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

Samba Da Lua
Timbalada Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Me diga se a lua é meia
Me diga se a lua é minguante
Me diga se a lua tá cheia
Me diga se a lua é crescente

Vou sambar até que amanheça
Não me esqueça
Dou carinho e ainda agradeço

O que fizeres por mim
Levo água no cesto e o gravo no peito
Lembranças guardadas em você
E tempo em mim

O homem um dia foi à lua
Eu também quero ir lá
Pra ver como é que ficou
As coisas que deixou por lá

A menina gosta de mim
Eu também gosto dela
Ficou toda emocionada

Eu falei
Que a lua era dela

Overall Meaning

In Timbalada's song "Samba da Lua," the lyrics are asking about the moon's different stages and asking the listener to confirm which one it's in. The lyrics then transition to the singer expressing their desire to dance and sambar until the morning, thanking someone for their kindness, and carrying memories with them. There is also a mention of the desire to go to the moon, much like the first man who made the journey, and the singer's affection for a girl, claiming that the moon is hers.

The song is a celebration of Brazilian culture and music, as samba is a popular rhythm and dance style in the country. The lyrics represent a connection to nature, as the moon is seen as a symbol of mystery and beauty, and the act of dancing until daybreak is a way to feel the joy and energy of life. The mention of carrying memories and water also brings to mind the importance of sustenance for survival and the idea of nostalgia for past experiences.

Overall, the song's lyrics impart a sense of positivity and optimism, conveying the idea that life is to be celebrated and enjoyed, and that nature and relationships with others are essential parts of that experience.

Line by Line Meaning

Me diga se a lua é meia
Tell me if the moon is half

Me diga se a lua é minguante
Tell me if the moon is waning

Me diga se a lua tá cheia
Tell me if the moon is full

Me diga se a lua é crescente
Tell me if the moon is crescent

Vou sambar até que amanheça
I'll dance samba until dawn

Não me esqueça
Don't forget me

Dou carinho e ainda agradeço
I give affection and still say thank you

O que fizeres por mim
For what you do for me

Levo água no cesto e o gravo no peito
I carry water in a basket and engrave it in my heart

Lembranças guardadas em você
Memories kept in you

E tempo em mim
And time in me