"Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" is a Brazilian song by Jorge Ben Jor from his 1976 album África Brasil. It was later recorded by Ambitious Lovers and Soulfly. The song is about an African striker, and became a well known football-related track.Sullivan, Steve (2013) Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Scarecrow Press, , p. 866Kuhn, Gabriel (2011) Soccer vs. the State Tackling Football and Radical Politics, PM Press, , 245 It has been described as "[possibly] one of the best songs about sports ever written",Patrin, Nate (2015) "[Pelè Como: The Supremely Relaxed Vocal Stylings of Soccer's Immortal]", Vice, 4 December 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016 and prompted one writer to state that "Jorge Ben should be considered the poet laureate of soccer songwriting".Long, Kyle (2013) "A playlist for the soccer field", nuvo.net, 7 August 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016
It was included on David Byrne's 1989 compilation Brazil Classics Beleza Tropical, prompting rotation of a video for the track on VH-1.McGowan, Chris & Pessanha, Ricardo (1991) The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil, Billboard Books, , p. 97Lannert, John (1994) "Jorge Ben Jor, WEA Turn Efforts to U.S.", Billboard, 21 May 1994, p. 1, 75 The original version of the track was used in the documentary film Di/Glauber.Pinazza, Natália & Bayman, Louis (2013) Directory of World Cinema: Brazil, Intellect, , p. 195
It was released as a single in 1989 by EMI Records, backed with another track from the Beleza Tropical album, Nazaré Pereira's "Maculele".
In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked it number 351 in their updated list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Ambitious Lovers version
Ambitious Lovers recorded a cover of the song for their Lust album. A 12-inch single of remixes of the track (listed on the label as simply "Umbabarauma") by Charley Casanova and Goh Hotodain was released by Elektra Records in 1990, which became a dance hit, peaking at no. 10 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart."Ambitious Lovers: Awards", Allmusic. Retrieved 20 March 2016
Track listing "Umbabarauma" (World Beat Club Mix) – 5:08 "Umbabarauma" (Jorge Meets Junior House Dub) – 6:20 "Umbabarauma" (Mix Da Verdade) – 4:27 "Umbabarauma" (Cassanova's Kickin' House Mix) – 6:47 "Umbabarauma" (Lemon Tree Basement Dub) – 7:36
Soulfly version
Heavy metal band Soulfly recorded a cover version of the song, as "Umbabarauma", released as the band's second single in 1998, taken from the debut album Soulfly.
Track listing
Maxi-single
Promo CD
Personnel Regular Soulfly members Max Cavalera – vocals, rhythm guitar Jackson Bandeira – lead guitar Marcello D. Rapp – bass Roy "Rata" Moyorga – drums
Additional personnel Eric Bobo – percussion Jorge Du Peixe – tambora Gilmar Bolla Oito – tambora Produced by Ross Robinson
Charts Chart (1998) Peak position
References
External links Song Lyrics