Some of the best Salvador Carnival groups are featured on YouTube. Unfortunately, some groups are not, or what is available doesn't do them justice at all. Here's a sample of Bahia's Carnival greats in videos that are either the official clips or footage that allows their talent to show through. (Updated on Sep. 4, 2008)
Dandalunda, by Carlinhos Brown (live)
Album: Maga - Afropopbrasileiro, Universal Records, 2002
Lyrics
Most played song in Carnival 2003
In a 2003 interview, Carlinhos Brown explained that "Dandalunda" pays homage to Mãe (Mother) Maiamba, a candomblé priestess in Candeal, the poor Salvador neighborhood where Brown was born and where he develops the Pracatum social project. "Dandalunda" and the chorus are part of Mãe Maiamba's African prayers.
Mãe Maiamba was one of the Candeal community members featured in the movie El Milagro de Candeal (2004), by Spanish moviemaker Fernando Trueba.
Official Margareth Menezes website
Rapunzel, by Carlinhos Brown and Alair Tavares
Album: Feijão com Arroz, Epic/Sony, 1996
Lyrics
Daniela Mercury is one of the queens of Salvador Carnival and a versatile interpreter of several styles of Brazilian music. She's the winner of the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Brazilian Roots/Regional Album category with Balé Mulato ao Vivo
The song chorus says "Juliet and Romeo's love/[Is] just like ours".
Official Daniela Mercury website
Toda Menina Baiana, by Gilberto Gil (live in São Paulo)
First released: Realce, WEA, 1979
Lyrics and Other Albums
Legendary musician Gilberto Gil (and Brazil's Minister of Culture in president Luis Inácio da Silva's administration) praises Bahia women in this classic song, saying every baiana girl has a God-given "jeito" – a way of being or behaving.
Gilberto Gil and other famous Brazilian musicians (see the 2008 Carnival Agenda have taken part in Salvador Carnival since 1998, as the Trio Elétrico Expresso 2222, named after one of Gil's greatest hits.
Official Gilberto Gil website
The Obvious Child, by Paul Simon (live at Central Park, New York, 1991)
Album: The Rhythm of the Saints, Warner Bros., 1990
Lyrics
Paul Simon did more than introduce Salvador's percussion band Olodum to the world. He brought them to a new height of visibility in Brazil itself.
Olodum performs as a band and as a bloco afro (an African-Brazilian Carnival group) in the Salvador Carnival. Rooted in the historical Pelourinho district, Olodum is also a non-governmental organization that promotes the advancement of black people and responds for several initiatives such as a school and junior (mirim) versions of the band and bloco.
Official Olodum website
Sorte Grande (Poeira), by Lourenço (live in Salvador; video with lyrics)
Album: Ivete Sangalo, Universal, 2006
Lyrics
Carnival queen Ivete Sangalo started on the fame path as the lead singer for Salvador's Carnival band Eva. In 1999 she went solo, becoming a national celebrity. "Sorte Grande", her greatest hit, describes a great love - a lucky break that kicked up some dust ("levantou poeira").
Official Ivete Sangalo website
Beija-Flor (live clip with Daniela Mercury and Carlinhos Brown)
Album: Vamos Dar a Volta no Guetho - Ao Vivo, Globo Polydor, 1998
Lyrics
The origin of Timbalada is closely associated with Carlinhos Brown, the Pracatum organization and the Candeal district, in Salvador. This song is a Carnival classic. At the time of this video, Timbalada's lead singer was Xexéu (pronounced "sheSHELL" with LL sounding like "w" in "wow"). As of February 2008, the lead singer is Denny - see the official website, below.
Official Timbalada website
Voa Voa, by Bell Marques (Carnival footage)
Album: Chiclete na Caixa, Banana no Cacho, BMG, 2003
Lyrics
Extremely popular band Chiclete com Banana, like other Salvador blocos, has fans that follow their truck every Carnival.
É do Eva, by Sinho Maia, Ivan Brasil and Ricardo Barão
Album: É do Eva ao Vivo, Universal, 2004
Lyrics
Created in the late 1970s, Eva is another group with a huge following in the Salvador trio elétrico circuit. Here,they keep up their hot beat in an acoustic studio version.
Official Grupo Eva website
Vixe Maria (Avisa a Vizinha) (live)
Lyrics
In this song, Ara Ketu tells everyone to "let the lady next door know" that the band is coming. "Vixe Maria" is a northeastern Brazilian exclamation of surprise that disguises the taboo utterance of Virgin Mary (Virgem Maria)'s name.
Official Ara Ketu website
Medley at Rock in Rio 1985
Bahia guitar music and two pioneers of Salvador Carnival performing together. Armandinho still plays his guitar in the Salvador Carnival with his father, Osmar, in Trio elétrico Armandinho, Dodô e Osmar.
