In 1966 she represented Brazil together with Paulinho da Viola, Elizeth Cardoso, and Elton Medeiros at the Black Arts Festival in Dakar and Senegal. In the same year she performed at the Cecília Meireles Hall (in Rio) José Maria Neves' Missa de São Benedito, for tamba (Hélcio Milito) and voice. Also in that year she recorded her first individual LP, Clementina de Jesus. Together with Pixinguinha and João da Baiana, she participated in the album Gente da Antiga, produced by Odeon in 1968. In the same year she also appeared on the LP Mudando de Conversa, a recording of the show of the same name, along with Ciro Monteiro and Nora Ney, produced at the Teatro Santa Rosa (Rio de Janeiro). In 1970 she had another LP released, Clementina Cadê Você?, edited by the Museu da Imagem e do Som (Sound and Image Museum, Rio de Janeiro), with corimás, jongos, modas, and sambas. In 1973 she had thrombosis, but five months later recorded the LP Marinheiro Só, which had songs by Paulinho da Viola and adaptations of popular songs like "Fui Pedir Às Almas Santas," "Atraca, Atraca," and "Incelença." In that year she also participated in Milton Nascimento's Milagre dos Peixes, recording "Escravo de Jó" (Milton Nascimento/Fernando Brant). In 1982 she was paid tribute by the Lins Imperial samba school, with the play Clementina -- Uma Rainha Negra. In the next year she recorded with Doca and Geraldo Filme the LP Canto dos Escravos, in which she interpreted slave songs from Minas Gerais collected by the researcher Aires da Mata Machado Filho. In 1985 she recorded Clementina e Convidados, which had her composition "Laçador" (co-written by Catoni). The album also had as guests Clara Nunes, João Bosco, Roberto Ribeiro, Martinho da Vila, Ivone Lara, Adoniram Barbosa, and Carlinhos Vergueiro. De Jesus also performed live with Nelson Cavaquinho in São Paulo, upstate Rio de Janeiro, and in Curitiba, Paraná. Her last live performance was in 1987 at the Teatro Carlos Gomes (Rio de Janeiro).
Sai De Baixo
Clementina De Jesus Lyrics
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Senão eu vou passar por cima
Sai da frente
Senão eu vou atropelar
Quando chega
A hora da batucada
Eu saio na disparada
Prá não perder meu lugar(x2)
Filho de batuqueiro
Cambono de orixá
Na batucada vida
Sou o primeiro a sambar
Quando o galo cantou
A lua dormiu
Madrugada chorou
E a polícia não viu
Sai de baixo
Senão eu vou passar por cima
Sai da frente
Senão eu vou atropelar
Quando chega
A hora da batucada
Eu saio na disparada
Prá não perder meu lugar(x2)
Filho de batuqueiro
Cambono de orixá
Na batucada da vida
Sou o primeiro a sambar
Quando o galo cantou
A lua dormiu
Madrugada chorou
E a polícia não viu
A polícia civil
Sai de baixo
Senão eu vou passar por cima
Sai da frente
Senão eu vou atropelar
Quando chega
A hora da batucada
Eu saio na disparada
Prá não perder meu lugar(x2)
The lyrics of "Sai De Baixo" by Clementina De Jesus talk about the thrill of the batucada, a style of samba featuring percussion instruments played by groups of musicians. The first stanza warns everyone to get out of the way or else they will be run over because when the batucada starts, Clementina wants to make sure she has a good spot to dance. The following stanza talks about her identity as a child of a batuqueiro (someone who plays the batucada) and cambono de orixá (someone who assists in rituals of Afro-Brazilian religions). She is proud to be the first one to start dancing in the batucada and relishes in the secrecy of the early morning hours when the moon is asleep and the police aren't around. The chorus repeats this message of urgency to make room for Clementina because once the batucada starts, she will not stop for anyone.
The song is a celebration of the Afro-Brazilian tradition of the batucada and honors the role of the batuqueiro and cambono de orixá in that tradition. Clementina De Jesus, who was known for preserving and promoting Afro-Brazilian music, gives voice to the excitement and energy of the batucada through her lyrics. The song showcases the importance of dancing and music in Brazilian culture and the power it holds to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Sai de baixo
Get out of my way
Senão eu vou passar por cima
Or else I will run you over
Sai da frente
Move away from me
Senão eu vou atropelar
Or else I will run you over
Quando chega
When the time comes
A hora da batucada
The time of the drumming
Eu saio na disparada
I run quickly to get there
Prá não perder meu lugar(x2)
So I don't lose my spot
Filho de batuqueiro
Son of a drummer
Cambono de orixá
Servant of the orixás (African deities)
Na batucada vida
In my life of drumming
Sou o primeiro a sambar
I am the first one to dance samba
Quando o galo cantou
When the rooster crowed
A lua dormiu
The moon went to sleep
Madrugada chorou
The dawn cried
E a polícia não viu
And the police didn't see
Sai de baixo
Get out of my way
Senão eu vou passar por cima
Or else I will run you over
Sai da frente
Move away from me
Senão eu vou atropelar
Or else I will run you over
Quando chega
When the time comes
A hora da batucada
The time of the drumming
Eu saio na disparada
I run quickly to get there
Prá não perder meu lugar(x2)
So I don't lose my spot
Contributed by Sarah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.