The Salsa Roxanne

September 27, 2018 8:25 AM

"Shula" was a 1990 hit of the israeli salsa fusion band "Atraf", that probably was about not falling in love with, but using the services of, a prostitute. The lyrics were so obscene but the band members were so desperate to have a prime TV airtime, that they were forced by the executives to change the lyrics. The clean lyrics were so lame and out of context, but who cares as we have this neat looking anti-mohawk bald mullet bassist?

The original song is here, and the lyrics:

Me and Shula in the yard
Back and forth, and forward and backward
"Shula", I ask,
"I came from afar", She answers,
"And they paid you?", I ask
"Of course my friend", She answers,

Me and Shula at the yard
Swaying into the night
The cats are among the cans
And I feel cool inside.

Taking this off and pulls out that one
And Shula like a robot in action
Dollar after a dollar
Friend after a friend
Yen, sterling, dollar
Friend and another friend.

Me and Shula at the yard
Blue lights are on the way
The neighbors complain
It could have been different.



the clean version lyrics:

Me and Shula in Brusseles
Aunt Jozefita is dancing behind us
"Shula", I ask,
"I came from afar", She answers,
"Do you love salsa?", I ask
"Of course my friend", She answers,Loves salsa

Me and Shula in Brusseles
Dancing in the nightclub
Playing with the orchestra
And I feel so hot inside.

I'm looking down to the floor
Shula is like a robot in action
Dollar after a dollar
Friend after a friend
Yen, sterling, dollar
Friend and another friend.

Me and Shula in Brusseles
We do not pay into the night
I have nothing to look for there
I'll take the first flight back tonight

"Shula" was the third single from Atraf's debut. a Jerusalem band, formed by Rubens, a peruvian native. The bassist is Victor Azos, a peruvian as well. this prime-time video was actually the only but most famous time the band sang the clean lyrics. at the next time the band appeared on TV, they sang the original raunchy lyrics.

posted by avi111 (9 comments total)

Nice!
Never heard about them.
posted by growabrain at 8:47 AM on September 27, 2018

more
posted by growabrain at 8:53 AM on September 27, 2018

@growabrain . this one is completely different. Shlomo Yidov is a guitar maestro argentinian-born who were later covered by the great Mercedes Sosa. yes, spanish music and latin music in general were very great in israel and still (a reference).
posted by avi111 at 9:02 AM on September 27, 2018

Okay. Honestly, if I were Israeli Standards and Practices, I'm pretty sure they could have slipped the original lyrics by me. But I'll take y'all's word that they're filthy.
posted by Naberius at 9:17 AM on September 27, 2018

anti-mohawk bald mullet bassist

I thought that was a Steinberger L-2, which would have been Maximum 80s, but I think it's a Spirit - you can see the logo when they do a close-up.

kind of tempted to slap 5 grand on the credit card for that bad boy.....form an 80s cover band, it will pay for itself.....
posted by thelonius at 9:48 AM on September 27, 2018

The video is awesome. Yes, that's how average people dressed in the '90s. Also the show-off guy playing the synth drums in the back - spinning the drumstick every time.

Also the lyrics are AC/DC but the music is a mix of wedding band and 'salsa' preset on a keyboard.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:56 AM on September 27, 2018

The singer wearing a Sisters of Mercy shirt just takes this a little further into WTF territory.
posted by cirhosis at 10:17 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

I mean that clean version isn't any different than most 80's pop hits.
posted by lumpenprole at 11:39 AM on September 27, 2018

The tween girls at horse camp were talking about this in the late 70s.
posted by brujita at 7:07 PM on September 27, 2018