The sexy/quirky/mysterious Brazilian Girls were three men -- Didi Gutman (from Argentina) on keyboards and computers, Jesse Murphy on bass, and Aaron Johnston on drums -- and one woman, Sabina Sciubba, the vocalist. Sciubba often enjoys wearing lacy eye masks on-stage and sings in no fewer than five different languages. She was born in Rome but grew up in Nice and Munich before settling in Brooklyn, NY. She first came to record buyers' attention when she recorded two jazz albums -- You Don't Know What Love Is with pianist Chris Anderson and Meet Me in London with guitarist Antonio Forcione -- for the English audiophile label Naim. She described her meeting with the men of Brazilian Girls as "love at first sight and it moved as fast as the Autobahn." Falling into the new, playful downtown scene that was revolving around the Nublu club helped speed the band's success.
Like-minded bands like Wax Poetic and the Nublu Orchestra had made the club the hip spot 2004 for adventurous pop fans and Brazilian Girls' freeform, bouncy kind of jamming fit right in. Soon they had the Saturday night slot at Nublu, and the East Village press had fallen in love with them. Murphy and Johnston made appearances on John Zorn's 2003 album Voices in the Wilderness and every Brazilian Girl contributed to Wax Poetic's sophomore release, the Nublu Sessions, the same year. The Verve Company became interested in the band around this time, thinking them perfect for the more pop and progressive imprint Verve Forecast. In 2004 the label released the Lazy Lover (EP), which included the title track -- a chillout room favorite -- in its original form and in a remix by the quirky house producer Herbert. The group's self-titled, full-length debut Brazilian Girls hit the streets in early 2005. (allmusic.com, 02/06) The band's second album, Talk to La Bomb, was released in September 2006 by Verve Forecast, to mixed reviews.
In 2008, the band released a third album "New York City" - also to mixed reviews. In the interim, singer Sciubba returned to France and had a child. Unfortunately, the band announced in January 2011 that they had broken up.
Nicotine
Brazilian Girls Lyrics
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That was me, that was me
Mm-mm
In the garden, horses, donkey and sheep
Where I've lived, where I've lived
Do re mi
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
Nicotine
It was quiet, and so natural
It was nice, it was nice
Ooh-ooh
Can you see me in the middle of nowhere?
It's still me, it's still me
Do re mi
Sha la la la la
Nicotine
Sha la la la la
Nicotine
You and me
Do re mi
Nicotine
The first verse of the song "Nicotine" by Brazilian Girls starts with an intriguing statement, "If I showed you, you would not believe, that was me, that was me." These lyrics suggest that the singer has gone through a transformation of some sort that may be difficult to comprehend or accept by the listeners. In the second line of the verse, the singer further emphasizes the point with the repetition of "that was me." The next line of the song describes a peaceful setting with horses, donkeys, and sheep in a garden, which is where the singer once lived. The verse ends with the musical scale notes "do re mi" that add a playful and whimsical touch to the lyrics.
The chorus of the song consists of the repetition of the word "nicotine" four times, followed by the notes "sha la la la la" repeated twice. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in cigarettes, and the song's title suggests that it has some relevance to the lyrics. However, the lines in the chorus do not give away any specific meaning and are left open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
If I showed you, you would not believe
The singer is surprised by how much they have changed and grown, and doubts that others would recognize them for who they used to be.
That was me, that was me
Despite their personal growth, the singer is still the same person at their core.
In the garden, horses, donkey and sheep
The singer recalls fond memories of a simpler time and place filled with peaceful surroundings and animals.
Where I've lived, where I've lived
The singer reflects on their past experiences and how they have shaped who they are today.
Do re mi
A playful reference to musical notation, adding a lighthearted feel to the song.
Sha la la la la
Nicotine
The repetition of 'Nicotine' suggests that the singer is addicted to something or someone, and no matter how much they want to break free, they keep coming back.
It was quiet, and so natural
The singer was at peace during this particular moment or time period.
It was nice, it was nice
The singer enjoyed their experiences and wishes they could go back to that time.
Ooh-ooh
An expression of joy or fondness for the memories being recalled.
Can you see me in the middle of nowhere?
The singer is reflecting on how far they have come and how they ended up where they are now, feeling somewhat lost.
It's still me, it's still me
Despite the changes they have undergone, the singer knows that they are still the same person at their core.
You and me
Do re mi
Nicotine
The repeated use of 'Nicotine' again suggests that the subject of the addiction is other people, and that the singer cannot help but be drawn back even when they know it is not good for them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON JOHNSTON, DIDI GUTMAN, JESSE YUSEF MURPHY, SABINA SCIUBBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind