RCA and their promoters have always drawn a veil of mystery around Los Indios Tabajaras, so it's tough to trace their early years accurately. Their literature claimed they discovered a guitar in the jungle near Ceara, Brazil, and, after making sure it wasn't going to explode like other firearms their tribesmen had found, began to examine it. Eventually, they both mastered the instrument and came to the attention of townspeople, one of whom took them to Rio de Janeiro to play.
Dressing up in ceremonial Indian costumes, the brothers perfected a nightclub act in which they sang and played Brazilian and Latin folk songs. They changed their names to Natalicio and Antenor Lima and began touring throughout South America. In 1943, RCA's Latin American arm signed them to a contract.
In the early 1950s, they took a break from touring and returned to study, each with a different teacher. Natalicio focused on melody and Antenor worked on harmony. They also added a substantial classical repertoire to their act, including guitar pieces by Bach, Falla, and Albeniz.
Another tour followed, this time to Europe as well, and they recorded several more albums for RCA in Mexico. One of their singles, "Maria Elena," released in 1958, became a steady seller, and by early 1962, its success caught the eye of RCA's U.S. division. They issued the tune, and this lovely, gentle melody quickly carved a solid niche in the U.S. pop charts. It ended up spending 14 weeks in the U.S. Top 10 and 17 weeks in the U.K. charts, and the subsequent album placed in the Top 10 album chart as well. Within a year, the brothers followed with another single, "Always in My Heart," but the novelty had worn off and it barely dented the Top 100.
Chet Atkins was particularly impressed by the brothers' guitar work, and he invited them to Nashville, where they recorded an instrumental album with Atkins and pianist Floyd Cramer, and--in one of the oddest releases of the countrypolitan era--one with singer Don Gibson ("Oh, Lonesome Me").
RCA--both the U.S. and Latin American divisions--continued to record them well into the 1980s, and the brother's mellow guitar style proved a big influence on a new generation of guitarists such as Rick Vito
Begin The Beguine
Los indios tabajaras Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory ever green
I'm with you once more under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
To live it again is past all endeavor
Except when that tune clutches my heart
And there we are, swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the beguine
Los Indios Tabajaras's song "Begin The Beguine" is a song that speaks to the power of music in stirring up memories of love and loss. When the beguine dance begins, its rhythm reminds the singer of a time when they were with their lover under the stars and near the shore, experiencing a night of tropical enchantment.
The lyrics express a sense of longing to relive those moments and to reclaim the love that was lost. But the clouds of time and distance have dispersed the joys they once shared, leaving only memories of what could have been. The singer imagines a scenario where the beguine dance would transport them back to that magical night, allowing them to swear their love once more and promise never to part.
However, the song also recognizes that sometimes we can't go back to how things were, and that the memories of love lost can be painful to revisit. The singer acknowledges that others may curse the chance they had to be with their lover, but that they themselves understand what it's like to have to let go.
Overall, "Begin The Beguine" is a song that captures the bittersweet nature of memory and the power of music to evoke the past. It speaks to the human experience of longing, loss, and the hope that we can reclaim what was once lost.
Line by Line Meaning
When they begin the beguine
The start of the beguine brings back fond memories of a time filled with sweet music, tropical beauty, and a love that has become an evergreen memory.
It brings back the sound of music so tender
The beguine's opening notes evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth associated with the tender sounds of music.
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
The beguine's melody is reminiscent of a night filled with the exotic ambiance of a tropical paradise.
It brings back a memory ever green
The beguine takes the composer back to a treasured time, preserving memories of the past evergreen.
I'm with you once more under the stars
With the beguine's tune, it is as if the composer is transported back to the night when they were together under the stars with the one they love.
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
Close to the shore, the sound of an orchestra playing accompanies the scene where the two lovers are lost in each other's company.
And even the palms seem to be swaying
The atmosphere is so romantic and dreamy that even the palms appear to sway to the sound of the music.
To live it again is past all endeavor
The experience of reliving those moments remains out of reach despite the beguine's cathartic ability to bring back memories of the time spent with loved ones.
Except when that tune clutches my heart
Despite the composer's constant desire to relive those moments, the beguine's melody takes hold of their heart, allowing them to relive the precious moments again.
And there we are, swearing to love forever
Listening to the beguine, the composer and their lover are reunited, making promises to each other to love each other forever.
And promising never, never to part
The beguine's tune reignites the promise never to part and to always be there for each other in whatever comes their way.
What moments divine, what rapture serene
The beguine conjures up memories of moments that while beautiful and serene, were also divine as it transported the lovers to a world of sublime emotional heights.
