2020 (UTC)

Well, I guess the degree at which Boris sways or wobbles is up to the beholder.. hehehe

In any case it's not necessary to integrate any of this on the Main Article, I just wanted to leave my opinion to clarify my edit/point, or for those who are more curious about the topic.

If anything it could help you decide what's the best translation of the term, maybe Swing/Rock could be the closest terms afterall.

I still like the song and think it's alright besides the language inconsistencies; this is what Gipsy Kings does/always did, it's part of their style and I wouldn't change it. Quintessence7 (talk) 18:28, 16 August 2020 (UTC)


 * From Caballo Viejo (Simon Diaz): "Caballo le dan sabana Porque esta viejo y cansao" --> they give savannah to the horse (?release it to the savannah) because it (=the horse) is old and tired. This seems to explain "caballo le dan sabana" - i.e, sabana, not sábana. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabana — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:7D0:88FE:680:9C8F:37C1:8A6:18C0 (talk) 15:37, 8 January 2021 (UTC)

-Well I don't know, to me that doesn't make much sense..

The Old horse is given a Blanket (although they call it Sábana/bed sheet), because it's old and tired, iow: Fragile..

And well, an old horse is like an old person, if you give/put on him a banket he'll be better off at night, or in very cold days. Isn't that true?

And that's actually common practice in cold places, I don't think Canadians/Russians (to say something) left their horses bare in the ice-cold snowy nights. Specially if they are old and tired..

However I don't fully see how could you Give a Savannah to a horse, other than yeah, Releasing it to the wild.

Ultimately both interpretations are possible, ofc.

But I'd still say the first one makes a little more sense, specially in the context of the original Caballo Viejo song:

Caballo le dan sabana Porque está viejo y cansao Pero no se dan ni cuenta Que un corazón amarrao Cuando le sueltan las riendas Es caballo desbocao.

Horse is given "sabana" Because it's old and tired. But they don't even realize That it's got a tied heart When the reins are loosened/detached It's a bolted/runaway horse. And that's pretty much self explanatory. Desbocado comes from Desbocar, a horse that "se desboca" is a horse that looses its temper, and becomes "wild" for a moment, etc..

Here's some google images result if you search the terms Horse Blanket, which is what I always had in mind.

Here's a specialised Horse site which sells a Sheet or a Sábana for horses -> Sábana De Algodón Iónico Rambo Horseware

Or for instance a Summer Sheet/Sábana (because a blanket would be too much in the summer) in Alibaba, which they claim is anti-mosquitoes.. -> es_aliexpress_com/item/4000936869478.html (Sábana antimosquitos transpirable para caballos, Verano) Quintessence7 (talk) 18:31, 2 June 2021 (UTC)