In Cuba, each merry maid wakes up with this serenade
Peanuts (they're nice and hot)
Peanuts (he sells a lot of peanuts)
If you haven't got bananas, don't be blue
Peanuts in a little bag are calling you
Don't waste them (no tummy ache)
You'll taste them (when you're awake)
For at the very break of day
The peanut vendor's on his way
At dawning the whistle blows
(Through every city, town and country lane)
(You hear him sing his plaintive little strain)
And as he goes by to you, he'll say
(Big jumbos) big jumbo ones
(Come buy those) peanuts roasted today
(Come buy those freshly roasted today)
If you're looking for a moral to this song
50 million little monkeys can't be wrong
(In Cuba, his smiling face is welcome most anyplace)
(Peanuts, they hear him cry)
(Peanuts, they all reply)
(If you're looking for an early morning treat)
(Get some double-jointed peanuts, good to eat)
For breakfast (or dinnertime)
For supper (most anytime)
The merry twinkle in his eye
He's got a way that makes you buy
(Each morning) that whistle blows
(Are you more than I sell?)
If an apple keeps the doctor from your door
Peanuts ought to keep him from you even more
(Peanuts) we'll meet again
This street again
(Peanuts) we'll eat again
You Peanut Man, that peanut man's gone
(Peanut, peanut, peanut)
"The Peanut Vendor" has been recorded more than 200 times. Because of its cultural importance, it was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry in 2005 by the National Recording Preservation Board, which noted:
"It is the first American recording of an authentic Latin dance style. This recording launched a decade of 'rumbamania', introducing U.S. listeners to Cuban percussion instruments and Cuban rhythms."
Several films included versions of "El Manisero". It appeared in The Cuban Love Song by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1931), with Ernesto Lecuona as musical advisor; Groucho Marx briefly sang the tune in the film Duck Soup (1933); Cary Grant sang it alongside Jean Arthur in the film Only Angels Have Wings (1939); Jane Powell sang the song in Luxury Liner (1948); and Judy Garland sang a fragment in the film A Star is Born (1954) "The Peanut Vendor" was used as the tune in an advertising campaign for Golden Wonder Peanuts in the 1960s and '70s. More recently, it was featured in the Carnaval scene of José Luis Cuerda's film Butterfly (1999) and was also used in the reunion gala scene of David O. Russell's Amsterdam (2022).
Cuban music-which has prominent African-derived elements-was also very popular in Central and West Africa starting in Kinshasa in the 1930s and spreading throughout Africa. In the 1960s, famous Nigerian High Life musician Cardinal Rex Lawson used the tune from The Peanut Vendor in his hit song Sawale. Because of this song, the melody remains known to this day in Nigeria and was recently used by Nigerian musician Flavour N'abania in his song "Nwa Baby" (2011), including the remix.
