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
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Los indios tabajaras Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But now I hear love call,
I'm getting sentimental over you
Things you say and do,
Just thrill me through and through,
I'm getting sentimental over you.
I could live without love
Now I must admit,
Love is all I'm thinking of
Won't you please be kind,
And just make up your mind
That you'll be sweet & gentle,
Be gentle with me
Because I'm sentimental over you
The lyrics to Los Indios Tabajaras's song "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" are a poignant and emotional exploration of the feeling of falling in love. The sense of surprise and disbelief at finding oneself in love is conveyed in the opening lines, as the singer admits that they "never thought [they'd] fall" but have now been compelled by the call of love. The thrilling and all-consuming nature of this experience is described in the next lines, as the singer is "thrilled through and through" by the things their beloved says and does. The chorus repeats the song's title, underscoring the deeply felt sentiment of the lyrics.
The second verse provides a contrasting note to the first, as the singer reflects on their previous conviction that they could "live without love". Now, however, they "must admit" that love is all they can think about. This change in perspective mirrors the transformative power of falling in love, which can alter a person's outlook and priorities in ways they never anticipated. The final lines of the song appeal to the object of the singer's affection to treat them with kindness and gentleness, acknowledging their own vulnerability and the all-consuming nature of their emotions.
Overall, Los Indios Tabajaras's "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a powerful and relatable expression of the experience of falling in love, capturing both the exhilaration and vulnerability of the feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Never thought I'd fall,
I didn't expect to fall in love.
But now I hear love call,
But now love seems to be calling me.
I'm getting sentimental over you
I am starting to have feelings of sentimentality for you.
Things you say and do,
Everything you say and do.
Just thrill me through and through,
They give me an overwhelming feeling of excitement and happiness.
I'm getting sentimental over you.
That's why I'm becoming more and more sentimental towards you.
I thought I was happy,
I believed I was happy.
I could live without love
I was convinced that I could live without love.
Now I must admit,
But now I have to confess,
Love is all I'm thinking of
that love is all I am thinking of.
Won't you please be kind,
Can I please ask you to be kind,
And just make up your mind
and to make up your mind
That you'll be sweet & gentle,
to be sweet and gentle.
Be gentle with me
to treat me with gentleness and kindness.
Because I'm sentimental over you
Because I am feeling very emotional and sentimental about you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE BASSMAN, NED WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Judy Black
I was just 17 working my first job,heard this music in the 5&10 and bought their album. I couldn't wait until I got it home to let my dad hear it. he fell in love with it as fast as I did ! That was over 50 years ago,and I still can't get over how beautiful they sound. <3
Maria luisa garcia
¡Cuántos recuerdos me trae ésta melodía nostálgica....gracias por subirla
Elias Joaquin Marcus
Genial garotos!!!!!!!!!!!!
nestor sandoval
nunca escuche sonido tan encantador, y acostumbrado a oir la guitarra pero estto es ecpetacular
carlos henao requinto
genios de la guitarra
Henrique Higinio Parra Mariani
Huuuy herman@s que bellas serenatas con estos hijos de la Pacha Mama
Daniel Delaney
wish I had had the money back when I was 13 in 1961 to buy the album