Alcione (Alcione Nazaré, São Luís, Maranhão, November 21, 1947) also known … Read Full Bio ↴Alcione (Alcione Nazaré, São Luís, Maranhão, November 21, 1947) also known as Marrom (brownie) is one of the most successful female sambists in Brazil who first claimed international recognition in the late 1970s, and has had 19 gold records and two platinum records.

Alcione was introduced to the traditional Brazilian music by her father. He was a military musician who worked as the conductor of the corps marching band. At the age of thirteen, she was already able to give vocal performance in college parties. At this same age, she began to study clarinet, and then learnt to play the trumpet.

At age 20 Alcione moved to Rio de Janeiro. There she worked at the city's TV Excelsior, and later went on tour in Argentina and Chile for four months. On returning to Brazil, she settled in São Paulo, working in nightclub and making appearances on television. In 1970, she started her two-year tour in Europe, performing as a vocalist and a trumpet artist.

In 1972, when back to Brazil, Alcione recorded her first single. The following year, she traveled to sing in Mexico and, in 1974, Portugal, where she recorded her first full-length album. In 1975 Alcione released her LP, A Voz do Samba, which achieved gold sales status and featured several hit tracks. The most successful songs were Não Deixe o Samba Morrer, written by Edson and Aloiso, and O Surdo, written by Totonho/Paulinho Resende.

In the late 1970s, Nazaré became well-known as a samba artist and achieved international recognition. She recorded Alerta Geral for Philips Records and, in 1978, released this album, the title of which was taken from a television show that Alcione had hosted on TV Globo for two years. Following its success, Alcione continued to release several other full-length albums in late 1970s and early 1980s, including her self-titled album.

In 1997, Alcione signed with Universal Records, subsequently releasing a label debut named Valeu, through Polygram the next year. This was followed by Celebração that same year, and Claridade---Uma Homenagem A Clara Nunes in 1999. In December 2002 Alcione was recognized for playing an important part in founding the Paraíso School of Samba in London, England. She also helped organizing and preparing the stage for a British version of the Carnival Brasil, Paraíso dos Orixás (Brazil, Paradise of the Gods). In 2003, her 2002 album, Ao Vivo, received the Best Samba/Pagode Album Award at fourth Latin Grammy Award ceremony.

She has interpreted several hits such as Não deixe o samba morrer, Lá vem você, Gostoso veneno and Ilha da maré.

On July 7, 2007 she performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth in Rio de Janeiro.

Obrigado Bateria
Alcione Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Eia! Eia!
Eia, minha bateria
Eia! Eia!
Deus lhe dê bastante harmonia

Minha bateria obrigado
Pela força que você me deu
Não fosse você esse meu samba

Não seria nada e nem eu
Que beleza, que exibição
Você fez do meu samba campeão

Eia! Eia!
Eia, minha bateria
Eia! Eia!
Deus lhe dê bastante harmonia

Rezo pra você a todo instante
Deus lhe dê bastante empolgação
Lá na avenida no desfile principal
Você faça um grande carnaval

Que seu surdo bata com a mesma emoção
Que vai dentro do meu coração

Overall Meaning

Alcione's song "Obrigado Bateria" is a dedication to the bateria, the percussion ensemble that propels the samba music of Brazil. The song is a tribute to the power and beauty of the bateria, and its importance to the singer and the culture of samba. The opening call and response chants of "Eia! Eia!" are a traditional way of invoking spiritual energy and excitement, and in this case, they are directed at the bateria, asking for its rhythmic power to be unleashed.

Throughout the song, Alcione thanks the bateria for the support and inspiration it has provided her, and acknowledges that without it, her samba, and she herself, would be nothing. She celebrates the "beleza" (beauty) and "exibição" (display) that the bateria brings to her music, making it a "campeão" (champion). She also prays for the bateria to have the energy and passion to create a "grande carnaval" (great carnival) during the big parade, and to match the emotion that she feels in her heart.

Overall, "Obrigado Bateria" is a song of gratitude and reverence for a vital component of samba music and culture, and a testament to the deep emotional and spiritual connection that exists between the bateria and the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Eia! Eia!
An expression of joy and excitement

Eia, minha bateria
Oh, my drum section

Deus lhe dê bastante harmonia
May God give you plenty of harmony

Minha bateria obrigado
My drum section, thank you

Pela força que você me deu
For the strength you gave me

Não fosse você esse meu samba
Without you, my samba

Não seria nada e nem eu
Would be nothing, neither would I

Que beleza, que exibição
What beauty, what a performance

Você fez do meu samba campeão
You made my samba a champion

Rezo pra você a todo instante
I pray for you all the time

Deus lhe dê bastante empolgação
May God give you plenty of excitement