| Tu sabe que cosa es el Tacat? | Do you fathom what Tacat is—this riddle in the dark? |
| Te gusta el Tacat? | Does the Tacat stir your marrow, light a secret spark? |
| A mi me gusta cuando las mamitas hacen Tacat | For me, delight ignites when mothers conjure Tacat’s spell, |
| Tacat br! | Tacat—wild cry, bronze bell! |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the floorboards moan, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved, Tacat’s yours alone, |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the hour be flown, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, stone upon stone. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the old floor creak, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved, Tacat—dark and sleek. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat, the moon’s echo and tune, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved, Tacat—swift as monsoon. |
| Mira como dice mi Tacat | See how my Tacat pronounces its name—a copper tongue, |
| Que empieze la fiesta Tacat | Let the feast commence, let its banners be hung! |
| La gente bailando el Tacat, to' mundo gritando Tacat | Bodies swirl the Tacat’s circle, the air ablaze with shout, |
| Subele el volume de Tacat, mueve tu culito Tacat, tambien el bechito. Tacat | Raise Tacat’s volume—hips undulate, lips like rainclouds pout, |
| Romano & Sapienza Tacat | Romano and Sapienza—Tacat’s ancestral flame, |
| Oh yeah, pa' la gente que le gusta el Tacat, ahora digo Atacabr, | Oh yes, for the souls whom Tacat claims, now I call: Atacabr’s name, |
| ataca yo y el mi tambien | I strike, and my shadow doubles the game. |
| La gente bailando y tu bla bla bla. Que es y ataca yo, que es battall | The world dances, while your lips mutter wind—what is this strife? The battle begins. |
| Le tette muchacho, yo vuelta Tacat | Breasts of youth, boy—my orbit is Tacat’s tide, |
| Que todos le gusta, ai mama | All delight in it, oh mother—no one can hide. |
| Te veo attacaa y bien sofocaa | I see you beset, breathless, as if in a net, |
| Ecriviendo cositas de este esperao | You inscribe little wishes in the dusk, hope’s vignette. |
| Invente una cosa nueva a la house | I crafted a novelty for the house—phantom and guest, |
| Tacat bro | Tacat, brother—drum in the chest. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the old song play, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, night and day. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let shadows sway, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat’s ballet. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let laughter stray, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, wild bouquet. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the lanterns sway, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, break of day. |
| Mira como dice mi Tacat | See how my Tacat pronounces its name—a sunbeam bent in two, |
| Que empieze la fiesta Tacat | Let the revel begin, let the music renew! |
| La gente bailando el Tacat | The folk whirl in Tacat’s fervor, |
| To' mundo gridando Tacat | The globe roars—Tacat, their silver river. |
| Subele el volume de Tacat, mueve tu culito Tacat, tambien el bechito. Tacat | Raise up Tacat’s thunder—hips flicker, lips like rose-embers quiver. |
| Que empieze la fiesta, tacat | Let the revel begin—Tacat, forever. |
| Ella criticando mi msica buena | She, a shadow, critiques my noble song, |
| Que hago con algun, para toda la arena | What shall I do, to cast joy across the sand’s long tongue? |
| Dale tomate un vaso de agua con carnela | Give her a glass of water, cinnamon dissolved in the stream— |
| Y veras muchachito que te pasan las penas | And behold, young lad, your sorrows float downstream. |
| Juege conmigo que yo estoy en candela | Come play with flame, for my veins ignite; |
| Tu sabe yo soy el rey de las nenas | You know I am lord of the girls’ delight. |
| Uela muchaco, Tu sabe yo soy candela, tu sabe yo soy el rey de las nenas | Rise, boy—know I am fire, you know I am king of the night, |
| Y que pone las cosas buena | And the one who sets every dull joy alight. |
| Y ya todo el mundo sabe que lo canten de La Habana | Now all the earth knows the chorus from Havana’s heart, |
| Ta, ta, tacat | Ta, ta—Tacat, a start. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—let the world be spun, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, one by one. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—till the stars are done, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, wild run. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—where the bright waves run, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, under the sun. |
| Dale mamasita con tu tacat | Come now, fair one, with your Tacat—till the dance is won, |
| Dale mamasita tacat | Come, beloved—Tacat, begun. |
| Mira como dice mi Tacat | See how my Tacat pronounces its quest—a wind in the rye, |
| Que empieze la fiesta Tacat | Let the revel commence, let the bells reply. |
| La gente bailando el Tacat | All the folk swirling the Tacat— |
| To' mundo gritando Tacat | And the world, roaring Tacat. |
| Subele el volume de Tacat, mueve tu culito Tacat, tambien el bechito. Tacat | Raise the Tacat’s thunder—hips blossom, lips like dew, |
| Que empieze la fiesta, tacat | Let the revel commence, Tacat breaking through. |
| Hacete tacat, que te gusta a ti mami | Become Tacat—since, mother, it’s what you desire, |
| Ta, ta, tacat | Ta, ta—Tacat, sets the world on fire. |
| Ahhhhhh | Ahhhhhh— |
| Tacat bro | Tacat, brother—drum and lyre. |