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
Regrettably, these beautiful moments of pure joy were short-lived and eventually disrupted by life's challenges and harsh realities.
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
While others bemoan missed opportunities and waste, listening to the beguine reminds the composer of the beautiful moments they shared with their lover that cannot be replicated.
I know but too well what they mean
The composer understands too well the pain of lost opportunities and regrets over missed chances.
So don't let them begin the beguine
Despite the memories the beguine evokes, the composer wishes to suppress its power and avoid reviving the emotionally intense moments.
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
The composer suggests that the powerful love they once shared has cooled down to a low-burning ember and wishes to keep it that way instead of being reignited.
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
The desire that once burned hot has long since died and been buried as a fond memory to be revisited occasionally but not rekindled.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
Despite their better judgment, the composer begs for the beguine to be played again, unable to resist the emotional pull of its melody.
Till the stars that were there before return above you
The composer wants the beguine to continue until the stars, symbolic of past love and happiness, appear once again as if by magic.
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
The beguine's tune should not stop until the beloved whispers those magical words of love once more.
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
In that moment, together listening to the beguine, the lovers will be transported to a heavenly realm of love, beauty, and tranquillity.
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
The beguine's beginning marks the start of a beautiful memory of love and happiness that once was and may never return in the same way ever again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oilolive4212
Habemos muchas aún, es un don saber apreciar la exquisita y buena música y sobre todo cuando pequeña te enseñan a valorarla, tengo 72 años y hago remembranza cuando mis padres oían está música y lo bueno se aprende con el ejemplo y se va adquiriendo conocimiento de saber escuchar cada instrumento en toda su magnificencia, es maravilloso poder vivirla y como dicen, recordar es volver a vivir 👍❤️🫶
Gracias por compartir.... Bendiciones 🙏
Saludos desde mi lindo México 🇲🇽
@carlosalvarez1364
Escuche este disco, por mis padres, a los 12 de edad. TENGO 69, y todavia me encanta. Me llena de gran emocines, y memorias, y gratitud por mis padres por haberme expuesto a musica tan bella. Tengo varios discos de estos dos hemanos. Cada quien tiene un sentido de melodia, ritmo, y tecnica, sin igual. Y el disco "Casually Classic", es una obra maestra! Viviran...."Siempre en mi Corazon"!
@olgafernandez5198
Jamás volveremos a escuchar unas guitarras ni siquiera parecidas, cuyo sonido sea tan impresionantemente bello por quienes las interpreten y que hagan sentir y transmitir al alma los más hermosos sentimientos, como Los Indios Tabajaras QUE DIOS LOS GUARDE-FELICITACIONES Y GRACIAS SEÑORES
@Silvia9707
Me emociona hasta las lagrimas, me hace recordar a mi papá, cómo le gustaba esta canción, la escuchaba y tarareaba una y otra vez sentado en su sillón y yo presentía que algún día cuando el no estuviera sería yo quién la cantara y así es ahora. Un tema realmente hermoso.
@shishineto
Silvia Varés tambien recuerdo a mi papá tocando la guitarra ese tema. Cada vez que oigo esta melodía se viene a mi mente el rostro de mi padre alegre.
@egipsiodorado
guitarristas como estos ya no hay en este tiempo su sonido tiene sentimiento ke hace ke uno se llene de rekuerdos de su infancia mi padre los escuchaba mucho ke bello tiempo los recuerdo y regreso a mi infancia.
@sinamor1000
cuando tenia 17 la escuche y ahun la recuerdo con mucho carino...........recuedos inlvidables de mi soledad y juventud!
@olgafernandez5198
Sublime por favor. LOS GENIOS CON SUS GUITARRAS hacen temblar al mundo entero escuchando todo el contenido de su repertorio, pero ésta es......DIOS, que en tu Gloria amenicen eternamente y aquí tenemos y disfrutamos su más hermoso legado
@olgafernandez5198
Si el idioma nuestro tuviera más palabras halagadoras, serían para éstos GENIOS
@dody2031
!k LINDA MELODIA PARA MIS OIDOS MI PADRE ME LAS HACIA ESCUCHAR EN LAS PLAYAS K IBAMOS K RECUERDOS ..EL YA SE FUE....TENGO 25 AÑOS PERO TRANSCURRE EL TIEMPO Y ESTA MELODIA SEGUIRA GRACIAS POR SUBIRLA SALUDOS DESDE LIMA PERU K ALEGRIA A MI CORAZON ESCUCHAR LOS INDIOS TABAJARAS...