# Lyric translation help sought!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 26, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578 "2010-08-26T20:07:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578/1 "2010-08-26T20:07:35Z")

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Artist: Jorge Ben  
Song Title: Ponta de Lanca (Umbabarauma)  
Album: Beleza Tropical Brazil Classics 1  
I have a friend who would like to use this piece of music for a young children’s dance performance at the school. Her only concern is that the lyrics may actually be something inappropriate.

Can anyone help with an English translation?

Thanks for your time!

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578/2 "2010-08-26T20:11:54Z")

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You’ll probably get a faster answer if you link to the lyrics.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578/3 "2010-08-26T20:17:27Z")

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[Lyric link](http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/jorge_ben_jor/ponta_de_langa_africano_umbabarauma-lyrics-1166880.html). Google translate thinks it’s a song about wanting to play ball.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-translation-help-sought/551578/4 "2010-08-26T20:27:51Z")

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I don’t understand the lyrics fully, but from what I remember (I have it on a collection of Brazilian music, compiled by David Byrne of Talking Heads IIRC) it’s a song praising a great Brazilian soccer player. The refrain is “Umbabarauma, homem goal” and “homem goal” means “goal man” (someone who marks a lot of goals in a soccer game.)

Following the link to the lyrics, the refrain also has “Joga bola, joga bola / Jogador” which is “Play ball, Play ball / Player”. (An educated guess.)