The son of a peasant and accordion player, he was attracted to the 8-bass accordion at an early age, although he started out by accompanying his father by playing the zabumba (a type of bass drum) and singing at parties and religious celebrations. He left home in 1930 to join the army, and toured Brazil with an army band until 1939. Gonzaga decided to remain in Rio de Janeiro with a recently purchased accordion. He performed in the streets and in bars, playing boleros, waltzes and tangos.
After noticing that the Northeastern immigrants missed the music from their hometowns, he started to give listeners the sort of music they craved to hear: xaxados, baiões, chamegos and cocos. At Ary Barroso’s talent show, Luiz Gonzaga played his chamego "Vira e Mexe" and was acclaimed by the audience and by the dreaded host, who gave him the highest score.
In 1943, he dressed up in typical Northeastern costumes for the first time to perform live, and got hyped. Later on, as well as playing popular tunes on the accordion, he began to sing his own material, and his skills as a songwriter were revealed.
Gonzaga's son, Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior, known as Gonzaguinha, born 1945, was also a noted Brazilian singer and composer.
His greatest hit ever, "Asa Branca" (written with Humberto Teixeira), was recorded in 1947 and was covered countless times by many different artists. He worked on the radio until 1954, enjoying huge popularity. He is widely recognized for singlehandedly taking the baião style and the accordion to a wide audience. For a time RCA (now BMG), his recording label, was almost exclusively dedicated to printing his singles and albums. During the 60's, as the public taste shifted to bossa nova and iê-iê-iê, he found himself increasingly stranded from big city stages, so he toured the countryside, where his popularity never abated.
In the 70s and 80s, he slowly re-emerged, partly due to covers of his songs by famous artists like Geraldo Vandré, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, his son Gonzaguinha and Milton Nascimento. Some of his greatest hits are "Vozes da Seca" ("Voices From Drought"), "Algodão" ("Cotton"), "A Dança da Moda" ("The Dance In Fashion"), "ABC do Sertão" ("The ABC of Sertão"), "Derramaro o Gai" ("They Spilt the Gas"), "A Letra I" ("The 'i' letter"), "Imbalança" ("Shake It"), "A Volta da Asa-Branca" ("The Return Of The Picazuro Pigeon"), "Cintura Fina" ("Slender Waist"), "O Xote das Meninas" ("The Girls' Schottische", written with Zé Dantas, and "Juazeiro", "Paraíba", "Mangaratiba", "Baião-de-Dois", "No Meu Pé de Serra" ("There In My Homeland"), "Assum Preto" ("Blue-back Grassquit"), "Légua Tirana" ("Tyrannical league"), "Qui Nem Jiló" ("Like Solanum gilo", written with Humberto Teixeira. Other successful collaborations resulted in "Tá Bom Demais" ("It's Very Good") (with Onildo de Almeida), "Danado de Bom" ("Very Good") (with João Silva), "Dezessete e Setecentos" ("Seventeen And Seven hundred") and "Cortando o Pano" ("Cutting Cloth") (both with Miguel Lima).
Gonzaga died of natural causes at the age of 76.
Firim firim firim
Luiz Gonzaga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É assim que toca o sanfoneiro
Firim, firim, firim
A gente dança no terreiro
O baile lá na roça
Agrada mesmo assim
Embora o sanfoneiro
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
Eu vou todos os anos
Pra Fazenda do Mingote
Onde se dança quadrilha
Calango, mazurca e xote
Lá é que se vê
O que é simplicidade
Não se nota o chiquê
Das pequenas da cidade
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
Eu vou todos os anos
Pra Fazenda do Mingote
Onde se dança quadrilha
Calango, mazurca e xote
Lá é que se vê
O que é simplicidade
Não se nota o chiquê
Das pequenas da cidade
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(É assim que toca o sanfoneiro)
(Firim, firim, firim)
(A gente dança no terreiro)
(O baile lá na roça)
(Agrada mesmo assim)
(Embora o sanfoneiro)
(Só toque firim, firim)
Luiz Gonzaga's song "Firim Firim Firim" is a joyful celebration of traditional country dances in Brazil, with an emphasis on the music played by the accordion player or sanfoneiro. The repeated refrain of "Firim Firim Firim" is a reference to the rapid and lively finger movements that are characteristic of the instrument, as well as the rhythm of the dance steps that it inspires. Although the melody is simple and repetitive, it creates a catchy and infectious groove that encourages people to dance and enjoy themselves, regardless of their age or background.
The lyrics describe the annual trip taken by the singer to a rural area known as Fazenda do Mingote, where locals gather to participate in various folk dances such as the quadrilha, calango, mazurka, and xote. Despite the modest surroundings and the somewhat unpolished playing of the sanfoneiro, the singer expresses admiration for the simplicity and authenticity of the music and dance, as well as the sense of community that arises from the shared experience. The line "Não se nota o chiquê/das pequenas da cidade" can be translated as "One doesn't see the fancy (style) of the people from the city," emphasizing the contrast between the unsophisticated charm of the rural scene and the more formal and conventional nature of urban culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Firim, firim, firim
The sound of the accordion's repeated notes, which is the rhythm of the song.
É assim que toca o sanfoneiro
This is how the accordionist plays the instrument, with the repeated 'firim, firim, firim' rhythm.
A gente dança no terreiro
The community dances together in the open dirt floor outside.
O baile lá na roça
The event happening in the countryside, the rural parts of the country.
Agrada mesmo assim
It pleases despite the lack of extravagance or luxury in the event.
Embora o sanfoneiro
Despite the accordionist only playing the same rhythm repeatedly.
Só toque firim, firim
Just playing the same notes 'firim, firim, firim.'
Eu vou todos os anos
The singer goes to this same event every year.
Pra Fazenda do Mingote
To the farm called Mingote where this event takes place.
Onde se dança quadrilha
Where people dance quadrille, a type of traditional dance.
Calango, mazurca e xote
The different types of dances people participate in including calango, mazurka, and xote.
Lá é que se vê
This is where we see and appreciate.
O que é simplicidade
The beauty of simplicity and modesty in life and events.
Não se nota o chiquê
There is no show off or pretense among the people attending.
Das pequenas da cidade
Unlike the people from the cities with their fancier events.
Contributed by Elizabeth Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.