In the early 90's, the effervescent musical scene of Bahia generated a new … Read Full Bio ↴In the early 90's, the effervescent musical scene of Bahia generated a new phenomenon: Timbalada - a huge group of percussionist with tribal paintings on their bodies and a female singer that performed topless. they all played timbaus, a tall drum that hangs from the shoulder of the percussionist and is held between the legs.

A product of the brilliant imagination of singer, songwriter and virtuoso percussionist Carlinhos Brown, Timbalada does justice to Bahia's rhythmic tradition and, at the same time, introduces modernity and boldness to it. The main singer's hoarse voice, the non-sense of the lyrics, the tribal painting an the collective use of sunglasses helped to place Timbalada among the most original and ceative bands to appear in the last years.

Timbalada is an Afro-Brazilian musician group from Candeal, Salvador, Brazil. It was founded by drummer Carlinhos Brown. The musical style is between samba reggae and axé, with strong influences from African music. They are a highly popular group that regularly plays sold-out shows throughout Brazil.

The group is mostly known for its active participation to the carnival each year in the streets of Salvador de Bahia. It also engages in social activism by working with needy children, providing education and drum courses to help them in social integration.

Musically, Timbalada is credited with two major innovations in the instrumentation of Afro-Brazilian music: the revival of the timbal (a tall, high-pitched hand drum), and the development of a rack of 3 surdos (bass drums) that can be played by a single player. The timbal, which had been nearly extinct before Timbalada began featuring it, has since become widespread in many Afro-Brazilian genres, including axé and samba-reggae. The rack of surdos, also called a bateria-de-surdo (surdo drumset) is now widely used by many groups for stage performances when not parading. Because the bateria-de-surdo can only hold 3 surdos within arm's reach of a single player, the traditional 4-surdo arrangements of many samba-reggae rhythms is often trimmed down to a 3-surdo arrangement

Boas Festas
Timbalada Lyrics

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(Laiá laiá, laiá lalaiá, laiá lalaiá, laiá lalaiá)

Anoiteceu
O sino gemeu
A gente ficou
Feliz a rezar
Papai Noel
Vê se você tem, oh oh

A felicidade
Pra você me dar

Eu pensei que todo mundo
Fosse filho de Papai Noel
Bem assim, felicidade
Eu pensei que fosse uma
Brincadeira de papel

Já faz tempo que eu pedi
Mas o meu Papai Noel
Não vem
Com certeza já morreu
Ou, então felicidade
É brinquedo que não tem

Anoiteceu
O sino gemeu
A gente ficou
Feliz a rezar
Papai Noel (Papai Noel)
Vê se você tem (vê se você tem)
A felicidade (a felicidade)
Pra você me dar

Eu pensei que todo mundo
Fosse filho de Papai Noel
Bem assim, felicidade
Eu pensei que fosse uma
Brincadeira de papel

Já faz tempo que eu pedi
Mas o meu Papai Noel
Não vem
Com certeza já morreu
Ou, então felicidade
É brinquedo que não tem
(Laiá laiá, laiá lalaiá, laiá lalaiá, laiá lalaiá)

Pra você me dar, viu

Overall Meaning

The song Boas Festas by Timbalada is a joyful Brazilian Christmas song with a bittersweet message. The lyrics express the happiness and hope that people feel during the holiday season, but also touch on the disappointment and longing that some may experience, especially if they do not receive what they truly desire or if their loved ones are not around.

The song begins with the sound of a tolling bell as night falls, signaling the start of Christmas celebrations. The chorus urges Santa Claus to bring happiness to the singer, a sentiment echoed by many during the holiday season. But as the song continues, the tone shifts to a more melancholic one, as the singer realizes that his wish for happiness may be unfulfilled. He confesses that he used to think that everyone was a child of Santa Claus, and that happiness was a game that could be easily won. But now he sees that happiness is hard to come by, and that Santa Claus may not be able to deliver it after all.

The lyrics of Boas Festas capture the duality of the Christmas season, which can be both joyous and painful for different people. They also highlight the universal human desire for happiness and the disappointment that can come with unfulfilled expectations. The song is set to a lively beat and features the distinctive percussion and brass instrumentation that are typical of Timbalada's music, creating a festive atmosphere that makes it a popular choice for Christmas celebrations.

Line by Line Meaning

Anoiteceu
It's nighttime

O sino gemeu
The bell rang

A gente ficou
We stayed

Feliz a rezar
Praying happily

Papai Noel
Santa Claus

Vê se você tem, oh oh
See if you have, oh oh

A felicidade
Happiness

Pra você me dar
To give to me

Eu pensei que todo mundo
I thought everyone

Fosse filho de Papai Noel
Was a child of Santa Claus

Bem assim, felicidade
Just like that, happiness