Alceu Valenca was born in countryside Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. He is considered the most successful artist in achieving an aesthetic balance between traditional northeastern Brazilian music and a broad range of electronic sounds and effects from pop music. One can find traces of maracatu, coco and "repentes de viola" (improvising fast-paced Brazilian folk music) in most of his songs. Alceu was able to utilize the electric guitar the electric bass, and lately even a synthesizer was added to his broad scope of musical instruments.
Because of that, Alceu was able to recreate Northeastern traditional music, like baiao, coco, toada, maracatu, frevo, caboclinhos, embolada and repentes: all sung with a sometimes rock sometimes alternative sounding music background. His music and his themes are intangible, universal and unlimited. However, his aesthetic basis is genuinely Brazilian Northeastern music.
Forró de Olinda
Alceu Valença Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É o bonde de olinda
Quem vai pra o forró
De olinda sou eu
Eu vou dançar
No mercado da ribeira
Vou subir descer ladeira
Eu vou subindo chego no alto da sé
Canto olinda mulher
Depois vou prá beira mar
Eu vou cantar
Ciranda, coco e baião
Prá lembrar de gonzagão
Na praça do jacaré
Prá quem quiser
Canto jackson do pandeiro
É assim o meu roteiro
É assim o meu truque
É mestre ambrósio
E o forró pé de calçada
Cascabulho caramada
Também vem forrofiar
Vou convidar
Salustiano com a rebeca
Antúlio com a boneca
Para o forró esquentar
No meu forró
Tem mateus tem catirina
Dona selma e muita rima
No coco pra se cantar
Eu vou chamar
Pra marcar sua presença
Tonheta e alceu valença
Na pancada do ganzá.
The lyrics of Alceu Valença's song "Forró de Olinda" capture the vibrant and festive atmosphere of Olinda, a city in northeastern Brazil known for its rich cultural traditions and lively music scene. The first stanza sets the scene, with the singer stating that while the "bonde de Olinda" (the trolley car of Olinda) goes to the lighthouse, he is going to the forró, a type of dance party featuring traditional Brazilian music. The second stanza describes how the singer plans to enjoy the forró, dancing and moving up and down hills ("subir descer ladeira") with his "forrofiar" (a reference to the forró rhythm). He also sings about visiting important landmarks in Olinda, such as the Sé Cathedral and the oceanfront.
The third and final stanza is a celebration of Brazilian music and culture. The singer plans to sing both traditional and contemporary songs, referencing key figures in Brazilian music history such as Luiz Gonzaga and Jackson do Pandeiro. He also mentions several local musicians, including Mestre Ambrósio, Cascabulho, and Caramada. Throughout the song, there is a sense of joyful camaraderie and inclusiveness, with the singer inviting various people to the forró and celebrating the diversity of Olinda's music scene.
Line by Line Meaning
Quem vai pro farol
Refers to the tram of the neighborhood of Olinda where people can see the lighthouse. The line indicates that the singer is from Olinda and uses the tram to go to the dance.
É o bonde de olinda
The singer confirms that the tram is specifically from Olinda.
Quem vai pra o forró
The line means whoever goes to the traditional Brazilian music festival called "forró."
De olinda sou eu
The singer emphasizes that he is from Olinda and goes to the festival.
Eu vou dançar
The singer is making it clear that he is going to dance at the festival.
No mercado da ribeira
The venue of the festival is at the riverside market in Olinda.
Vou subir descer ladeira
The singer explains that one has to climb up and then down the hills to get to the venue.
Com o meu forrofiar
The singer describes his way of dancing the forró.
Eu vou subindo chego no alto da sé
The singer is describing climbing up the hills of Olinda to reach the Sé Cathedral.
Canto olinda mulher
The singer is saying he sings about the women of Olinda.
Depois vou prá beira mar
The singer plans to go down to the beachfront to continue the festivities.
Eu vou cantar
The singer is stating that he is also a singer at the festival.
Ciranda, coco e baião
The singer is naming the rhythms that he sings - ciranda, coco, and baião.
Prá lembrar de gonzagão
The singer is referring to the famous Brazilian singer, Luis Gonzaga, who often performed these rhythms.
Na praça do jacaré
The singer is mentioning a location in Olinda where there is an iconic monument of a jaguar.
Prá quem quiser
The singer invites everyone who wants to join him.
Canto jackson do pandeiro
The singer is referring to Jackson do Pandeiro, another famous Brazilian musician.
É assim o meu roteiro
The singer is explaining his schedule or plan for the festival.
É assim o meu truque
The singer is using a slang term "truque," which in this case means his method or style of performing.
É mestre ambrósio
The singer is referring to another musician, Mestre Ambrósio.
E o forró pé de calçada
The singer references another famous band famous for playing forró music.
Cascabulho caramada
The singer is mentioning two more bands that play similar music.
Também vem forrofiar
The singer is saying these bands are also coming to dance and play at the festival.
Vou convidar
The singer explains that he is now inviting more musicians to the festival.
Salustiano com a rebeca
The singer is inviting Salustiano, who plays the rebeca, a traditional Brazilian fiddle-like instrument.
Antúlio com a boneca
The singer is inviting Antúlio, who plays a percussion instrument known as "boneca."
Para o forró esquentar
The singer is inviting these musicians to bring more energy and heat to the festival.
No meu forró
The singer is referring to his personal forró party at the festival.
Tem mateus tem catirina
The singer is mentioning two more traditional Brazilian rhythms.
Dona selma e muita rima
The singer is referring to Dona Selma, who is possibly a representative of the Olinda community, and there is a lot of poetic rhyming in his songs.
No coco pra se cantar
The singer is explaining that the music he plays is suitable for singing and dancing the coco rhythm.
Eu vou chamar
The singer is once again inviting more people to his personal forró party.
Pra marcar sua presença
The singer wants these musicians to come and be present at the festival.
Tonheta e alceu valença
The singer is inviting two more musicians to the festival - Tonheta and Alceu Valença (who is the singer himself).
Na pancada do ganzá.
The singer is describing the beat of the ganzá, a Brazilian percussion instrument - to indicate that it will be a lively performance and fun for everyone.
Contributed by Tyler K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.