Intro (Pa' Mi Ponce) – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Casa De Leones

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant sounds of Puerto Rican urban music with 'Intro (Pa' Mi Ponce)'. This track is a fantastic way to learn colloquial Puerto Rican Spanish and regional slang while experiencing the rhythmic energy of reggaeton and the deep cultural pride of the city of Ponce.

[English]

My people, my people...

(From Ponce) Ponce...

The Lions

(From my lions...)

From La India...

[J-

And I dedicate this *soneo* to my Ponce

Long live Hector, long live Tempo

Because I'm here, and from heaven he's watching us

He's living, a dreamer rumbero

Ehhhhh

Rumba over here, *sandunga* over there

Push forward, don't step back

Hey girl, let's dance

Push forward, don't step back

Ehhhh

From Ponce to Panama

Push forward, don't step back

Ohhh, ohhh... hey, let's see who gives more

Push forward, don't step back

And this is born from Lavoe, my *plena*

A bass, teach me, the southern ones

So the fair-skinned and the brown-skinned girls can shake it

And to get it going, add fuel to the fire

You're sweating already, ma'am, I sing for the *soneo*

It goes all the way down, and from the blanket, I advise

Come on, life is to be lived, underestimate this *sonero*

After a long wait, my time has finally come

And a new dedication for all Puerto Ricans

And for Latinos all over the world

And this goes out to all Puerto Ricans

And for Latinos all over the world

Be careful with that, sir

He will live on, even when I grab it, revealing so much talent

Leonisa, so she can show off quick, in the name of the dead

Tears and effort arrived, they were able to fulfill their dreams

What a great city, that from here shines without having suffered first

Hey... since Ponce, Ponce

And so I want to stay

And when I die then

My people, don't forget Guelo Star

I represent the struggle, and you know it

I'm with the lions and the people from the south

I represent the struggle, and you know it

I'm with the lions and the people from the south

(Arcangel, go)

Go on, hit it

Arcangel on the *mambo*, get into it

This is real street party music

Go on, hit it

Arcangel on the *mambo*, get into it

This is real street

Hit it

*Tumba, ma cumba*

That won't cure me

Ehhhh, ey

Between two black files they will give

Ohhhhh, oy

Because, the land of Eden

Where I was born, I got scared, eh

Lalalalala, lala - lala

That little island

This rumba came out from Ponce

Puerto Rico, from that island came the big rumba

And we added the reggaeton

So you can enjoy

From this little island

It was, that this rumba comes out

Our *sandunga* from Ponce

Puerto Rico, from that island came the big rumba

And we added the reggaeton

So you can enjoy

From the land where the great Hector Lavoe was born

We are all very proud of his great conviction

He is Latino, like my friend, I represent

With the lions and on the enchanted island

Puerto Rico

[J-

From the southern coast

With all the *tuca* of *zarabanda* beach

*Zarabanda* the yucca, hey

Let the rumba continue

And let's celebrate with *plena* like Churumba

Ponce for the whole world

So you know

Rich, like coffee

Sweet like the *quenepa*, Wepa!

From those who know, from those who know

[Ñ

I represent where the *plena* was born

You're going to be more pitiful

Than when I broke up with Elena

You still don't know when you go to the yard

On the roof of your house you see the red letters

With *cecimen*

So it gets hype

With the lions of Black Lion from Pachin Blisen

Hector Lavoe, offering the *sonora*, you hide

I'm from Ponce, and you, from where?

Ponce, ponce

And the rest is for the king

Everyone recognizes the ranking

Let's go, it's a thing with the south

Let's pay homage to the people from the south

So the brown-skinned girl can enjoy and have fun

With Tikin Papi and *Sonora Conseña*

The town of Hector Lavoe and that of Tempo

The people hope that he's making time

I'm from Carolina but I'm going to La Huancha

Let's take a little ride on the boat

I want to see the lions playing on the court

I'm Boricua, I have the mark here

(The Lions)

There you go, my people, we went to Ponce

(Puerto Rico)

You already know

The town of Churumba

Is abusing the tribute from the grave

(Pedrito Guzmán)

You already know, my people

To the people of the south

Julio Voltio (Jowell)

You already know, the lions from Ponce

This is... something else

...

