"Buscando Guayaba" is a salsa song from Oliver & Company, performed by Rubén Blades. It is heard playing on Fagin's radio while Tito is dancing, and again on the Foxworths' boom box when Tito is teaching Georgette how to dance near the end of the film. The song title means "Looking for a Guava" in Spanish. The actual lyrics to this song are not heard in the movie, just the "solo de boca" (mouth solo), but they can be heard on the film's soundtrack.
Me fui pal' monte buscando guayaba Por la vereda del ocho y el dos Y aunque encontré una casa dorada Esa guayaba no la hallaba yo Mucho he viajado por todo el mundo Y nunca, y nunca pude encontrar Una guayaba que me gustara Y detuviera mi caminar Y aunque encontré una casa dorada Esa guayaba no pude hallar
Buscando guayaba ando yo (¿cómo?) Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Una guayaba, salve morena Una guayaba que esté bien buena Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Bururú-barará, ¿dónde va Miguel? Bururú-barará, fue a buscar también guayaba Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Que pero, que tenga mucho mendo, pero Que tenga, que tenga muchísimo sabor Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Busco una guayaba, busco una guayaba, busco una guayaba Por la vereda del ocho y el dos Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo
¡Rinquin! ¡Oye! El guitarrista no vino, así que Van a tener que soportar Un solo de boca ¡Afinación! (quín-quín con-con)
(Un-dun-dun-dun-gun-cun-tucum-pin-guntun-pin-pin)
(Tinga-gutun-pin-cun-pin-pon)
(Pin-pin-dupin-un-du-du-dun-tin-tin)
(Tin-tun-niu-uuu-bam-bi-bun)
(Tun-tun-bingri-kundan-kuntun-pinkin-pim-pam-kutin)
(Dondon-pan-gun-tumpan-dun-bin-du)
(Bacun-dagun-din-da-din-dan-gunte-du-du-dun-tin-pan)
(Pin-blen-uman-gunda-gun-du-dun-pim-pam)
(Baaba-tum-ban-badadin-badadu-din-din-tun-tun-tun-tun-pom-bim-bin)
Que tenga sabor, que tenga mendo Buscando guayaba ando yo Guayabita sabanera Buscando guayaba ando yo A tí y a to'ó, que yo quiero una guayaba Buscando guayaba ando yo Venga y deme una manito, ¡ay ayúdeme comay! Buscando guayaba ando yo Ya la veo que usté', ya la veo que usté' no coje y no dice donde hay Buscando guayaba ando yo ¡Dime! Esa guayaba bonita donde la encuentro, ¡ay Dio'! Buscando guayaba ando yo Ve que caminando siempre voy andando ¡señor! Buscando guayaba ando yo Bururú-barará, ¿dónde va Miguel? Buscando guayaba ando yo ¡Ven y ayuda al babalao!, dime donde está que nunca yo la he encontra'o Buscando guayaba ando yo ¡Acompáñame, porque puede suceder! Buscando guayaba ando yo Que yo encuentre a esa mujer y la aprenda a querer Buscando guayaba ando yo La busco por el monte y por la marqueta Buscando guayaba ando yo No no no no no no, no te escondas más y aparécete, prieta Buscando guayaba ando yo Que tenga sabor y que tenga mendo Buscando guayaba ando yo
I went to the mountain looking for a guava
On the sidewalk of eight and two
And though I found a golden house
That guava I couldn't find
I have traveled a lot around the world
And never, and never I could find
A guava that I liked enough
To make me stop my walking
And though I found a golden house
That guava I couldn't find
I'm looking for a guava (what?)
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
A guava, hail dark girl
A guava that is really good
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest Bururú-barará, where is Miguel going? Bururú-barará, he also went to look for guava
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
That but, that has a lot of zest, but
That has, that has a lot of flavor
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
I'm looking for a guava, I'm looking for a guava, I'm looking for a guava
On the sidewalk of eight and two
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
¡Rinquin!
Hey! The guitarist didn't come, so
They will have to bear
A mouth solo
Tuning! (quín-quín con-con)
(Un-dun-dun-dun-gun-cun-tucum-pin-guntun-pin-pin)
(Tinga-gutun-pin-cun-pin-pon)
(Pin-pin-dupin-un-du-du-dun-tin-tin)
(Tin-tun-niu-uuu-bam-bi-bun)
(Tun-tun-bingri-kundan-kuntun-pinkin-pim-pam-kutin)
(Dondon-pan-gun-tumpan-dun-bin-du)
(Bacun-dagun-din-da-din-dan-gunte-du-du-dun-tin-pan)
(Pin-blen-uman-gunda-gun-du-dun-pim-pam)
(Baaba-tum-ban-badadin-badadu-din-din-tun-tun-tun-tun-pom-bim-bin)
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
I'm looking for a guava
Little guava of the savannah
I'm looking for a guava
To you and all, that I want a guava
I'm looking for a guava
Come and give me a little hand, oh help me ¡comay!
I'm looking for a guava
I already see that you, I already see that you don't take and don't say where there is
I'm looking for a guava
Tell me! That pretty guava where I find it, oh God!
I'm looking for a guava
See that walking I always walk, sir!
I'm looking for a guava Bururú-barará, where is Miguel going?
I'm looking for a guava
Come and help the babalao! Tell me where it is, I've never found it
I'm looking for a guava
Join me, because it can happen!
I'm looking for a guava
That I find that woman and learn to love her
I'm looking for a guava
I look for her on the mountain and on the marqueta
I'm looking for a guava
No no no no no no, no more hide and show up, dark girl
I'm looking for a guava
Let it have flavor, let it have zest
I'm looking for a guava