After its debut in the 1980 carnival, the band conquered almost two thousand members and started to approach historical themes related to African and Brazilian cultures. The band's first LP, "Egypt, Madagascar", was recorded in 1987 and achieved great success in Bahia and the rest of the country with the song "Faraó". The idea of this LP was to pay homage to the group's roots and show Brazil the Mama Africa, and also to present to the world how the group came about, from the drumming to the influences of the African Gods. Soon after, Olodum became known internationally as an Afro-Brazilian percussion group and toured to many countries in Europe, Japan, and almost all of South America. In 1988 Simone recorded "Me Ama, Mô" live in Pelourinho with Neguinho do Samba and Olodum on the album Simone (1989). One of the moments of greatest exposure for the group was in 1990, when it took part in the track "The Obvious Child", from Paul Simon's album, The Rhythm of the Saints, whose videoclip was recorded in Pelourinho and shown in over a hundred countries. After that, Olodum recorded with other nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians such as Caetano Veloso, Daniela Mercury, Margareth Menezes, Pet Shop Boys, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Cliff, and Michael Jackson, spreading the word about their mix of rhythms that includes African drums, reggae, samba, and Latin rhythms. In 2013, he performed a show on the sunset stage of Rock in Rio with the New Zealand singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Kimbra, including a cover of the song "They don't care about us. In addition, she participated in the official music, consequently of the 2014 World Cup opening, with rapper Pitbull and singers Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte. In parallel to its artistic success, the band Olodum participates in social movements against racism and for civil and human rights.
The Olodum Theater Band is a theater group created and linked to the bloco-afro, formed by black actors in 1990.
Over the years, the Olodum Theater Band disengaged from the bloco-afro, and took up residence at the Vila Velha Theater. Thanks to the Bando's occupation, the space was revitalized in 1994 and began to be renovated, being re-inaugurated in 1998. The Bando is still at Teatro Vila Velha today and has produced actors who have consolidated their careers, such as Lázaro Ramos, for example.
Focused on issues of the Brazilian black in its various aspects, the Bando, as it is more commonly called, develops its own language in a format of Experimental Black Theater.
Since October 25, 1984, the Olodum School has been a real space for participation and expression of the afro-descendant community, constituting a national and international reference for its innovative work with art, education and cultural plurality.
This pioneering Afro-Brazilian popular education project originated with the Rufar dos Tambores project, developed in 1984 by Olodum, consisting of free percussion classes of the Afro-Brazilian bloc, and of short term Afro-Brazilian courses.
Initially it aimed to meet a request from the Maciel/Pelourinho community to form a percussion band made up of children and teenagers from the neighborhood.
cartão postal
Olodum Lyrics
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E o poeta já dizia que o tempo não para
Como carimbador pirado todo mundo quer ficar
E os males não espanta então por isso não vai
Chegou na hora H
E chegou vem me buscar
Sou seu beija-flor
E sou fera ferida
O que me cura é seu amor
Se tem Olodum tem festa na Bahia
Meu bem querer te quero todo dia
Se tem Olodum tem festa na Bahia
Meu bem querer te quero todo dia
Ê pelourinho não é mais
Ê pelourinho não é mais não
Ê pelourinho não é mais sim
Pelourinho não é mais aquele
Olha a cara dele
Pelourinho não é mais aquele
Olha a cara dele
Você não fica à toa
Tem muita gente boa
Você não fica à toa
Tem muita gente boa
Aqui tudo mudou
São trinta anos que brilhou
Aqui tudo mudou
São trinta anos que brilhou
Olodum filhos do sol
Reluz e seduz o meu amor
Olodum filhos do sol
Reluz e seduz o meu amor
Negros conscientizados
Cantam e tocam no Pelô
Negros conscientizados
Cantam e tocam no Pelô
Pelourinho, primeiro mundo
Cartão postal de salvador
Pelourinho, primeiro mundo
Cartão postal de salvador
Ê passa lá, passa lá, passa lá que eu vou
Passa lá, passa lá, passa lá no Pelô
Ê passa lá, passa lá, passa lá que eu vou
Passa lá, passa lá, passa lá no Pelô
Ê pelourinho não é mais
Ê pelourinho não é mais não
Ê pelourinho não é mais sim
Pelourinho não é mais aquele
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
E canta, canta Salvador
Canta, canta canta meu amor, canta, canta
Olodum do Pelô
E canta, canta Salvador
Canta, canta canta meu amor, canta, canta
Olodum do Pelô
Todos os domingos e terças-feiras
Tem samba de roda e capoeira
Domingo tem Olodum no Pelô
Na terça tem a benção do Senhor
Pelourinho se transforma em carnaval
E nesse momento a alegria é geral
No samba de roda eu toco agogô
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
The lyrics of Olodum's song Hora H, which means "H Hour," focus on the transformation of Pelourinho, a neighborhood in Salvador, Brazil, over the past 30 years. The song begins by referencing Caetano Veloso, a Brazilian musician known for his blend of traditional Brazilian music with rock and roll. The lyrics also mention a poet who said that time does not stop. The song then speaks of people wanting to be like a "pirate stamp maker," and the futility of trying to scare away troubles.