Songs played here:
"Pombo Correio", by Moraes Moreira
Lyrics
"Festa do Interior", by Moraes Moreira and Abel Silva (turned into a hit by singer Gal Costa)
Lyrics
Official Moraes Moreira website
1. Margareth Menezes
Dandalunda, by Carlinhos Brown (live)
Album: Maga - Afropopbrasileiro, Universal Records, 2002
Lyrics
Most played song in Carnival 2003
In a 2003 interview, Carlinhos Brown explained that "Dandalunda" pays homage to Mãe (Mother) Maiamba, a candomblé priestess in Candeal, the poor Salvador neighborhood where Brown was born and where he develops the Pracatum social project. "Dandalunda" and the chorus are part of Mãe Maiamba's African prayers.
Mãe Maiamba was one of the Candeal community members featured in the movie El Milagro de Candeal (2004), by Spanish moviemaker Fernando Trueba.
Official Margareth Menezes website
2. Daniela Mercury
Rapunzel, by Carlinhos Brown and Alair Tavares
Album: Feijão com Arroz, Epic/Sony, 1996
Lyrics
Daniela Mercury is one of the queens of Salvador Carnival and a versatile interpreter of several styles of Brazilian music. She's the winner of the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Brazilian Roots/Regional Album category with Balé Mulato ao Vivo
The song chorus says "Juliet and Romeo's love/[Is] just like ours".
Official Daniela Mercury website
3. Gilberto Gil
Toda Menina Baiana, by Gilberto Gil (live in São Paulo)
First released: Realce, WEA, 1979
Lyrics and Other Albums
Legendary musician Gilberto Gil (and Brazil's Minister of Culture in president Luis Inácio da Silva's administration) praises Bahia women in this classic song, saying every baiana girl has a God-given "jeito" – a way of being or behaving.
Gilberto Gil and other famous Brazilian musicians (see the 2008 Carnival Agenda have taken part in Salvador Carnival since 1998, as the Trio Elétrico Expresso 2222, named after one of Gil's greatest hits.
Official Gilberto Gil website
4. Olodum (with Paul Simon)
The Obvious Child, by Paul Simon (live at Central Park, New York, 1991)
Album: The Rhythm of the Saints, Warner Bros., 1990
Lyrics
Paul Simon did more than introduce Salvador's percussion band Olodum to the world. He brought them to a new height of visibility in Brazil itself.
Olodum performs as a band and as a bloco afro (an African-Brazilian Carnival group) in the Salvador Carnival. Rooted in the historical Pelourinho district, Olodum is also a non-governmental organization that promotes the advancement of black people and responds for several initiatives such as a school and junior (mirim) versions of the band and bloco.
Official Olodum website
5. Ivete Sangalo
Sorte Grande (Poeira), by Lourenço (live in Salvador; video with lyrics)
Album: Ivete Sangalo, Universal, 2006
Lyrics
Carnival queen Ivete Sangalo started on the fame path as the lead singer for Salvador's Carnival band Eva. In 1999 she went solo, becoming a national celebrity. "Sorte Grande", her greatest hit, describes a great love - a lucky break that kicked up some dust ("levantou poeira").
Official Ivete Sangalo website
6. Timbalada
Beija-Flor (live clip with Daniela Mercury and Carlinhos Brown)
Album: Vamos Dar a Volta no Guetho - Ao Vivo, Globo Polydor, 1998
Lyrics
The origin of Timbalada is closely associated with Carlinhos Brown, the Pracatum organization and the Candeal district, in Salvador. This song is a Carnival classic. At the time of this video, Timbalada's lead singer was Xexéu (pronounced "sheSHELL" with LL sounding like "w" in "wow"). As of February 2008, the lead singer is Denny - see the official website, below.
Official Timbalada website
7. Chiclete com Banana
Voa Voa, by Bell Marques (Carnival footage)
Album: Chiclete na Caixa, Banana no Cacho, BMG, 2003
Lyrics
Extremely popular band Chiclete com Banana, like other Salvador blocos, has fans that follow their truck every Carnival.
8. Banda Eva
É do Eva, by Sinho Maia, Ivan Brasil and Ricardo Barão
Album: É do Eva ao Vivo, Universal, 2004
Lyrics
Created in the late 1970s, Eva is another group with a huge following in the Salvador trio elétrico circuit. Here,they keep up their hot beat in an acoustic studio version.
Official Grupo Eva website
9. Ara Ketu (with Ivete Sangalo)
Vixe Maria (Avisa a Vizinha) (live)
Lyrics
In this song, Ara Ketu tells everyone to "let the lady next door know" that the band is coming. "Vixe Maria" is a northeastern Brazilian exclamation of surprise that disguises the taboo utterance of Virgin Mary (Virgem Maria)'s name.
Official Ara Ketu website
10. Moraes Moreira and Armandinho
Medley at Rock in Rio 1985
Bahia guitar music and two pioneers of Salvador Carnival performing together. Armandinho still plays his guitar in the Salvador Carnival with his father, Osmar, in Trio elétrico Armandinho, Dodô e Osmar.
Songs played here:
"Pombo Correio", by Moraes Moreira
Lyrics
"Festa do Interior", by Moraes Moreira and Abel Silva (turned into a hit by singer Gal Costa)
Lyrics
Official Moraes Moreira website
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