Although his songs celebrate the people of Bahia and he himself is enshrined in the popular Brazilian imagination as the archetypal Bahian, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to find fame in the 1930's and never moved back to Bahia.
He became a contemporary and sometimes rival of composer Ary Barroso and enjoyed a lifelong friendship with Bahian author Jorge Amado. Dorival Caymmi first achieved success in the late 1930s with Carmen Miranda, for whom he composed 'O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?'. He recorded for five decades, both singing solo with his own guitar accompaniment, and backed by bands and orchestras. In the 1960s many of his songs were covered by bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto, and he collaborated with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Among the many musicians heavily influenced by Dorival Caymmi are Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
Dorival Caymmi passed away at age 94 on August 16, 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, of multiple organ failure. He is survived by three children, all of whom are in the prominent musicians: Nana, Danilo and Dori Caymmi.
O samba da minha terra
Dorival Caymmi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quem não gosta de samba bom sujeito não é
É ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé
Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei
e do danado do samba nunca me separei
The lyrics to Dorival Caymmi's song "O samba da minha terra" talk about the power of samba music and its ability to make people dance and feel happy. The first line "Samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole" means "The samba from my land makes us weak." This weakness refers to the physical effect that the rhythm of samba has on people, making them move their bodies and dance. The next line "Quando se canta todo mundo bole" means "When you sing, everyone moves." This line emphasizes the communal aspect of samba, as it brings people together and creates a sense of unity through music.
The next two lines, "Quem não gosta de samba bom sujeito não é, é ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé" mean "Anyone who doesn't like samba is either not a good person, crazy, or has a sick foot." This playful jab at those who don't appreciate samba adds to the overall joyful tone of the song. The last two lines of the song, "Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei e do danado do samba nunca me separei" mean "I was born with samba, I grew up with samba, and I never separated from this damn samba." This line reflects the personal connection that the singer has to samba music and highlights the importance of samba in Brazilian culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
The samba from my homeland makes us feel so joyful and carefree.
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
When people start singing, everyone automatically sways and dances to the rhythm of the samba.
Quem não gosta de samba bom sujeito não é
Anyone who claims to dislike samba cannot be a good person.
É ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé
They could either be mentally unwell or physically sick.
Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei
I was born with samba in my heart and it has been a part of my life ever since.
e do danado do samba nunca me separei
I have never separated myself from this amazing and lively music genre.
Writer(s): Dorival Caymmi Copyright: Edward B Marks Music Company
Contributed by Jayce T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Samba da Minha Terra
Dorival Caymmi
Opções
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
Eu nasci com o samba e no samba me criei
do danado do samba nunca me separei
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quem não gosta do samba bom sujeito não é
Ou é ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei
e do danado do samba nunca me separei
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
quando se canta todo mundo bole, quando se canta todo mundo bole
Elaih MMS
Orgulho da Bahia.. Entidade marinha...voz do povo ...artista nato!!
Fábio Valente Oficial - Samba e Bossa Nova 6 Álbum
Afinidade Álbum - Bossa Nova 🌺 Composer Brazilian Fabio Valente.
Enjoy New Generation Bossa Nova too. Thanks
Flora Maria Gurgel
Que lindo ouvir nosso amado Caymmi
Flora Maria Gurgel
Que lindo ouvir nosso amado Caymmi