Brazilian Girls' music incorporates bits of reggae, electronica, jazz, boss… Read Full Bio ↴Brazilian Girls' music incorporates bits of reggae, electronica, jazz, bossa nova, and various other influences. Despite their name, no one in the band is Brazilian.

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.

Problem
Brazilian Girls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Better start crying over my dead body
Life without a ride just don't feel the same
Come up short
You're on the streets of NYC
They hung my friend smiling just an hour ago

I've got a problem
What you do last night

I've got a problem
You've got everything

It's all in your head
You're gonna be dead

Miniature dog mother mary shrine
You're up in the air
Yeah you gonna be fine
Who's behind the wheel
I don't know

Back of the truck just go go go

I've got a problem ecc

Overall Meaning

The opening stanza of Brazilian Girls' song "Problem" portrays a sense of melancholic detachment. The mention of the singer having to cry over their dead body indicates that they have accepted their eventual demise, perhaps due to being unable to cope with the mundanity of life without excitement. The reference to a "ride" being the key element to life could be interpreted as a desire for adventure or spontaneity. However, the following line, "Come up short," hints at the possibility of financial struggles or failed aspirations. The mention of being on the streets of New York City also highlights an urban lifestyle that is likely characterized by harsh realities. The second part of the stanza is where the gloomy atmosphere is intensified. The singer's friend has been executed, yet the murderers were smiling. This event further emphasizes the precariousness of life and the fragility of relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Better start crying over my dead body
If you don't appreciate me or recognize my worth, it's not worth grieving over me when I'm gone.

Life without a ride just don't feel the same
When you're used to a certain lifestyle or level of comfort, it's hard to go back to something less.

Come up short
Not having enough or failing to meet expectations.

You're on the streets of NYC
Thrown in the middle of chaos and danger without any support or protection.

They hung my friend smiling just an hour ago
Life can be unpredictable and ruthless, even taking away someone you care about without warning or explanation.

I've got a problem
There's something troubling me that I need to address.

What you do last night
I want to know what's been going on with you and what actions you've taken recently.

You've got everything
Seemingly having it all can still leave one feeling empty or unfulfilled.

It's all in your head
Your thoughts and perceptions create your reality, for better or for worse.

You're gonna be dead
Life is short and death is inevitable, so don't waste your time and energy on insignificant things.

Miniature dog mother mary shrine
An unusual and possibly ironic combination of objects or ideas that serves as a symbol for something else.

You're up in the air
Feeling uncertain or unstable, unsure of where you're headed next.

Yeah you gonna be fine
Everything will work out in the end, even if it doesn't seem that way in the moment.

Who's behind the wheel
Who's in control of the situation or decision-making process?

I don't know
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we simply don't have all the answers.

Back of the truck just go go go
Sometimes you just have to keep moving forward and not dwell on the past or what's behind you.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DIDI GUTMAN, AARON JOHNSTON, JESSE YUSEF MURPHY, SABINA SCIUBBA, JASON DARLING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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