Sister of the also popular and renowned singer and composer Caetano Veloso, she began her artistic career in 1963, appearing in the play "Boca de Ouro" by Nelson Rodrigues. A song about the play was written by Caetano Veloso, who opened the show singing a samba track by Ataulfo Alves. That year she met Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Zé, Djalma Correa, Pitti, Alcivando Luz and Fernando Lona in Salvador, with whom she performed at the commemorations inaugurating the Vila Velha de Salvador theatre in 1964 in the shows "Nós por exemplo" and "Nova bossa velha, velha bossa nova". In 1964 she also appeared in "Mora na Filosofia", her first solo show, when she met Nara Leão. As 1965 she replaced the muse of bossa nova in the show at Teatro Opinião (Rio de Janeiro), sharing the stage with Zé Kéti and João do Vale. She stood out for her stirring interpretation of the song "Carcará". In 1965 she also recorded her first record, a single containing the tracks "Carcará" and "É de manhã", the first recording of Caetano Veloso’s composition. That same year she released a double single with the songs "Carcará", "No carnaval", "Mora na filosofia" and "Só eu sei", followed by her debut album "Maria Bethânia" and the record "Maria Bethânia canta Noel Rosa". That year she also performed in the show Arena canta Bahia, directed by Augusto Boal, alongside Gal, Gil, Caetano, Pitti and Tom Zé. Also under the direction of Boal, the same group performed the show Tempo de Guerra. In 1996 she shared the stage of Teatro Opinião with Vinícius de Moraes and Gilberto Gil, presenting the show "Pois é". In 1967 she released the album "Edu & Bethânia" with Edu Lobo. She appeared in the shows "Yes, nós temos Maria Bethânia" (Bolso theatre, Rio de Janeiro) and "Comigo me desavim" (Miguel Lemos theatre, Rio de Janeiro) and "Brasileiro profissão esperança", by Paulo Pontes, directed by Bibi Ferreira, at the Casa Grande theatre (Rio de Janeiro). In 1971 she recorded the album "A tua presença", which was praised by the select critics. In 1971 the show "Rosa dos ventos" premiered at Teatro da Praia (Rio de Janeiro), directed by Fauzi Arap and she released the album of the same name. In 1972 she appeared alongside Chico Buarque and Nara Leão in the film "Quando o carnaval chegar" by Cacá Diegues. After another trip to Europe, she launched the album "Drama - anjo exterminado" also that year. In 1973 the show Drama, luz da noite premiered at Teatro da Praia, directed by Antônio Bivar and Isabel Câmara, from which arose the record "Luz da noite". The following year she commemorated ten years in the music business with the show "A cena muda", directed by Fauzi Arap, at the Casa Grande Theatre (Rio de Janeiro). The show led to a live record of the same name. In 1975 she performed a lengthy season with Chico Buarque at the Canecão (Rio de Janeiro). In 1976 she recorded the album "Pássaro proibido" which earned her first gold record. Also that year she got together with Caetano, Gil and Gal, forming the group Os Doces Bárbaros. In 1977 she released the album "Pássaro da manhã", for which she received the second gold record of her career. That year she was considered one of the bestselling singers in Brazil, which opened new doors in the record industry. In 1978 she starred in the show "Maria Bethânia e Caetano Veloso ao vivo" alongside her brother. Also that year the album "Álibi" was released, which earned her third gold disk. In 1979 she recorded the album "Mel". She released a series of records in the following decades: "Alteza" (81), "Maria" (88), "Memória da pele" (89), "Olho d’água" (92), "As canções que você fez pra mim" (93), only recording records by Roberto and Erasmo Carlos Âmbar (96), "Imitação da vida" (97) and "A força que nunca seca" (99). In 1994 she performed alongside Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil, in the show "Doces Bárbaros na Mangueira", reference to the tribute made to them by this samba school, with the theme "Atrás da verde e rosa só não vai quem já morreu". In 2000, she recorded limited-edition album "Cânticos, preces, súplicas à Senhora dos Jardins do Céu". In 2001, she recorded the album "Maricotinha", containing the tracks "Moça do sonho" (Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque), from the musical "Cambaio, Primavera" (Carlos Lyra and Vinícius de Moraes), "Quando você não está aqui" (Herbert Vianna and Paulo Sérgio Valle), "Antes que amanheça" (Chico César and Carlos Rennó) and "Se eu morresse de saudade" (Gilberto Gil), among others, in addition to the title track, by Dorival Caymmi. She released the record a special show at the Canecão (Rio de Janeiro). The show included appearances by Caetano Veloso, Carlos Lyra, Chico Buarque, Nana e Danilo Caymmi, Adriana Calcanhoto and Gilberto Gil, among other artists. Also in 2001, in commemoration of her 35 years in the music business, she returned to the Canecão in the show "Maricotinha", which led to the double album "Maricotinha ao vivo". On December 8 that same year, she performed before 100,000 people on Copacabana beach alongside Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa in the show "Doces Bárbaros", which concluded the project Pão Music. In 2003 the show presented in 2001 at the Canecão was released on the DVD "Maricotinha ao vivo", directed by André Horta. In 2003 she was also nominated for the Multishow Award in the categories Best Show and Best Album for "Maricotinha ao vivo". Also that year she created her own label, Quitanda, in partnership with record company Biscoito Fino, inaugurated the company by releasing the album "Brasileirinho", containing songs about religion and Brazil, with guest appearances by Nana Caymmi, Miúcha, Denise Stoklos and Ferreira Gullar, in addition to the groups Tira Poeira and Uakti, and the album "Vozes da Purificação", the first song recorded by Dona Edith do Prato. In 2004 she received the Tim Award in the categories Best Singer, Best Record and best visual MPB project, the Rival BR Award in the category Best Album, and the Academia Brasileira de Letras Award in the category Best Singer, in addition to being nominated for the Latin Grammy. That same year she produced and appeared as a singer alongside other artists on the album "Namorando a Rosa", a tribute record to violinist Rosinha de Valença, released by her Quitanda label. In 2005 she released the album Que falta você me faz, recording works by Vincius de Moraes, in partnership with Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Carlos Lyra, Baden Powell, Toquinho, Adoniran Barbosa and Jards Macalé. That same year she appeared at Canecão (Rio de Janeiro) in the show "Tempo Tempo Tempo Tempo - Uma homenagem a Vinícius de Moraes". In 2005 she also received the Golden Music Dolphin Award from the Rio de Janeiro State Culture Council.
