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.
Tom de Voz
Bebel Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
nós sabemos que um tanto de cada é o outro
caminho assim
não volta atrás
meu barco navega onde eu vou você vai na onda
Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
Olha a gente tão perto, olha o quarto, olha o quanto passou
nós sabemos que um tanto de cada é o outro
não volta atrás.
Meu barco navega onda eu vou você vai na onda
Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
O olha distraído esperando é travesso e me atrai
a risada é tão franca que eu choro na cama
lembrar de ti me leva ao cais
Eu busco na praia o presente que você mandou
Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
O nosso amor foi bom demais.
The lyrics of Bebel Gilberto's "Tom de Voz" speak of the closeness between two people who have been through a lot together, with an understanding that they are each other's support. They have had their ups and downs but have chosen to continue on their journey together, navigating life's waves. The singer's partner has a calming effect on her with just the sound of their voice, making her feel at peace. The sight of him excites her and draws her in, with even his laughter bringing her to tears. She longingly remembers the time they spent together and the love that they shared, acknowledging that it was a beautiful thing that they experienced.
The song's lyrics are a testament to the present and past of a relationship, with the singer acknowledging that they have gone through a lot together. The imagery of sailing on waves is used to represent the ups and downs that they have experienced together. The simple act of the partner's voice soothing the singer is an intimate, tender way of expressing the closeness between the two, which is emphasized throughout the song. Finally, the remembrance of the love that they shared and the longing for it again leaves the listener with a sense of nostalgia, reminding them of the powerful emotions that a relationship can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Olha a gente tão perto, olha o quarto, olha o quanto passou
We are so close, just look at this room and how much time has passed. We know that each moment is intertwined with the other, and our path together cannot be reversed.
nós sabemos que um tanto de cada é o outro caminho assim não volta atrás
We both understand that every experience we share is woven into our journey together, and that there is no turning back on this path.
meu barco navega onde eu vou você vai na onda Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
I navigate the waves of life, and you are always there with me. Your voice brings me peace and reassurance.
Olha a gente tão perto, olha o quarto, olha o quanto passou nós sabemos que um tanto de cada é o outro caminho assim não volta atrás.
We are still so close, and even though time has passed, we know that each experience we share leads us forward on this path together, with no going back.
Meu barco navega onde eu vou você vai na onda Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
My life moves forward, and you are always there with me, helping me navigate the waves of life. Your voice continues to bring me comfort and contentment.
O olha distraído esperando é travesso e me atrai a risada é tão franca que eu choro na cama lembrar de ti me leva ao cais
When I see you looking at me playfully, it makes my heart race. Your laughter is so genuine that it brings tears to my eyes. Thinking of you takes me back to the dock where we first met.
Eu busco na praia o presente que você mandou Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
I search the beach for the gift you sent me, as your voice continues to bring me peace and happiness.
O nosso amor foi bom demais.
Our love was truly magical and unforgettable.
Contributed by Julian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paula Priscila
Olha gente tão perto, olha o quarto
Olha o quanto passou
Nós sabemos que um tanto de cada é outro
Caminho assim, não volta atrás
Meu barco navega onde eu vou você vai, na onda
Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
Um olhar distraído esperando é travesso e me atrai
A risada é tão franca que eu choro na cama
Lembrar de ti, me leva ao cais
Eu busco na praia o presente que você mandou
Seu tom de voz me deixa em paz
O nosso amor foi bom demais