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

Bum
Timbalada Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Meu tabuleiro é mais versátil que o seu
Sou timbaleiro, faço música no pilão
Sou pop de rua
Sou arruaceiro
Em fevereiro, eu sou o primeiro do filão

Só vou se tiver merenda
Só vou se tiver muamba

Só vou se tiver zabumba
No bum do meu coração

Agô, agô... agu, agu... agogô, hê, hê...
A, e, i, o, u

Sou professor, sou professor
Da malandragem, da malandragem
Eu fico todo orgulhoso
Com meu boné de bandinha
Namorada do lado
Com camisinha no bolso
Eu tô armado

Tribau

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Timbalada's "Bum" display a sense of pride and confidence in being a musician and street performer. The singer boasts about their versatility and skill as a music maker, as well as their rebellious and audacious nature. They assert themselves as the first in line in February, which may reference the popular Brazilian festival of Carnaval.

The song also mentions the importance of sustenance, stating that the singer will only go somewhere if there is food or musical instruments available. The use of onomatopoeic sounds, such as "bum" and "agogô," adds a playful and lively quality to the lyrics, further emphasizing the joy and spirit of performance.

Additionally, the lyrics reference the singer's role as a teacher or leader in "malandragem," which is a term often used in Brazilian culture to describe a type of street-smart or cunning behavior. The singer is proud of their status as a musician and also their ability to navigate the world with this kind of savvy. The song ultimately celebrates the vibrant and expressive culture of Brazil, particularly its music and performance.

Line by Line Meaning

Meu tabuleiro é mais versátil que o seu
I am more skilled and diverse than you are

Sou timbaleiro, faço música no pilão
I am a skilled percussionist who creates original music

Sou pop de rua
I am a popular and well-known street performer

Sou arruaceiro
I am a rebellious and free-spirited person

Em fevereiro, eu sou o primeiro do filão
During Carnival season, I am the first and most popular entertainer

Só vou se tiver merenda
I will only go if there is food

Só vou se tiver muamba
I will only go if there are goods or merchandise to be traded

Só vou se tiver zabumba
I will only go if there is a specific type of drum for me to play

No bum do meu coração
In the rhythm and beat of my heart

Agô, agô... agu, agu... agogô, hê, hê...
Traditional percussion sounds

A, e, i, o, u
Vowels sung as a vocal exercise