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
Homenstruado
Timbalada Lyrics
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Marra na galera, gerações guitarra
Portando a íris da maré, lábio no lábio
Rosa Marília ainda é flores no lago
De algum ruar, homenstruado, nove luas
Renascer do pôr-do-sol
Claridade no farol, vaidade de um bebê
Arejar, beijar você
Sem contar, acontecer
Ter ou não vida de rei?
Quando te olhei te amei
No Farol da Barra venho só, me amarra
Marra na galera, gerações guitarra
Portando a íris da maré, lábio no lábio
Rosa Marília ainda é flores no lago
De algum ruar, homenstruado, nove luas
Renascer do pôr-do-sol
Claridade no farol, vaidade de um bebê
Tava a correr, nada a perder
Arejar, beijar você
Sem contar, acontecer
Ter ou não vida de rei?
Quando te olhei te amei
Barras na vida não há
A água-viva no mar
Barras na vida não há
A água-viva no mar
The lyrics of Timbalada's song "Homenstruado" are somewhat cryptic and require careful consideration to extract any clear meaning. The first verse begins with a reference to the Farol da Barra, which is a famous lighthouse in Salvador, Brazil. The singer states that they are coming alone, but are tied to the crowd and the generations of guitar music that have come before them. They are holding the iris of the tide, and their lips are pressed against another's. Then they mention Rosa Marília, who is still flowers in the lake.
The second verse talks about being reborn at sunset, with the light shining on the lighthouse and feeling the vanity of a baby. They were running with nothing to lose and, as they breathe and kiss, things happen without any calculation. The final line of the verse asks whether they should have a life fit for a king or not as, when they saw the person they love, they fell in love.
The final part of the song repeats the idea that there are no bars in life, only the jellyfish in the sea.
It is worth noting that the word "homenstruado" does not have a direct translation into English, but rather suggests a state of transformation or becoming. It could be seen as a reference to puberty or an awakening of some kind.
Line by Line Meaning
No Farol da Barra venho só, me amarra
I come alone to Farol da Barra, but I am captivated by it. I resist conformity to the crowd that follows guitar generations.
Marra na galera, gerações guitarra
I resist following the guitar generations in the crowd.
Portando a íris da maré, lábio no lábio
Holding the iris of the tide, lips touching.
Rosa Marília ainda é flores no lago
Marília's pink flowers still bloom in the lake.
De algum ruar, homenstruado, nove luas
From some street, a transformed person, nine moons.
Renascer do pôr-do-sol
Rebirth of the sunset.
Claridade no farol, vaidade de um bebê
Brightness from the lighthouse, the baby's vanity.
Tava a correr, nada a perder
Running, nothing to lose.
Arejar, beijar você
To breathe, to kiss you.
Sem contar, acontecer
Without planning, it happens.
Ter ou não vida de rei?
To have or not to have a kingly life?
Quando te olhei te amei
When I looked at you, I loved you.
Barras na vida não há
There are no limitations in life.
A água-viva no mar
The jellyfish in the sea.
Barras na vida não há
There are no limitations in life.
A água-viva no mar
The jellyfish in the sea.
Writer(s): Antonio Carlos Santos De Freitas
Contributed by Declan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.