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
Formigueiro
Timbalada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vem aí tamanduá
Pra começo de conversa, tão com grana e pouca pressa
Nego quebra a dentadura mas não larga a rapadura
Nego mama e se arruma, se vicia e se acostuma
E hoje em dia está difícil de acabar com esse ofício...
Vem aí tamanduá
Repinique e xique-xique, tanta coisa com repique
Pra entupir nossos ouvidos, pra cobrir nossos gemidos
Quando acabar o batuque aparece outro truque
Aparece outro milagre do jeito que a gente sabe...
Avisa ao formigueiro
Vem aí tamanduá
Tanto furo, tanto rombo não se tapa com biombo
Não se esconde o diabo deixando de fora o rabo
E pros "home" não tá difícil de arrumar outro disfarce
De arrumar tanto remendo se tá todo mundo vendo...
Avisa ao formigueiro
Vem aí tamanduá
The song Formigueiro by Timbalada has lyrics that are poetic and insightful. The lyrics suggest that there is something coming that the ants should be made aware of, and that is the tamanduá, a type of anteater. The song seems to utilize these animals as metaphors for human behavior, particularly the tendency to hold onto something despite the negative consequences.
The verses speak to the idea that people are often slow to change, even when they should, and continue to engage in behavior that may be harmful. The chorus, "Avisa ao formigueiro, vem aí tamanduá," could be interpreted as a warning that change is coming and people need to be prepared to adapt. The repetition of this line throughout the song drives home the message that change is unavoidable.
The lyrics also address the use of distracting tactics to avoid confronting problems. The line "tanta coisa com repique, pra entupir nossos ouvidos, pra cobrir nossos gemidos" suggests that loud noises and distractions are used to cover up deeper issues. The line "não se esconde o diabo deixando de fora o rabo" speaks to the idea that problems can't be solved by just covering them up, but by addressing them head-on.
Overall, the lyrics of Formigueiro offer a thoughtful commentary on human behavior and the need for change. The forest creatures used as metaphors add a unique and poetic touch to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Avisa ao formigueiro
Let the ant colony know
Vem aí tamanduá
The anteater is coming
Pra começo de conversa, tão com grana e pouca pressa
To start with, they're wealthy and in no rush
Nego quebra a dentadura mas não larga a rapadura
A person may break their dentures but won't give up the sweet treat
Nego mama e se arruma, se vicia e se acostuma
One drinks and gets dressed up, gets addicted and gets used to it
E hoje em dia está difícil de acabar com esse ofício...
Nowadays, it's difficult to put an end to this profession...
Repinique e xique-xique, tanta coisa com repique
The high-pitched drum and shaker, so much noise with these instruments
Pra entupir nossos ouvidos, pra cobrir nossos gemidos
To clog our ears, to cover up our moans
Quando acabar o batuque aparece outro truque
When the rhythm finishes, another trick appears
Aparece outro milagre do jeito que a gente sabe...
Another miracle appears, just the way we know how...
Tanto furo, tanto rombo não se tapa com biombo
So many holes, so many leaks can't be hidden with a screen
Não se esconde o diabo deixando de fora o rabo
You can't hide the devil while leaving the tail outside
E pros "home" não tá difícil de arrumar outro disfarce
And for the men, it's not difficult to find another disguise
De arrumar tanto remendo se tá todo mundo vendo...
By fixing so many patches when everyone is watching...
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lázaro Cavalcante
Ouvir isso em um arrastão da quarta feira de cinzas chega doi na alma...❤
nunocosta
Acabaram com a Timbalada que saudade dessa banda e bloco vai ficar na memória
Wallice Costa
❤❤❤❤
Paulofigueredo Figueredo
Como de acho "Baiana"😢💓😢💞😢💝😢💖😢💕💟😢💜😢💛😢💚💗😢💝😢💘😢💙❤😢.
Paulofigueredo Figueredo
"Bloco Bafo de Baco feira de Santana bahia".
Paulofigueredo Figueredo
Se a lua nao é mais esconderijo.