At the age of seven, Bebel made an appearance on her mother's first solo album Miúcha. At age nine, Bebel performed with her mother and jazz saxophonist Stan Getz at a jazz festival in New York's Carnegie Hall. Back in Brazil, Bebel performed and recorded for the soundtrack of the children's musical Os Saltimbancos, written by Sergio Bardotti and Chico Buarque. Later on Bebel joined an experimental theatrical group and was a member of the founding team of the performance space Circo Voador (Flying Circus) at Ipanema Beach. In this group she met singer/songwriter Cazuza, who became a close friend and soon a major rock star in Brazil during the 1980s.
Throughout the 1990s, Bebel collaborated with a variety of musical stars such as Arto Lindsay, Thievery Corporation, David Byrne, Towa Tei, Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque. In 1996 Bebel was featured in the AIDS charity project Red Hot + Rio, produced by her close friend and collaborator Béco Dranoff. By the mid 1990s, Bebel also had successes as songwriter with the international dance hits "Technova" and "Batucada" in collaboration with producers Towa Tei and Arto Lindsay.
Bebel was featured on the soundtrack of Brad Anderson's film Next Stop Wonderland with Vinicius Cantuária and Mauro Refosco. In the late 1990s, Bebel moved to London where she began to develop the sound featured on her critically acclaimed debut album Tanto Tempo. During this period, she met Suba, the multi-talented Serbian producer living in São Paulo who ended up writing and producing several tracks on Tanto Tempo. While in London, she also worked with DJ/producer Amon Tobin, Dutch duo Arling & Cameron and singer Nina Miranda.
In 2000, Bebel's Tanto Tempo album was released on Ziriguiboom (Crammed Discs sub-label) and has sold over one million copies worldwide. The album was also nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards. Her second album, Bebel Gilberto (2004), was also released to great critical acclaim, receiving a MOBO Award in the UK and also a World Music Grammy nomination.
Also in 2006, Bebel started writing and producing the songs that would become part of her third album Momento, released in April 2007. On this album, Bebel collaborated with UK producer Guy Sigsworth, her friends Didi Gutman and Sabina Sciubba (from NY based band Brazilian Girls) and the Rio based Orquestra Imperial.
Gilberto's most recent album, All In One, was released in the US in September 2009 by jazz imprint Verve.
Bananeira
Bebel Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
The best way to see it
Banana tree I don't know
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
Maybe deep in the backyard
Backyard of your stare
The stare from the heart
Banana tree I don't know
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
That's up to you
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree?
The lyrics of Bebel Gilberto's "Bananeira" may seem simple and repetitive at first glance. However, upon closer examination, there is a deeper meaning behind the words. The song is essentially questioning the perspective that we use to view the world around us. The repeated phrase "Banana tree I don't know, banana tree maybe, banana tree I don't know, the best way to see it" suggests that there is no one correct way to look at things. We often approach situations with preconceived notions and biases, but the song is suggesting that we take a step back and look at things from different angles. It's encouraging us to embrace the uncertainty of life and see things in different ways rather than just sticking to our own limited perspective.
The lines "Maybe deep in the backyard, backyard of your stare, the stare from the heart" further reinforce this idea of looking at things in different ways. Our "backyard" is often our internal world, our thoughts, and emotions. The "stare from the heart" suggests that we should approach things with empathy and understanding, rather than just relying on what we see on the surface.
Overall, "Bananeira" is a call to embrace uncertainty and approach life with an open mind and heart. The repetition of the phrase "banana tree" serves as a reminder that there are always multiple ways to view things and that we should embrace that uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Banana tree I don't know
The singer is unsure of the banana tree's true nature or significance.
Banana tree maybe
The possibility exists that the banana tree has some meaning or significance.
Banana tree I don't know
Again, the singer expresses uncertainty about the true nature of the banana tree.
The best way to see it
Despite not knowing what the banana tree may or may not symbolize, the singer suggests that the best way to understand it is through careful observation and contemplation.
Banana tree I don't know
The singer reiterates her lack of knowledge regarding the banana tree.
Banana tree maybe
Once again, the possibility exists that the banana tree has some deeper significance.
Banana tree I don't know
The singer again expresses her uncertainty about the banana tree.
That's up to you
Ultimately, the interpretation and importance of the banana tree is left up to the individual listener to determine.
Maybe deep in the backyard
The singer suggests that the true meaning of the banana tree may be hidden or obscured in the depths of one's subconscious, much like a tree in the backyard that is not immediately visible.
Backyard of your stare
The metaphorical backyard is linked to the 'stare from the heart,' which may refer to deep, introspective thought or feeling.
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree
Repetition of the phrase emphasizes the importance of the banana tree as a symbol or concept to be contemplated and explored.
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree?
The song ends with a question, suggesting that the exploration of the banana tree's relevance and meaning is ongoing and unresolved.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gilberto Moreira, Joao Neto, Joao Donato De Oliveira Neto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@eliasblack4724
Nossa trabalhei nesse cenario eu era tão novo ......
@gabrielmoraes9915
Música oficial das festas bicho grilo na minha cidade
@marcelosilva8213
Agora que eu estou conhecedo agora depois que ela pisou na bandeira
@raym.654
Linda, Bebel. A cara do Rio de Janeiro, o verdadeiro Rio e nao essa poluiçao musical que temos hoje.
@lopsomulor6332
para uma música 'ao vivo' sem barulho nenhum de fundo sendo que está um mar em ondas ao fundo..
@TheGobylandia
Bebel é sensacional, o que é essa desenvoltura ? Simplesmente maravilhosa como tem que ser , sem contar que timbre de voz delicado
@luizaandradeluzak
💗❤️💗 canta muito bem 😍 música alegre e bonita!
@calebemonteiro3116
Venha fazer uma visita aí Brasil e pisar em nosso solo.
A bandeira vai adorar lhe ver.
@scottyspliffen7421
I know there’s a original of this jam it’s awesome and this version is equally amazing! I don’t know the lyrics but I rock the fuck out every time this Jam plays! Much love from the states 🇺🇸 wish I lived in brasil or pretty much any where away from the states!
@madhurimate6083
I am going to travel to see her perform, once in my life