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

Som Dos Tribais
Timbalada Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Meu amor meu bem querer
Minha cidade eu te quero bem
Vamos subindo a ladeira
Descendo a ladeira como um trem

É o som dos tribais
Gemendo a madeira
Agarra menina me beija

Me dá um chamego como ninguém

Timbala eu, timbala amor
Embala essa praça
Timbaleiro ô

O swing leva eu
A voz do povo é a voz de Deus
Vamos subindo a ladeira
Descendo a ladeira como um trem

Vem correndo que eu vou
Embala essa praça
Timbaleiro ô

Sou Candeal
Sou timbaleiro e bote fé
Sou timbaleiro e trago axé
Dos tribais

Sou mundial
Sou timbaleiro e bote fé

Sou timbaleiro e trago axé
Dos tribais

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Timbalada's song "Som Dos Tribais" speak to the joy and energy that can be found in the rhythms of Brazilian carnival music. The opening lines express a deep love for one's city and a desire to enjoy it to the fullest, while the reference to ascending and descending the hill like a train suggests the forward momentum of the music itself.

The chorus of the song, which includes the repeated phrase "timbaleiro ô", celebrates the importance of the timbal drum in the music of the region. The verses also evoke a sense of community and belonging, with references to the "voice of the people" being the "voice of God". Finally, the ending lines affirm the role of the timbaleiro, who brings the energy and spirit of the tribal rhythms wherever they go.

Overall, "Som Dos Tribais" is a celebration of the music and culture of Salvador, Brazil, where Timbalada is based. The song offers a lively and joyful tribute to the tradition of carnival music, while also conveying a sense of pride in local identity and the importance of the timbal drum.

Line by Line Meaning

Meu amor meu bem querer
My love, my beloved

Minha cidade eu te quero bem
My city, I want the best for you

Vamos subindo a ladeira
Let's climb the hill

Descendo a ladeira como um trem
Going down the hill like a train

É o som dos tribais
It's the sound of the tribes

Gemendo a madeira
Moaning the timber

Agarra menina me beija
Hold me, girl, kiss me

Me dá um chamego como ninguém
Give me a cuddle like no one else

Timbala eu, timbala amor
Timbala me, my love

Embala essa praça
Rock this square

Timbaleiro ô
Timbaleiro (musician who plays timbal)