Mister Don´t Touch the Banana [English translation]

Chango1 is the god of thunder

And the black Africans

Dress him in red and white

He carries an ax in his hand

On his feast day

The blacks play drums

And with rum and fresh fruit

Express their devotion to him

And they all sing...

Sarabanda Chango Pani2

Long live Chango

Sarabanda Chango Pani

Long live Lord Chango

Sarabanda Chango Pani

Long live Chango

Sarabanda Chango Pani

Long live Chango

Among many guests

To this celebration for Chango

There were three Americans

Tempted by the folklore

Seeing the table of fruit

Offerings of love and faith

One took a banana

'Cause he thought it was a buffet

-'cause he thought what?"-

'Cause he thought it was a buffet

Someone yelled: "Sacrilege!"

Godmother fainted,

There was one that took in a ghost3

Another emptied himself from one

And one that had taken in a diety

very furiously shouted:

"¡Mr. don't touch the banana!

¡Banana belong' to Chango!"4

"¡Mr. don't touch the banana!

¡Banana belong' to Chango!"4

Mr. don't touch the banana!

The banana belongs to Chango!

This offering must be respected!

I wouldn't play with that!

Mr. don't touch the banana, oh no

The banana belongs to Chango!

Hear me, listen to my song

'Cause the spirit's filling me5

Mr. don't touch the banana!

The banana belongs to Chango!

Sacrilege!" No sacrilege!

Mr. don't touch the banana!

The banana belongs to Chango!

Hey! Don't you touch my banana

'cause I don't feel like it

Kabiosile6

"I not know

I'm sorry

Me not know that banana belong to mister Chango,

Forgive"7

Eh, eh...Oh, oh...

The banana belongs to Chango!

Listen to what I'm singing

The banana belongs to Chango!

Kabiosile Chango

The banana belongs to Chango!

The deity must be respected!

The banana belongs to Chango!

And this story is over.

"Sorry.

Me not know,

The drums sound so loud,

forgive,

But I not know

What is happening...?"7

1. an "Orisha" or diety in Santeria (an Afro-Cuban religion)2. I believe this means something along the lines of: Dance for Lord Chango.3. "un muerto" here means the spirit of a dead person. People who practice this religion also believe that they could be possed by "Orishas"(deities).4. a. b. the broken English and accent are intentional5. "Que se me sube el santo" could also mean 'cause I'll get really angry6. "Long live his Majesty" (from the Yorúbá language)7. a. b. The broken English here is meant to imitate the broken Spanish spoken by the American

• Artist:Willy Chirino