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.
Na Base Da Chinela
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nunca vi coisa tão boa
Foi na base da chinela
O sujeito ia chegando tirava logo o sapato
Se tivesse de botina sola grossa bico chato
Entrava pra dançar no baile da Gabriela
Tirando meia e sapato
O baile estava animado só na base da chinela
Toda turma disputava dançar com a Gabriela
Requebrar naquela base no salão só tinha ela
Todos convidados riam
Gostando da base dela
Jogaram no salão pimenta bem machucada
O baile da Gabriela acabou com chinelada
Home numa pisada dessa eu vou
Até amanhecer dia
Só nessa base a chinelinha no chão
The lyrics of Elba Ramalho's song "Na Base Da Chinela" depict a lively dance party at Gabriela's house, where people ditch their shoes for a more comfortable pair of flip-flops ("chinela"). The party is so good, that the participants find themselves dancing until dawn only on the basis of flip-flop sounds. The lyrics are an ode to simplicity and joy in the midst of a modest event. The dance party, characterized by stripped-down attire and a visceral rhythm, is a contrast to the glamorous, more refined events of the upper classes.
The lyrics highlight the fact that it isn't about what you wear or how you look, but about being present and enjoying the moment. The imagery of people throwing pepper on the dance floor only to end the party with slaps of flip-flops humorously underscores the song's message. This song inspires people to get rid of their inhibitions and truly let loose, to embrace simplicity over extravagance.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu fui dançar um baile na casa da Gabriela
I went to dance at Gabriela's house
Nunca vi coisa tão boa
I've never seen anything so good
Foi na base da chinela
It was all done with flip-flops
O sujeito ia chegando tirava logo o sapato
The guys would arrive and take off their shoes right away
Se tivesse de botina sola grossa bico chato
If they had thick-soled boots with pointed toes
Entrava pra dançar no baile da Gabriela
They would enter to dance at Gabriela's party
Tirando meia e sapato
Taking off socks and shoes
Calçando par de chinela
Putting on a pair of flip-flops
O baile estava animado só na base da chinela
The party was lively, all done with flip-flops
Toda turma disputava dançar com a Gabriela
Everyone wanted to dance with Gabriela
Requebrar naquela base no salão só tinha ela
She was the only one moving to the beat on the dance floor
Todos convidados riam
All guests laughed
Gostando da base dela
Enjoying her rhythm
Jogaram no salão pimenta bem machucada
They threw ground up hot pepper in the air
O baile da Gabriela acabou com chinelada
Gabriela's party ended with everyone hitting each other with flip-flops
Home numa pisada dessa eu vou
With a beat like this, I'm going
Até amanhecer dia
Until dawn
Só nessa base a chinelinha no chão
Just with this rhythm, flip-flops hit the floor
Contributed by Oliver R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Talita Neves
Eu fui dançar num baile na casa da Gabriela
Nunca vi coisa tão boa foi na base da chinela (2x)
O sujeito ia chegando
Tirava logo o sapato
Se tivesse de botina, sola grossa, bico chato
Entrava pra dançar no baile da Gabriela
Tirando meia e sapato calçando par de chinela
O baile estava animado só na base da chinela
Toda turma disputava dançar com Gabriela
Requebrar naquela base no salão só tinha ela
Todos convidados riam
Gostando da base dela
Jogaram no salão pimenta bem machucada
O baile da Gabriela acabou em chinelada
*****************************
Se a gente lembra só por lembrar
O amor que a gente um dia perdeu
Saudade inté que assim é bom
Pro cabra se convencer
Que é feliz sem saber
Pois não sofreu
Porém se a gente vive a sonhar
Com alguém que se deseja rever
Saudade entonce aí é ruim
Eu tiro isso por mim
Que Vivo doido a sofrer
Ai quem me dera
Voltar pros braços do meu xodó
Saudade assim faz roer
E amarga qui nem jiló
Mas ninguém pode dizer
Que me viu triste a chorar
Saudade o meu remédio é cantar
Hamabile Paula
Um negócio bom desse e o povo tudo sentado... Só podia ser em são paulo kkkk
Sirley Carvalho
😄😂Verdade viu....... no Cearà mermo que o povo nào ficaria parado nào, escutando un forró desses, todo mundo "remexe as cadera.."💃😂 e rebolaria o esqueleto meu fii..!! Nào existe ficar parado ou sentado nào!!🤷♀️😳 #IMPOSSÍVEL....💃💃💃💖😍🥰♥️💗💝👒💎👏👏👏👏👏👊🤙👆💙🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Carmecita Santiago
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk eles nao tem pimenta nas veias. dancar na casa de Gabriela sentados
Jackson Robério
né? povo fraco
Josivaldo Mattos
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Savio Nogueira
Verdade
Keu Passos
Orgulho de ser nordestina
Não há música melhor que um forró arretado de bom!
Sirley Carvalho
🙋♀️👏👏👏👏💙♥️🥰🇧🇷🇧🇷
Gustavo Sandes
Verdade!
Gerson Farias Coutinho
O nordeste têm artistas que são assim, feito a Elba Ramalho, comprometidos em difundir músicas de qualidade. Eu amo ouvir músicas de qualidade! Viva a nossa cultura!