La Murga – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe
• Album: Asalto Navideño

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rhythmic world of Spanish-language salsa with 'La Murga'! This song is perfect for learners wanting to master fast-paced lyrical delivery and pick up essential vocabulary related to dance, rhythm, and social celebration. Its infectious beat makes language learning feel like a party.

[English]

Let's dance the murga

The murga from Panama

The boys go wild

When they see it coming

Eh, let's dance the murga

The murga from Panama

This is an easy thing

And it's great for dancing

Let's dance the murga

The murga from Panama

The boys go wild

When they see it coming

Ay, you have a way of walking

That's driving me crazy

And when you dance the murga

Listen baby, you look so good

...

Murga over here, murga over there

This is the murga from Panama

Hey girl, let's go dance

This is the murga from Panama

This is the murga from Panama

This is the murga from Panama

Hey, I want to dance

This is the murga from Panama

Ey, Panama and Panama, Pana, Pana, Panama

This is the murga from Panama

Go for it, Yomo!

...

On the cuatro, Yomo Toro

...

Get it, Willie Colón!

The devil!

...

Murga over here, murga over there

This is the murga from Panama

This is the murga and it's so good

This is the murga from Panama

Ey chacuchucuchai chacuchucucha cha cha

This is the murga from Panama

The maracas sound so good in the murga, mama

This is the murga from Panama

...

[Spanish]

Vamos a bailar la murga

La murga de Panamá

Los muchachos se alborotan

Cuando la ven caminar

Eh, vamos a bailar la murga

La murga de Panamá

Esto es una cosa fácil

Y muy buena pa' bailar

Vamos a bailar la murga

La murga de Panamá

Los muchachos se alborotan

Cuando la ven caminar

Ay, tú tienes un camina'o

Que me tiene trastorna'o

Y cuando bailas la murga

Oye mamita, qué buena estás

Murga pa'quí, murga pa'llá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Oye muchacha vamo'a bailar

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Oye, yo quiero bailar

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ey, Panamá y Panamá, Pana, Pana, Panamá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ataca Yomo

En el cuatro Yomo Toro

¡Guapea Willie Colón!

¡El diablo!

Murga pa'quí, murga pa'llá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ésta es la murga y qué buena está

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Ey chacuchucuchai chacuchucucha cha cha

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Qué buena es la maraca en la murga, mamá

Ésta es la murga de Panamá

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bailar baɪˈlaɾ A1	verb - to dance
murga ˈmurɣa C1	noun - carnival musical group / street band
muchacho muˈtʃatʃo A1	noun - boy / young man
alborotan alboɾoˈtan B2	verb - to make a fuss / to stir up / to get excited
caminar kamiˈnaɾ A1	verb - to walk
fácil ˈfasil A1	adjective - easy
buena ˈbwe na A1	adjective - good
camina'o ka mi ˈna o B2	noun - way of walking / gait
trastorna'o tras tor ˈna o C1	adjective - disturbed / crazy / obsessed
mamita ma ˈmi ta A2	noun - sweetheart / beautiful woman (endearment)
muchacha mu ˈtʃa tʃa A1	noun - girl / young woman
diablo di ˈa blo A2	noun - devil
maraca ma ˈra ka B1	noun - maraca (percussion instrument)

Key Grammar Structures

• Vamos a bailar la murga

  ➔ Periphrastic future (Ir + a + infinitive)

  ➔ "Vamos a" indicates an intention or immediate future action.

• Los muchachos se alborotan cuando la ven caminar

  ➔ Reflexive verb usage

  ➔ "se alborotan" uses the reflexive pronoun 'se' to show the subject performs the action upon themselves.

• Cuando la ven caminar

  ➔ Direct object pronoun

  ➔ "la" is the direct object pronoun replacing the noun 'murga'.

• Tú tienes un camina'o que me tiene trastorna'o

  ➔ Relative clause (que)

  ➔ "que" connects the noun 'camina'o' to the state of being 'trastorna'o'.

• Muy buena pa' bailar

  ➔ Preposition for purpose

  ➔ "pa'" (para) indicates the purpose of being good, which is for dancing.

• Oye mamita, qué buena estás

  ➔ Adjective usage with 'estar'

  ➔ The use of 'estás' implies a temporary state or appearance in this context.

• Yo quiero bailar

  ➔ Verb + infinitive

  ➔ The conjugated verb 'quiero' is followed by the infinitive 'bailar' to express a desire.

• Ésta es la murga de Panamá

  ➔ Demonstrative pronoun/adjective

  ➔ "Ésta" points to the specific thing (the song/the murga) being referred to.