Yorubahia
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nagôs e malês
Gege ijexá
Ala dos alabês
Alados, ilês
Banto, gantois
Ruas por onde andei
Cantando encantei
Menina me ninei
Sonhos que sonhei
Castelos no ar
Sons dos maculelês
É tudo que sei
De tudo que há
Cores de toda cor
Carnaval e dor
Canção popular
Signo tradutor
De todo esplendor
Beleza sem par
Luz da pele suor
Reluz ouro em pó
Do orumila
Ritmo do agogô
Balanço do amor
Na paz do gongá
Flor morena nagô
É tudo que sou
É tudo que há
Bahia, yorubá, yorubahia
Bahia, yorubá, yorubahia
The lyrics to Maria Bethânia's song "Yorubahia" evoke a sense of pride and celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture. The opening lines, "Terno eterno de Reis, Nagôs e malês, Gege ijexá, Ala dos alabês," are a reference to the various religious and cultural groups that make up the Afro-Brazilian community, including the Reis, Nagôs, and malês. The repetition of these names emphasizes their importance and enduring presence.
The next few lines, "Alados, ilês, Banto, gantois, Ruas por onde andei, Cantando encantei," suggest that the singer has traveled through different regions and communities, sharing their music and enchanting those around them. The use of the verb "encantar" (meaning to enchant or enchantment) speaks to the transformative power of music, and how it can elevate and exhilarate people.
The following lines, "Encanto a cantar, Menina me ninei, Sonhos que sonhei, Castelos no ar, Sons dos maculelês, É tudo que sei, De tudo que há," continue to emphasize the role of music in the singer's life, and how it has influenced their dreams and aspirations. The inclusion of "maculelê," a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance that involves using sticks, drums, and other percussion instruments, adds to the sense of rhythm and movement in the song.
The chorus, "Bahia, yorubá, yorubahia," brings everything together, highlighting the song's focus on the state of Bahia and its strong ties to Afro-Brazilian culture. The term "yorubá" refers to the Yoruba people of West Africa, who brought their rich culture and traditions to Brazil through the slave trade.
Overall, "Yorubahia" is a powerful celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture, with its emphasis on rhythm, movement, and transformation through music.
Line by Line Meaning
Terno eterno de Reis
Infinite trinity of kings
Nagôs e malês
People of African descent, from different regions of Africa
Gege ijexá
African mysticism that honors nature
Ala dos alabês
The house where the drummers play
Alados, ilês
Flying, spirits of African ancestry homes
Banto, gantois
Ethnic groups from Africa that have contributed to the Brazilian culture
Ruas por onde andei
Streets I have walked on
Cantando encantei
I enchanted by singing
Encanto a cantar
Charm to sing
Menina me ninei
I was born a girl
Sonhos que sonhei
Dreams I dreamed
Castelos no ar
Castles in the air
Sons dos maculelês
Sounds of a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance
É tudo que sei
It's all I know
De tudo que há
Of everything that exists
Cores de toda cor
Colors of every hue
Carnaval e dor
Carnaval and pain
Canção popular
Popular song
Signo tradutor
Translating symbol
De todo esplendor
Of all splendor
Beleza sem par
Unequaled beauty
Luz da pele suor
Light of the skin and sweat
Reluz ouro em pó
Shines powdered gold
Do orumila
From Orumila (a Yoruba divinity)
Ritmo do agogô
Rhythm of the agogô (percussion instrument)
Balanço do amor
Swing of love
Na paz do gongá
In the peace of the gongá (a sacred placed in a Candomblé temple)
Flor morena nagô
Brown flower of Nagô (a people from West Africa)
É tudo que sou
It's all I am
É tudo que há
It's all there is
Bahia, yorubá, yorubahia
Bahia, Yoruba, Yorubahia
Bahia, yorubá, yorubahia
Bahia, Yoruba, Yorubahia
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO JORGE PORTUGAL, JOAO ROBERTO CARIBE MENDES, JORGE PORTUGAL, ROBERTO MENDES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind