Elba Ramalho was born in the rural area of Conceição, in Vale do Piancó. In 1962, the family moved to the city of Campina Grande, also in Paraíba. Her father became the owner of the local theater. Daughter of a musician, she became interested in music still as a teenager.
In 1966, she participated, for the first time, in a performance on stage, in the Choir of the Fundação Artística e Cultural Manuel Bandeira, of which she was a member, with "Evocação do Recife". The Manuel Bandeira and Cecília Meireles Talking Choirs gained fame and started to be seen all over the Northeast, and Elba, who made her first presentation on stage together with them, soon became the highlight in the presentations. She starred in the poetic montages of Castro Alves, Thiago de Mello, Lindolfo Bell, Carlos Pena Filho and Figueiredo Agra. He participated in the montages of the plays "Ministro do Supremo" and "Diálogo das Carmelitas."
In 1968, while attending college of Economics and Sociology at the Federal University of Paraíba, she formed the ensemble As Brasas, in which she acted as drummer, which later became a theater group. However, Elba never stopped singing, and performed in several festivals throughout the Northeast.
In 1979, she released her first album, "Ave de Prata", and since then she has consolidated her position as one of the main Brazilian singers in activity. On her father's side, she is a cousin of fellow singer Zé Ramalho.
She has two Latin Grammys for her albums: Qual o Assunto Que Mais Lhe importa?, released in 2008, and Balaio de Amor, 2009, in the category Best Brazilian Roots Album: Regional and Tropical. In over 35 years of career, Elba Ramalho has sold more than 10 million albums. She received from the Art Critics Association of São Paulo the award "Best Show of the Year" on two occasions: in 1989 for the show Popular Brasileira and in 1996 for the show Leão do Norte.
Folia Brasileira
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tem que ter tempero, meu bem
Se agarrar com jeito
Se esfregar direito
Nesse vai e vem
O forró tem que ser agarradinho
Tem que ser no escurinho
Tem que se aproveitar
O forró é uma folia brasileira
Só acaba a brincadeira
Quando o dia clarear
Tem que ter
Perna batendo com perna
Coxa roçando com coxa
No umbigo e no pescoço
Tem que ter
Um roça roça toda hora
Um pra dentro
Outro pra fora
Pra gente sentir o gosto
In Elba Ramalho's song "Folia Brasileira," the lyrics describe the essential elements of a forró dance, a popular Brazilian dance style. The song highlights the importance of having a rhythmic and fluid movement (molejo) and spice (tempero) in the dance. The lyrics emphasize the need for a proper grip and rubbing smoothly against each other in a back and forth motion. The lyrics further describe the essence of the forró dance as a Brazilian revelry that requires intimacy, happening only in the dark, and it only ends when the day breaks.
The song's lyrics encapsulate the culture of forró dance in northeast Brazil, where it originated in the early 20th century. It is a dance genre that can be performed individually, in pairs, or in groups. This song embodies the joy and sensuality that the Brazilian forró is known for; a celebration of life, joy, and sensuality. The essential components of the forró dance- the closeness, the touch, the movement, and the fluidity - are brought to life by the song's lyrics, making it an impactful tribute to the Brazilian folkloric dance culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Tem que ter molejo, meu bem
You gotta have groove, my love
Tem que ter tempero, meu bem
You gotta have flavor, my love
Se agarrar com jeito
Hold each other tight
Se esfregar direito
Rub against each other right
Nesse vai e vem
In this back and forth rhythm
O forró tem que ser agarradinho
Forró has to be tight
Tem que ser no escurinho
It has to be in the dark
Tem que se aproveitar
We gotta make the most of it
O forró é uma folia brasileira
Forró is a Brazilian carnival
Só acaba a brincadeira
The fun only ends
Quando o dia clarear
When the day dawns
Tem que ter
It's gotta have
Perna batendo com perna
Legs clashing with legs
Coxa roçando com coxa
Thighs rubbing against thighs
No umbigo e no pescoço
On the belly button and neck
Tem que ter
It's gotta have
Um roça roça toda hora
A rub rub all the time
Um pra dentro
One goes inside
Outro pra fora
The other goes outside
Pra gente sentir o gosto
So we can feel the taste
Contributed by Colton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jose Abel
Como nós Paraibanos temos orgulho de ter essa deusa diva da música popular brasileira parabéns Elba a Paraíba te ama o nordeste tem muito orgulho de ti muito mais sucesso
Andre Chagas
Viva a Cultura Nordestina!!!!
Nino sport
Elba é top no carnaval do recife.
Adriana Gomes da Silva
Maravilhoso ouvir essa Elba Ramalho não tem melhor coisa de ouvir.
Andre Chagas
Amei a Paraíba!!! Em breve, volto lá!!!!😙😙😙😙
Douglas Vital
eu vi essa música em 86 no Deu rei do meu tio que bom ouvir denovo
Vera Martins
Mas, menina! Não é que tu sabes dizer direitinho o que a gente pensa? "Tem que ter molejo/ Tem que ter "tempero", meu bem..." Senão fica insosso kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
rodrigosmf1
Saudades dos sábados em que ela ia no programa do Chacrinha e eu olhava o programa só para ver ela cantar está música.. eu era criança e não sabia falar direito e chamava ela de égua Ramalho.
DANIEL NOVAIS JR
Já produziu muita coisa boa p música regional. Mudou muito e hj não faz jus da história que construiu.
Maria Eduarda Vianna de Matos
Se me disser que tá livre, vou agora te ver. Fala sério comigo P.S.!