La Rebelion Lyrics in English by Joe Arroyo

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song La Rebelion by Joe Arroyo from Spanish to English.

These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!

I want to tell you, my brother, a little piece

Of the black history, of our history, sir

And it goes like this

It says

In the sixteen hundreds

When the tyrant ruled

The streets of Cartagena

Lived that story

When here

Those slavers arrived

Africans in chains

Kissed my land

Endless slavery

Let Salomé say that

What you got? Hey

Chango, chango, chango

An African marriage

Slaves to a Spaniard

He treated them very badly

And he hit his black woman

And right there

The handsome black man rebelled

He took revenge for his love

And it's still heard at the gate

Don't hit my black woman

Hey man, don't hit the black woman

No, no, no, no, no, no

Hey, that black woman gets my respect

That it's still heard, heard at the gate

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

No, no, no, no, don't hit the black woman

Black woman who tells me, chambalaquete, chambalequete

That it's still heard at the gate

The owner with the black soul

Doesn't poison him, doesn't poison him, doesn't poison him

Don't hit the girl

Hey, because the black man rebels on you

Spaniard with the dark soul

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, don't hit

Open your fist and you'll squeeze like she's dark-skinned

Don't hit the dark girl because my black woman gets respect

And with you

Chelito de Castro

Abuser who hits the girl

That in the soul, the soul, the soul

That the soul, the soul bursts inside me

Hey, no, no, no, no, no, don't hit my black woman, nah

Because my soul stirs, my dark girl

There's lament on the beach, black woman

On the beach of Cartagena

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, not Marbella, gorgeous

The black soul that sings and that cries

Because then the black man takes revenge

El Chombo knows it

And you too

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Chapetón — Spaniard (colonial newcomer from Spain)

Chapetón is an old Caribbean term for a Spaniard freshly arrived in the colonies, often associated with power and oppression.

Joe Arroyo shouts it at the abusive slave-owner, turning the word into a sharp accusation that captures the song’s rebellion against colonial injustice. Its historical flavor and striking sound make it a memorable, conversation-starting word to learn.

Joe Arroyo's salsa classic "La Rebelión" tells a powerful story right from the start. He announces he wants to tell you "un pedacito / De la historia negra, de la historia nuestra" (a little piece of Black history, of our history). The song is set in 1600s Cartagena, a major port in Colombia for the slave trade. Arroyo describes the arrival of slave ships, with "Africanos en cadenas" (Africans in chains) being brought into "Esclavitud perpetua" (perpetual slavery).

The song then focuses on one enslaved African couple owned by a Spaniard. The owner mistreats them and one day, he hits the woman. This is the breaking point. The husband, the "negro guapo" (handsome Black man), rebels and takes revenge for his love. His defiant cry becomes the song's unforgettable chorus: "No le pegue a mi negra" (Don't hit my Black woman). This isn't just a historical account; it's a story of love, dignity, and fighting back against brutal injustice, all set to an incredible dance beat.

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Joe Arroyo La Rebelion Lyrics