[Spanish]

Mi gente, mi gente...

(De Ponce) ponce...

Los Leones

(De mis leones...)

De La India...

[J-

Y pa mi ponce dedico este soneo

Que viva Hector, que viva Tempo

Que acá estoy yo, que desde el cielo nos esta viendo

El esta viviendo rumbero con sueño

Ehhhhh

Rumba pa aquí, sandunga pa allá

Dale pa alante, y no eche pa atrás

Oye muchacha vamo a bailar

Dale pa alante, y no eche pa atrás

Ehhhh

Desde ponce hasta Panamá

Dale pa alante, y no eche pa atrás

Ohhh, ohhh... oye a ver quien da más

Dale pa alante, y no eche pa atrás

Y esto nace de Lavoe mi plena

Un bajo enséñame, las a sureñas

Pa que lo meneen las blanquitas y las trigueñas

Y pa que prendan, dale leña

Ya la sudas señora yo le canto pal soneo

Va hasta abajo y de la manta conseño

Vamos que se vive, subestime este sonero

Con mucha espera, y ya llego mi tiempo

Y ya nueva decora pa to lo Puertorriqueños

Y los latinos del mundo entero

Y esto va decora pa to lo Puertorriqueños

Y los latinos del mundo entero

Ten cuida'o con ese pos-señor

Vivirá hasta en la agarre, revelando tanto talento

Leonisa pa que se enseñe brevo en el nombre de los muertos

Llego lagrimas y esfuerzos pudieron cumplir sus sueños

Que gran ciudad, que de acá brillar sin antes sufrirlo

Hey... ya que ponce, ponce

Y entonces me quiero quedar

Y cuando muere entonces

Mi gente no olvide al Guelo Star

Yo represento la pela, y lo sabes tú

Ando con los leones y la pela del sur

Represento la pela, y lo sabes tú

Ando con los leones y la pela del sur

(Arcangel pa)

Dale mete

Arcangel al mambo sométele

Esto si es de callejón, de vacilon

Dale mete

Arcangel al mambo sométele

Esto si es de callejón

Mete

Tumba, ma cumba

Que no me va a curar

Ehhhh, ey

Entre dos files negras darán

Ohhhhh, oy

Por que, la tierra del edén

Donde nací yo me asuste eh

Lalalalala, lala - lala

Esa isla tan chiquita

Salio esa rumba de ponce

Puerto Rico de esa isla fue que salio el rumbon

Y le metimos el reggaeton

Pa que goce

De esta isla tan chiquita

Fue que, sale esta rumba

Nuestra sandunga de ponce

Puerto Rico de esa isla fue que salio el rumbon

Y le metimos el reggaeton

Pa que goce

Desde la tierra donde nació el gran Hector Lavoe

Bien orgullosos estamos todos de su gran convencer

El es latino como amigo represento yo

Con los leones y en la isla del encanto

Puerto Rico

[J-

Desde la costa sureña

Con to'a la tuca de playa zarabanda

De zarabanda la yuca jey

Que siga la rumba

Y vamo a celebrar con plena a lo Churumba

El ponce pal mundo entero

Pa que tú sepas

Rico, como el café

Dulce como la quenepa, Wepa

De quien sepa, de quien sepa

[Ñ

Yo represento donde nació la plena

Tú vas a dar mas pena

Que cuando he corta'o con Elena

Todavía no sabe cuando vas al patio

En el techo de tu casa vees la letra colora'o

Con cecimen

Pa que se ponga factren

Junto los leones de black lion del Pachin Blisen

Hector Lavoe, ofreciendo la sonora, tú te esconde

Yo soy de ponce y tú a donde

Ponce, ponce

Y lo demás es pal king

To'o el mundo reconoce el ranking

Vamo allá que pajo con sur

Vamo hacer un homenaje a la pela del sur

Pa que lo goce y vacile trigueña

Con Tikin papi y sonora conseña

El pueblo de Hector Lavoe y el de Tempo

La gente lo espera que este haciendo tiempo

Soy de Carolina pero voy pa la Huancha

Vamo a dar un paseito en la lancha

Quiero ver a los leones jugando en la cancha

Yo soy boricua aquí tengo la mancha

(Los Leones)

Vaya mi gente nos fuimos pa ponce

(Puerto Rico)

Ya tú sabes

El Pueblo de Churumba

Esta abusando el homenaje desde la tumba

(Pedrito Guzmán)

Ya tú sabes mi gente

A la pela de sur

Julio Voltio (Jowell)

Ya tú sabes los leones de ponce

Esto es... otra cosa

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
soneo /soˈneo/ B1	noun - improvisation, freestyle (in music)
rumba /ˈɾumba/ A2	noun - a lively Cuban dance and music
alante /aˈlante/ A2	adverb - forward
eche /ˈetʃe/ B1	verb - to throw back, to reject
Panamá /panaˈma/ A2	noun - Panama (country)
muchacha /muˈtʃa.tʃa/ A2	noun - girl
vamo /ˈbamo/ A1	verb - let's go
meneen /meˈne.en/ B1	verb - to move (the hips) rhythmically
blanquitas /blaŋˈki.tas/ A2	noun - fair-skinned women
trigueñas /tɾiˈɡe.ɲas/ A2	noun - tan-skinned women
prendan /ˈpɾen.dan/ B1	verb - to ignite, to catch fire
leña /ˈle.ɲa/ A2	noun - firewood
sudas /ˈsu.das/ B1	verb - to sweat
conseño /konˈse.ɲo/ B2	noun - advice, counsel
subestime /subesˈti.me/ B2	verb - to underestimate
sonero /soˈne.ɾo/ B1	noun - improviser (singer)
decora /deˈko.ɾa/ B1	verb - to decorate, to adorn
pos-señor /posseˈɲoɾ/ B2	noun - show-off, braggart

Key Grammar Structures

• Y pa mi Ponce dedico este soneo

  ➔ prepositional contraction "pa" (= para) + direct object pronoun

  ➔ The colloquial "pa" replaces "para". "Pa mi Ponce" means "for my Ponce".

• Que viva Héctor, que viva Tempo

  ➔ subjunctive mood after the expression "que viva" (wish/longing)

  ➔ "Que viva" uses the subjunctive to express a wish: "May Héctor live!"

• Dale pa' adelante, y no eche pa' atrás

  ➔ imperative verb "dale" + coordinating conjunction "y" + negative imperative "no eche"

  ➔ "Dale" (Give it) is a command, "y" links the second command, and "no eche" (don’t fall) is a negative imperative.

• Desde Ponce hasta Panamá

  ➔ prepositional phrase "desde… hasta…" indicating a range

  ➔ "Desde" means "from" and "hasta" means "to"; together they express "from Ponce to Panama".

• Yo represento la pela, y lo sabes tú

  ➔ present simple + tag question "y lo sabes tú" (affirmation with emphasis)

  ➔ "Yo represento" is a simple present statement. "y lo sabes tú" adds a rhetorical confirmation meaning "and you know it, right?".

• Ando con los leones y la pela del sur

  ➔ present progressive "ando" + prepositional phrase "con los leones"

  ➔ "Ando" is the gerund of "andar" used as a progressive form meaning "I am walking/going"; "con los leones" indicates accompaniment.

• Vaya mi gente, nos fuimos pa' Ponce

  ➔ imperative "vaya" + preterite "nos fuimos" (first‑person plural) + prepositional contraction "pa'"

  ➔ "Vaya" is a formal imperative meaning "go!"; "nos fuimos" is the preterite of "ir" meaning "we went"; "pa'" = "para".

• Ya la sudas, señora, yo le canto al sonero

  ➔ colloquial expression "ya la sudas" (present indicative) + direct address + infinitive purpose "le canto"

  ➔ "Ya la sudas" literally means "you already sweat it", a slang way to say "you’re already feeling it"; after the vocative "señora" the speaker says "yo le canto" (I sing to him).

• Que se viva la plena, que la tierra del Edén

  ➔ exclamatory construction "que + verb" used as a blessing or wish

  ➔ "Que se viva" translates to "May it live"; the pattern "que + verb" expresses a strong wish or blessing, similar to "¡Que viva!".