Buena Vista Social Club: "Chan Chan" (Live - 1998)

"Chan Chan" is a song composition by Cuban bandleader Compay Segundo, revolving around two central characters, 'Juanica' and 'Chan Chan'. The song was one of Compay's last compositions and was written in 1987. "Chan Chan" had already been recorded by the composer himself various times, but worldwide success came with a version with Compay and other Cuban artists Eliades Ochoa and Ibrahim Ferrer as the first song on the album Buena Vista Social Club.

Compay Segundo textual cite:

"I didn't compose 'Chan Chan', I dreamed it. I dream the music. I sometimes wake up with a melody on the head, I hear the instruments, all very clear. I look over the balcony and I see nobody, but I hear it as if it was played on the street. I don't know what it was. One day I woke up listening to those four sensible notes, I put them a lyric inspired on a children tale from my childhood, Juanita y Chan Chan, and you see, now it's sung everywhere."

The most complete explanation says: 'The song relates the story of a man and a woman (Chan Chan and Juanica) who are building a house, and go to the beach to get some sand. Chan Chan collects the sand and puts it on the 'jibe'. Juanica shakes it, and to do so she shakes herself, making Chan Chan ashamed. [...] The origin of this tale is a farmer song learnt by Compay Segundo when he was twelve years old.'

There is a repeated motif throughout the song:

De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí

- Translation:
From Alto Cedro I go towards Marcané
I get to Cueto, head for Mayarí

Alto Cedro, Marcané, Cueto and Mayarí, are four towns near each other in Holguín Province, on the east side of Cuba.


- Lyrics:

De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí

El carino que te tengo
Yo no lo puedo negar
Se me sale la babita
Yo no lo puedo evitar

Cuando Juanica y Chan Chan
En el mar cern¨ªan arena
Como sacud¨ªa el 'jibe'
A Chan Chan le daba pena

Limpia el camino de paja
Que yo me quiero sentar
En aquel tronco que veo
Y as¨ª no puedo llegar

De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí

English translation:
From Alto Cedro I go towards Marcané
I get to Cueto, head for Mayarí

The love I have for you
I cannot deny
My mouth is watering
I just can't help myself.

When Junika and Chan Chan
Sifted sand together on the beach
How her bottom shook and
Chan Chan was aroused!

Clean the dry sugar cane leaves
from the path
So I can get to that trunk
I want to sit down.

From Alto Cedro I go towards Marcané
I get to Cueto, head for Mayarí..