Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)

"Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" is a 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.[1][2] It has been described as "[possibly] one of the best songs about sports ever written",[3] and prompted one writer to state that "Jorge Ben should be considered the poet laureate of soccer songwriting".[4]

"Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)"
Song by Jorge Ben Jor
from the album África Brasil
LanguagePortuguese
Released1976 (1976)
GenreSamba funk
Songwriter(s)Jorge Ben Jor

It was included on David Byrne's 1989 compilation Brazil Classics Beleza Tropical, prompting rotation of a video for the track on VH-1.[5][6] The original version of the track was used in the documentary film Di/Glauber.[7]

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.[8]

Ambitious Lovers version
"Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)"
Single by Ambitious Lovers
from the album Lust
Released1991 (1991)
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)Jorge Ben Jor

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.[9]

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
"Umbabarauma"
Single by Soulfly featuring Los Hooligans
from the album Soulfly
Released5 May 1998
Recorded1997–1998
GenreNu metal
Length4:46
LabelRoadrunner
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ross Robinson
Soulfly singles chronology
"Eye for an Eye"
(1998)		 "Umbabarauma"
(1998)		 "Bleed"
(1998)

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.

Maxi-single
No.TitleLength
1."Umbabarauma" (LP Mix)4:13
2."Umbabarauma" (World Cup Mix)3:45
3."Tribe" (Extended Version)5:54
4."Umbabarauma" (World Cup Mix – Instrumental)3:38
Total length:17:30

Promo CD
No.TitleLength
1."Umbabarauma" 

Personnel
Regular Soulfly members
Additional personnel

Charts
Chart (1998) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 83

References
  1. Sullivan, Steve (2013) Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 978-0810882959, p. 866
  2. Kuhn, Gabriel (2011) Soccer vs. the State Tackling Football and Radical Politics, PM Press, ISBN 978-1604860535, 245
  3. Patrin, Nate (2015) "[Pelè Como: The Supremely Relaxed Vocal Stylings of Soccer's Immortal]", Vice, 4 December 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016
  4. Long, Kyle (2013) "A playlist for the soccer field", nuvo.net, 7 August 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016
  5. McGowan, Chris & Pessanha, Ricardo (1991) The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil, Billboard Books, ISBN 978-0823076734, p. 97
  6. Lannert, John (1994) "Jorge Ben Jor, WEA Turn Efforts to U.S.", Billboard, 21 May 1994, p. 1, 75
  7. Pinazza, Natália & Bayman, Louis (2013) Directory of World Cinema: Brazil, Intellect, ISBN 978-1783200092, p. 195
  8. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Jorge Ben, 'Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)'". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  9. "Ambitious Lovers: Awards", Allmusic. Retrieved 20 March 2016
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
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