# La Bamba and other songs to be embarrassed about **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216 "2014-08-22T17:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/1 "2014-08-22T17:13:34Z")
Richie Valens came out with La Bamba in 1958 and I was there to hear it. And for the next 56 years, I went along blithely assuming that the opening line to the song was something like “Badahdahdahdah la bamba.” Then today, as I was thinking of a song for a thread in the Games forum, that song came to mind. Wanting to get the lyrics right, I did a search. What came up were lyrics that had actual Spanish words in the opening line. WTF? Slowly, it came to my enfeebled brain that those words had been there all along; I just couldn’t hear them. Even after taking Spanish classes, I couldn’t hear “Bailar, bailar la bamba” (dance, dance la bamba). At last, the song actually makes sense to me, and it only took nearly six decades. :smack: Any similar experiences would be a balm to my fractured ego. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/2 "2014-08-22T17:27:30Z")
Well… apparently, I have always had a similar problem with the same exact song. I always heard it as “La la la la la bamba.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/3 "2014-08-22T17:30:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Even after taking Spanish classes, I couldn’t hear “Bailar, bailar la bamba” (dance, dance la bamba). I thought the lyric was _ **Para** bailar La Bamba_. ‘To dance The Bamba, you need a little grace…’ . ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/4 "2014-08-22T17:30:19Z")
I did not know that. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/5 "2014-08-22T17:33:06Z")
Maxwell Jump! Go ahead and jump! I don’t know where my hole is. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/6 "2014-08-22T17:34:52Z")
I never saw the 1987 bio film of the same title, but the song (by Los Lobos) regained popularity and the actual lyrics became clearer, although I don’t speak Spanish and didn’t know exactly what was being said. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/7 "2014-08-22T17:40:28Z")
I still don’t know why being blinded by the light made the guy dress up like a douche. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/8 "2014-08-22T17:47:40Z")
Let alone give his anus curly-wurly! ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/9 "2014-08-22T17:55:57Z")
In the 60s there was a song where the singer sang, " I don’t want to lose you baby" I could never understand why somebody would sing," I don’t want a Root Beer Baby." ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/10 "2014-08-22T17:58:42Z")
I’ve never seen a warm wind strong enough to blow the stars around. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/11 "2014-08-22T17:58:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I thought the lyric was _ **Para** bailar La Bamba_. > > ‘To dance The Bamba, you need a little grace…’ > . That’s how I heard it, too. But I have never actually seen the lyrics in print before. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/12 "2014-08-22T18:03:46Z")
From The Pogues, “Broad Majestic Shannon:” “So I walked as day was dawning Where small birds sang and leaves were falling Where we once watched the robots landing, By the broad, majestic Shannon.” Wait, what? Oh, _rowboats_. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/13 "2014-08-22T18:03:57Z")
Thanks again, Straight Dope. I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/14 "2014-08-22T18:09:44Z")
I always wondered how living in the limelight was like living in the fish islands. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/15 "2014-08-22T18:51:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I went along blithely assuming that the opening line to the song was something like “Badahdahdahdah la bamba.” Apropos of nothing, the first line scans perfectly to: ♫♪ “What are the words to La Bamba?” ♫♪ ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/16 "2014-08-22T18:57:25Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’ve never seen a warm wind strong enough to blow the stars around. He’s not talking 'bout the linen. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/17 "2014-08-22T19:10:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I thought the lyric was _ **Para** bailar La Bamba_. > > ‘To dance The Bamba, you need a little grace…’ It appears that you’re correct, but the first link I clicked on said “bailar, bailar”. Makes more sense the other way. Double head smack for me. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/18 "2014-08-22T19:19:05Z")
Rolling Stones “Beast of Burden” All your sickness, I could suck a duck Throw it all up, I could struggle. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/19 "2014-08-22T19:25:31Z")
Aaaannnnd, I just found out that memories really aren’t ‘like’ the corners of my mind at all. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216/20 "2014-08-22T19:49:32Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Apropos of nothing, the first line scans perfectly to: > > ♫♪ “What are the words to La Bamba?” ♫♪ “Would you like-a some lasagna?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-bamba-and-other-songs-to-be-embarrassed-about/696216.md?page=2)