Carvalho was raised in a middle-class family in Rio de Janeiro's South Zone. Her father, João Francisco Leal de Carvalho, was a lawyer. She grew up influenced by different types of music. Her father used to take her to samba school rehearsals, and her mother was a lover of classical music who encouraged her to become a ballerina. She started playing the guitar as a teenager, and got involved with the emerging Bossa Nova movement, winning a nationwide song contest on TV at the age of 19. Her first record was 1968's "Andança", carrying the song of the same name to victory in a larger festival, which brought her to prominence. Although she started her career with Bossa Nova, that was an ephemeral phase which lasted less than one year. Beth started dedicating herself entirely to samba just as her fame began, working with legendary composers such as Nelson Sargento.
Carvalho is a very important artist in the history of samba, as she has celebrated and brought the spotlight to the work of legendary composers such as Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho & Guilherme de Brito when they weren't receiving the attention they deserved. Almost all of her records have songs by these composers, among other legendary sambistas such as Nelson Sargento and the Old Guard of Portela. Her samba school is Mangueira, but that didn't stop her from recording dozens of songs from composers of Portela, the other great traditional samba school in Rio.
Later, in the late 1970s and early 80's, Beth helped bring to the public the work of other rising pagode artists from Cacique de Ramos, such as Almir Guineto, Jorge Aragão and the Fundo de Quintal group. Then, in 1983, she introduced Zeca Pagodinho who would become the major samba name of the 90's. Carvalho always tried to bring underrated composers the recognition they deserve, and she is regarded as madrinha do samba (the godmother of samba). She was a driving force in the modernization of samba in the 80s, and at the same time rejected commercial pop trends in samba arrangements, preserving tradition.
In the 1990s, Beth's popularity wasn't the strongest, but she was always popular. She recorded an album dedicated to the samba from São Paulo, rejecting the famous axiom that São Paulo is the grave of samba. In 1998 she recorded an album dedicated entirely to the pagode classics, Pérolas do Pagode (Pagode Pearls).
In the new millennium, Beth working more than ever, released CDs and DVDs. With a career that spans 40 years, she is a historical figure in Brazilian culture, and recognized as the female sambista with the most substantial opus in Brazil, without diminishing other, younger stars such as Clara Nunes and Daniela Mercury.
Trivia
Beth is a known supporter of both the Botafogo and Clube Atlético Mineiro football teams
Beth is one of the main personalities of the samba school Mangueira
Beth had a variety of hits in the 1970s, with her 1979 song Coisinha Do Pai being one of her biggest hits. The song was inserted into the Mars Pathfinder.
Her social music often concerns the poor and the Indigenous peoples in Brazil.
Bar da neguinha
Beth Carvalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na praia de Maria Angu
Tinha gente de todo lugar
Foi o maior sururu
Tinha gente de todo lugar
Foi o maior sururu
Tomei cana pra abrir o apetite
No meio do povo vi gente da elite
Forrando a mesa com jornal
Na TV preto e branco num canto
O Brasil fez um gol ninguém viu
Enrolaram na antena
Um pedaço de Bombril
Encostei num cigarro aceso
Derrubei o petisco no chão
E pedi pra neguinha
Fritar mais camarão
Pode fritar
Que a turma do do samba já tá pra chegar
E eu também tô querendo camarão
Frita logo um montão
Convidei o Hélio Turco, Alvinho e Jurandir
Comprido e Carlos Cachaça
Nelson Sargento chamou Dona Zica
Marrom, Dona Neuma e Lecy
Jamelão já estava presente
Com Delegado, Elmo e Xangô
Quando o Chico ligou pro Darci e falou
Também vou
Pode fritar
Que a minha Mangueira acabou de chegar
E eu também tô querendo camarão
Frita logo um montão
Fui no bar da neguinha comer camarão
Na praia de Maria Angu
Tinha gente de todo lugar
Foi o maior sururu
Tinha gente de todo lugar
Foi o maior sururu
Tomei cana pra abrir o apetite
Espremi limão no bacalhau
No meio do povo vi gente da elite
Forrando a mesa com jornal
Na TV preto e branco num canto
O Brasil fez um gol ninguém viu
Enrolaram na antena
Um pedaço de Bombril
Encostei num cigarro aceso
Derrubei o petisco no chão
E pedi pra neguinha
Fritar mais camarão
Pode fritar
Que a turma do do samba já tá pra chegar
E eu também tô querendo camarão
Frita logo um montão
Convidei o Hélio Turco, Alvinho e Jurandir
Comprido e Carlos Cachaça
Nelson Sargento chamou Dona Zica
Marrom, Dona Neuma e Lecy
Jamelão já estava presente
Com Delegado, Elmo e Xangô
Quando o Chico ligou pro Darci e falou
Também vou
Pode fritar
Que a minha Mangueira acabou de chegar
E eu também tô querendo camarão
Frita logo um montão
The song "Bar da Neguinha" by Beth Carvalho is a vivid depiction of a day spent at a little bar called Neguinha's, located on the beach of Maria Angu. The singer starts by saying that he went to the bar to eat some shrimp, and the place was packed with people from many different places, creating a big commotion. To increase his appetite, he drank sugarcane juice and squeezed some lemon on his codfish. He then notices some high-class people covering the table with a newspaper and sees the Brazil team score a goal on a small black and white TV. In a moment of distraction, he accidentally drops his food while smoking a cigarette and shamelessly asks Neguinha to fry more shrimp.
As the song progresses, the singer invites some of his friends to join him at the bar, including famous samba musicians Hélio Turco, Alvinho, and Jurandir, as well as important figures in Brazil's samba scene, such as Carlos Cachaça, Nelson Sargento, and Jamelão. As they arrive, they all eagerly request Neguinha to prepare more and more shrimp, satiating their hunger and bringing joy to the crowded and lively bar.
The lyrics of "Bar da Neguinha" celebrate the simple pleasures of life, such as enjoying good food, sharing moments with friends, and embracing the vibrant culture of Brazil's samba scene. It creates an immersive atmosphere, where the listener can imagine themselves in the bar, surrounded by people from all walks of life, all brought together by good company and excellent food.
Line by Line Meaning
Fui no bar da neguinha comer camarão
I went to the bar run by Neguinha to eat some shrimp
Na praia de Maria Angu
It was at Maria Angu beach
Tinha gente de todo lugar
People from all over were there
Foi o maior sururu
It was a huge commotion
Tomei cana pra abrir o apetite
I drank sugarcane juice to whet my appetite
Espremi limão no bacalhau
I squeezed some lemon on the codfish
No meio do povo vi gente da elite
I saw members of the elite amidst the people
Forrando a mesa com jornal
They were covering the table with newspapers
Na TV preto e branco num canto
There was a black and white TV in a corner
O Brasil fez um gol ninguém viu
Brazil scored a goal that no one saw
Enrolaram na antena
They wrapped some wire around the antenna
Um pedaço de Bombril
Using a piece of steel wool
Encostei num cigarro aceso
I accidentally leaned on a lit cigarette
Derrubei o petisco no chão
I dropped my appetizer on the ground
E pedi pra neguinha fritar mais camarão
So I asked Neguinha to fry some more shrimp for me
Pode fritar
Go ahead and fry them
Que a turma do do samba já tá pra chegar
The samba group is coming soon
E eu também tô querendo camarão
And I'm also wanting shrimp
Frita logo um montão
Just fry up a whole bunch
Convidei o Hélio Turco, Alvinho e Jurandir
I invited Hélio Turco, Alvinho, and Jurandir
Comprido e Carlos Cachaça
Comprido and Carlos Cachaça were invited too
Nelson Sargento chamou Dona Zica
Nelson Sargento called Dona Zica
Marrom, Dona Neuma e Lecy
Marrom, Dona Neuma, and Lecy were also invited
Jamelão já estava presente
Jamelão was already there
Com Delegado, Elmo e Xangô
Delegado, Elmo, and Xangô were also there
Quando o Chico ligou pro Darci e falou
When Chico called Darci and said
Também vou
I'm also coming
Que a minha Mangueira acabou de chegar
The members of my Mangueira samba school have just arrived
E eu também tô querendo camarão
And I'm also wanting shrimp
Frita logo um montão
Just fry up a whole bunch
Writer(s): Flavinho Silva, Adilson Ribeiro Passos
Contributed by Nicholas W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
valter serafim
Playlista da quarentena 31-03-2020 Batucada de responsa sempre, #banjo de Arlindo e #cavaquinho do Diniz ,, magos !!!
Ivanildo Alexandre
Nunca nunca comentei sobre essa grande cantora brasileira mais sempre curti e admirei o seu talento e hoje o Brasil perdeu uma excelente cantora o mundo da música ficou mais pobre
Anderson Elidio
Eu queria morar nesse samba
Leonice Lima de Oliveira
Maravilha de música
Adriano Silva
Boa semana Adriano António da silva Deus abençoe você e sua família música Boa
Adriano Silva
Música Boa abração para todos Jardim limoeiro
Diogo Vicente
conheci o trabalho dela com ese cd histórico o beth te amo
Márcio Trinta
Vai deixar saudade🙏😞
Maestro Ricardo Oliveira
Sucesso Beth......
Rosana Mendes
Só bebendoooo tu é doido 👏👏👏👏👏🙌