Do you know how to samba? You should not be surprised to know that this clueless and somewhat awkward gringo doesn’t have a clue, so you can calm down if you thought I was was going to show you a video of me giving it a try.
Contrary to popular opinion, not all Brazilians are passistas (expert samba dancers) either. In fact I’ve seen a few Brazilian bloggers who have posted the following:
I find this message comforting. If not all Brazilians know how to samba then it seems perfectly acceptable that I don’t have a clue either.
However, I have just spent a few minutes checking out some instructional videos and it turns out it may not be completely impossible. Take a look at this clear demonstration:
https://i0.wp.com/eatrio.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/yesbutno.jpg?fit=218%2C248&ssl=1248218tomlemeshttps://eatrio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/eat-rio-logo.pngtomlemes2013-02-05 14:39:002024-07-05 17:47:18Video post: How to samba
Carnival, for me, has officially started! I know I’m a bit behind on this (pre-carnival blocos have been running for a few weeks now), but this weekend I made up for lost time by visiting two!
On Saturday I ventured over to the lovely Praia Vermelha, just next to the cable car that takes you to the top of Pão de Açúcar. It was a nice little bloco – nothing too crazy and the scenery was gorgeous.
Just back from the beach itself, there is a large open area – perfect for carnival parading.
On Sunday I decided to go a little further afield for a much larger bloco – Timoneiros da Viola in the the North Zone neighbourhood of Madureira. I went to the same pre-carnival bloco last year and it was great!
Apparently the organisers had made a slight miscalculation when hiring the carnival truck – it was too high for some of the cables that stretched across the route that the bloco was meant to take (do they really deserve to be called “organisers” if they make a mistake like that?). Anyway, that didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits (the ‘dampening’ came later…)
Don’t you just love Response Songs? You know, someone writes a song asking “Why don’t you love me?” and then someone else writes a song which says “Because you’re boring and selfish!”.
Well I’ve just discovered a response song I had to tell you about. Remember I recently wrote about the classic carnaval marchinha Cabeleira de Zezé? It’s a super catchy song dating back to the early 1960s – it’s a much-loved song, but the lyrics left me wondering if I should really be singing it. An ‘unconventional’ guy named Zezé, is singled out for his unusually big hair. Various lines of the song seem to suggest that the guy might be this or that, but the crowd’s participation (shouting BICHA!) sets the tone of the song (the suggestion is that the guy is gay). The final line of the song is “Cut his hair!”
Well, the Eat Rio reader consensus was that this isn’t some homophobic bully song, but rather a reflection of the times in which it was composed. I was (and am) happy to accept that, but it seems that one group of people feel that it is time to come to poor Zezé’s defence!
This is A.B.R.A. Pre-Ca. In case you’re wondering, this stands for Amigos Bandidos Residentes no Amor Pré-Carnaval. These guys started writing carnival music in 2011 and they now play at blocos, discos and clubs.
https://i0.wp.com/eatrio.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/abra-pre-ca_small.jpg?fit=588%2C447&ssl=1447588tomlemeshttps://eatrio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/eat-rio-logo.pngtomlemes2013-02-01 17:46:422025-12-13 14:16:49Response Marchinha: Leave Zezé’s big hair in peace!
The first place I set foot in South America was Buenos Aires back in 2009. There are many, many reasons to love Argentina’s capital – the food, the vibrant culture, the beautiful architecture to name a few. You can almost feel history – it seems to seep from every bar and street corner you pass. One of the things I particularly enjoyed seeing there was a certain kind of South American gentleman.
As I wandered the streets I would occasionally pass an old guy dressed in 3 piece suit, walking stick and moustache, all of which seemed to hark back to a bygone era. My South American history was (and still is) very patchy, but these old men made me think of the 1930s-1950s. It was a real pleasure to see these guys and I was lucky enough to get chatting to a couple of them one night in a restaurant. They were friendly, interesting and delighted to hear that I had left everything behind to have an adventure. Speaking to them was like stepping back in time.
Well the performer of today’s carnival marchinha reminds me of those old South American gents. Funnily enough it turns out he was born in Buenos Aires, but soon moved to São Paulo and then Rio. Take a look at Carlos Galhardo:
Carlos Galhardo – the suit, the moustache and that pipe! A handsome fellow reminiscent of David Niven, everything speaks of a rather romantic bygone era. I wonder what he would make of today’s carnival.
So that is our singer. Now let’s get to today’s marchinha de carnaval – it’s a fun one!
Carnival is just a few weeks away people! Time to start thinking about your fantasia, planning which blocos you’re going to attend and of course, learn some more marchinhas de carnaval!
Today’s song is super catchy, but it has also got me feeling a little perplexed. Perhaps I’m being naïve or simply ‘not getting it’ (wouldn’t be the first time!), but there seems to be a bit of a bullying, homophobic aspect to this song.
The title of the song is Cabeleira do Zezé and it was written by João Roberto Kelly (and Roberto Faissal) back in the early 1960s.
João Roberto Kelly, cheeky looking chap, responsible for more than one cheeky carnival tune! I notice his hair wasn’t exactly small…
Kelly was born in Rio in 1938. In 1964, aged just 24, he had huge success with today’s song when it was recorded by Jorge Goulart. We’ll hear Jorge sing the song in a moment, but before that, let’s have a quick look at the lyrics and maybe you’ll get an idea of why I’m a little perplexed.