The chorus declares that "the H Hour" has come and asks someone to come and find the singer, declaring themselves to be a "wounded beast" that can be healed only by the love of that person. The song celebrates the Olodum, a cultural group in Brazil that has been instrumental in promoting Afro-Brazilian culture, music, and dance. Pelourinho is once again mentioned, this time as a destination for festivities, and the joy of the song is emphasized. The lyrics also highlight that the diversity of music styles that Olodum embraces, including hippie, pop, reggae and rock.
The final portion of the song talks about the transformation of Pelourinho over the years and mentions the conscious black musicians playing in the area. The chorus repeats the sentiment that Pelourinho is not what it used to be, but it is clear that the changes are positive ones. The reference to Pelourinho as a "first world" corner of Salvador speaks to the pride that the singer feels for their city.
Line by Line Meaning
Vi Caetano no circuladô cantando rock and roll
I saw Caetano in the circle singing rock and roll
E o poeta já dizia que o tempo não para
And the poet already said that time does not stop
Como carimbador pirado todo mundo quer ficar
Like a crazy stamp maker, everyone wants to stay
E os males não espanta então por isso não vai
And it doesn't scare away the troubles, so it won't go away
Chegou na hora H
It's arrived at the H hour
E chegou vem me buscar
And when it arrives, it comes to pick me up
Eu sou fera ferida
I am a wounded beast
Sou seu beija-flor
I am your hummingbird
O que me cura é seu amor
What heals me is your love
Se tem Olodum tem festa na Bahia
If there's Olodum, there's a party in Bahia
Meu bem querer te quero todo dia
My beloved, I want you every day
Ê pelourinho não é mais
Pelourinho is no longer
Olha a cara dele
Look at his face
Você não fica à toa
You won't be idle
Tem muita gente boa
There are many good people
Aqui tudo mudou
Everything has changed here
São trinta anos que brilhou
It's been thirty years since it shone
Olodum filhos do sol
Olodum, sons of the sun
Reluz e seduz o meu amor
Sparkles and seduces my love
Negros conscientizados
Conscious black people
Cantam e tocam no Pelô
Sing and play in Pelô
Pelourinho, primeiro mundo
Pelourinho, first world
Cartão postal de salvador
Postcard of Salvador
Ê passa lá, passa lá, passa lá que eu vou
Hey, come by, come by, come by, I'll go
Pelourinho não é mais aquele
Pelourinho is not what it used to be
Olodum 'tá hippie, Olodum 'tá pop
Olodum is hippie, Olodum is pop
Olodum 'tá reggae, Olodum 'tá rock
Olodum is reggae, Olodum is rock
O Olodum pirou de vez
Olodum has gone crazy this time
Canta, canta Salvador
Sing, sing Salvador
Canta, canta canta meu amor, canta, canta
Sing, sing my love, sing, sing
Olodum do Pelô
Olodum of Pelô
Todos os domingos e terças-feiras
Every Sunday and Tuesday
Tem samba de roda e capoeira
There's samba de roda and capoeira
Na terça tem a benção do Senhor
On Tuesday, there's the blessing of the Lord
Pelourinho se transforma em carnaval
Pelourinho turns into carnival
E nesse momento a alegria é geral
And at that moment, the joy is general
No samba de roda eu toco agogô
In the samba de roda, I play the agogô
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edvaldo Nascimento, Alberto Silva, Itamar Silva
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind