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.
Tranquilo
Bebel Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Levo a vida tranquilo
Não tenho medo do mundo
Não vou me preocuper
Tranquilo
Não tenho medo da morte
Não vou me precuper
Que passe por mim a doença
Que passe por mim a maldade,
A mentira e a falta de crença
Que passe por mim olho grande
Que passe por mim a má sorte
Que passe por mim a inveja,
A discórdia e a ignorância
Tranquilo
Levo a vida tranquilo
Não tenho medo do mundo
Não vou me preocuper
Que me passe
A doença que me passe
A pobreza que me passe
A maldade que me passe
Que me passe
Olho grande que me passe
A inveja que me passe
A tristeza da guerra
The lyrics to Bebel Gilberto's "Tranquilo" speak to a sense of inner peace and calmness amidst the chaos and challenges of life. The refrain "Tranquilo" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the artist's commitment to not worrying about the world, even in the face of illness, poverty, and other negative forces. The verses describe a willingness to let these things pass by, rather than getting caught up in them.
The imagery used in the song is particularly striking, with references to the "evil eye" or "olho grande" and the "sadness of war." This suggests that the song is not just about personal, individual tranquility, but also speaks to a larger sense of societal anxiety and unrest. By refusing to be affected by these negative forces, the artist suggests that it is possible to achieve a state of inner peace that transcends circumstances.
Overall, "Tranquilo" is a powerful and inspiring song that encourages listeners to let go of their worries and embrace a sense of peace and calmness. It is a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, it is possible to find serenity.
Line by Line Meaning
Tranquilo
I am calm and relaxed
Levo a vida tranquilo
I live my life in peace
Não tenho medo do mundo
I am not afraid of the world
Não vou me preocupar
I won't worry
Tranquilo
I am calm and relaxed
Não tenho medo da morte
I am not afraid of death
Não vou me preocupar
I won't worry
Que passe por mim a doença
Let disease pass by me
Que passe por mim a pobreza
Let poverty pass by me
Que passe por mim a maldade,
Let wickedness pass by me
A mentira e a falta de crença
Let falsehood and lack of faith pass by me
Que passe por mim olho grande
Let envy pass by me
Que passe por mim a má sorte
Let bad luck pass by me
Que passe por mim a inveja,
Let jealousy pass by me
A discórdia e a ignorância
Let discord and ignorance pass by me
Tranquilo
I am calm and relaxed
Levo a vida tranquilo
I live my life in peace
Não tenho medo do mundo
I am not afraid of the world
Não vou me preocupar
I won't worry
Que me passe
Let it pass by me
A doença que me passe
Let disease pass by me
A pobreza que me passe
Let poverty pass by me
A maldade que me passe
Let wickedness pass by me
Que me passe
Let it pass by me
Olho grande que me passe
Let envy pass by me
A inveja que me passe
Let jealousy pass by me
A tristeza da guerra
Let the sadness of war pass by me
Contributed by Julian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Clamchucker
There are no words to describe the beauty of this performance. Perfection!
Greg D
sure there are, just not in English ;)
Melissa Calix
Perfecta para olvidarse de los problemas!! Amo esta canción transmite paz 💖 maravillosa Bebel Gilberto.
Jacinto Quinonez
Exquisita💚
Junior Bressan
tranquilo
levo a vida, tranquilo
não tenho medo do mundo
não tenho medo do mundo
não vou me preocupar
não vou me preocupar... <3
STAVROS STAVROS
Talento nato e perfeição.
Nilewaters
I love this music.
Justwantahover
Love bossa, I build speakers.
Murilo Vischi
M-A-N-T-R-A!
Erica Karina Silva
Meu mantra!