Here in the good old USA you like music in the Latin way
But you don't know what they play
Don't listen to the melody, rythym has a personality
Listen while we play
The band is blowing its brain out, the dancers make with a cheer

But we give up with a rythym, just take a look over here
While I'm beating the clappers, banging the bongos
And I'm scratching my gourd
We have a beautiful singer, she makes the people all stare

She sings one song in an evening then sits around on her chair
While I'm beating the clappers, banging the bongos
And I'm scratching my gourd
My great-great-grandfather told us that we played for young Josephine

She got Napoleon's kisses, they stuck us in back of a screen
And I'm beating the clappers, banging the bongos
And I'm scratching my gourd
All through the course of history there's been rythym in our family

But it's always been the same
We played the day that Columbus went on his way to find a continent
But we never got the fame
While I'm beating the clappers, banging the bongos

And I'm scratching my gourd
There's not much hope for the future, nothing else we can do
If you should happen to see us in 1972
We'll be beating the clappers, banging the bongos,
And I'm still scratching my gourd.