The bizarre meaning behind lyrics to classic ’90s party tune ‘Macarena’

  • Anglophones often fail to translate the 1993 Los Del Río Europop hit Macerena
  • The pop song chronicles a young girl’s ambition to seduce her lover’s friends

By Zeenia Naqvee

Updated: 13:14 BST, 23 August 2023

Macarena is the Europop single every primary school pupil from Inverness to Swansea will have danced to at their year six disco – but did you know of its uncouth background?

Los Del Río’s global hit is in Spanish, so its less than innocent lyrics have gone largely unnoticed by English-speaking listeners across the world.

But upon translating the lyrics, MailOnline uncovered some shocking lyrics.

An online music encyclopedia revealed that the pop song chronicles a young girl’s night out where she attempts to seduce her lover’s friends.

The lyrics 

Macarena is the Europop single every primary school pupil from Inverness to Swansea will have danced to at their year six disco - but did you know of its uncouth background?

Macarena is the Europop single every primary school pupil from Inverness to Swansea will have danced to at their year six disco – but did you know of its uncouth background?

‘When I dance, they call me Macarena / And the boys, they say que soy buena / They all want me.

‘They can’t have me / So they all come and dance beside me / Move with me / Chant with me / And if you’re good, I’ll take you home with me’.

Like many young woman, Macerena understands when a man in a nightclub is eager to pursue things with her.

However, she decides to entertain their sexual desires – and seemingly decides to sleep with any keen courter that has caught her eye.

‘But don’t you worry about my boyfriend / He’s a boy whose name is Vitorino / I don’t want him / Couldn’t stand him / He was no good so I (hahahaha) / Now, come on, what was I supposed to do? / He was out of town and his two friends were so fine.

‘Come and find me, my name is Macarena / Always at the party con las chicas que son buenas / Come join me / Dance with me / And all you fellows chant along with me’.

In a bid to practise infidelity, the song’s protagonist tells her next potential suitor to ‘come and find me’, and even explains that her boyfriend, who she urges men to ‘not worry about’ is ‘out of town’ and ‘his two friends were so fine’ that she couldn’t resist their advances.

What the internet thought 

Los Del Río are the iconic Spanish duo responsible for the hit - but their lyrics may take you by surprise

Los Del Río are the iconic Spanish duo responsible for the hit - but their lyrics may take you by surprise

Los Del Río are the iconic Spanish duo responsible for the hit – but their lyrics may take you by surprise

Reddit users took to the social news forum their surprise.

One user joked: ‘I find it hysterical when they play this at weddings and all the little kids are out there dancing having no idea what this song is about’.

Another replied: ‘That’s what makes it so funny. Grandmas, Grandpas, and little kids are all out there dancing and singing to it’.

But some came to the song’s defence: ‘Now come on, what was she supposed to do? He was out of town and his two friends were so fine…’

One Reddit user picked up on military connotations: ‘Ah yes, cheating on your spouse while he is away on deployment. Tale as old as time. Pretty normal for on-base behavior’. 

Have you been listening to Macarena innocently your whole life? Let us know.

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