Forever Tunes

Producer Ricardo Cravo Alvim thinks that marchinhas
resist because they were created with the popular artist's
best inspiration and during a time in which
commercialism wasn't so widespread.

Alessandra Dalevi

How sad would be Carnaval without the lovely marchinhas. Fads come and go, crazes like axé in the early 90s and neo-funk more recently had a brief life. But marchinhas resist and every year they are repeatedly sung by heart by several generations of Carnaval merrymakers. The oldest of them ("Ô abre alas") is from the 19^th century. Most of the tunes were composed in the '30s and the most recent ("Maria Sapatão") appeared 22 years ago.

What's the secret for such longevity? Producer Ricardo Cravo Alvim thinks he knows the answer. In an interview with webzine no. (it reads no ponto = ripe, ready), Alvim said: "The old Carnaval songs resist because they were marchas and sambas created with the popular artist's best inspiration and during a time in which commercialism wasn't so rampant. They have an unbeatable spontaneity."

Starting in the '70s, the marchinha practically disappeared and the samba-enredo (the theme songs created by the escolas de samba as a kind of sound track for their elaborate parade) took its place. Commenting on this demise, Leon Barg, the owner of the recording label Revivendo (Reliving)—his company has already released 23 CDs of the collection "Carnaval, Sua História, Sua Glória" (Carnaval, Its History, Its Glory) is forthright: "This substitution of the marchinha with samba-enredo was Carnaval's undoing."

Jota Júnior, 78, co-author of "Saçaricando" (1952), one of the perennials of Carnaval, believes marchinhas are like an heirloom: "Those marchinhas profoundly marked the older generation. During Carnaval these people continued singing them passing them to their children and so forth. This way the youngsters keep on singing these songs without ever noticing how old they are. Even now I keep receiving royalties for "Saçaricando" and also for "Lata d'Água" from almost every state in the country."

These tunes can be a treasure of the Brazilian popular music, but many of them wouldn't be released in our politically correct times without a threat of a day in court. Blacks, Indians, gays, bald and old people, are all made fun of or treated in what would be considered today the utmost disrespect. Listen for example to this song from 1932 called "O Teu Cabelo Não Nega". Lamartine Babo, its author, would probably be sued for his insensibility:
 

O Teu Cabelo Não Nega (Lamartine Babo - Irmãos Valença) O teu cabelo nao nega mulata Porque és mulata na cor Mas como a cor não pega, mulata Mulata, eu quero o teu amor Tens um sabor bem do Brasil Tens a alma cor de anil Mulata, mulatinha, meu amor Fui nomeado teu tenente interventor Quem te inventou, meu pancadão Teve uma consagração A lua te invejando fez careta Porque, mulata, tu nao és deste planeta Quando, meu bem, vieste à terra Portugal declarou guerra A concorrência então foi colossal Vasco da Gama contra a batalhão naval

Your hair doesn't deny Your hair doesn't deny, mulata Because mulatto is your color But since color doesn't catch, mulata, Mulata, I want your love You have taste that's from Brazil You have a blue colored soul Mulata, dear mulata, my love I was appointed your interventor lieutenant Who did invent you, my knockout Was a big hit The moon envying you, made faces Because, mulata, you're not from this planet When, darling, you came to the land Portugal declared war The competition was huge then Vasco da Gama against the naval battalion

Some other jewels of Carnaval that continue as popular as when they were released:
 

Saca-Rolha (Zé da Zilda - Zilda - Waldyr Machado) As águas vão rolar Garrafa cheia eu não quero ver sobrar Eu passo a mão no saca saca saca-rolha E bebo até me afogar Deixa as águas rolar Se a polícia por isso me prender Mas na última hora me soltar Eu pego um saca saca saca saca-rolha Ninguém me agarra, ninguém me agarra Mamãe Eu Quero (Jararaca - Vicente Paiva) Mama, mama, mamãe eu quero, Mamãe eu quero mamar Dá a chupeta, dá a chupeta Dá a chupeta pro bebê não chorar Dorme benzinho do meu coração Pega a mamadeira e entra pro cordão Eu tenho uma irmã que se chama Ana De tanto piscar o olho já ficou sem a pestana Cabeleira do Zezé Roberto Faissal and José Roberto Olha a cabeleira do Zezé Será que ele é? Será que ele é? (bichaaaaa) Será que ele é bossa nova Será que ele é Maomé Parece que é transviado Mas isso eu não sei Se ele é Corta o cabelo dele Corta o cabelo dele Corta o cabelo dele Cachaça Mirabeau Pinheiro, L. de Castro and H. Lobato Você pensa que cachaça é água Cachaça não é água não Cachaça vem do alambique E água vem do ribeirão Pode me faltar tudo na vida Arroz, feijão e pão Pode me faltar manteiga E tudo mais não faz falta não Pode me faltar o amor Isso eu até acho graça Só não quero que me falte A danada da cachaça Me Dá um Dinheiro Aí (Ivan Ferreira - Homero Ferreira - Glauco Ferreira) Ei, você aí Me dá um dinheiro aí Me dá um dinheiro aí Não vai dar, Não vai dar não Você vai ver Que grande confusão Eu vou beber Beber até cair Me dá, me dá, me dá, oi Me dá um dinheiro aí Bota Camisinha Chacrinha Bota camisinha, Bota meu amor, Que hoje tá chovendo, Não vai fazer calor Bota a camisinha no pescoço Bota geral Não quero ver ninguém Sem camisinha Prá não se machucar No Carnaval... Índio Quer Apito (Haroldo Lôbo - Milton de Oliveira) Ê, ê, ê, ê, ê Índio quer apito Se não der Pau vai comer Lá no Bananal Mulher de branco Levou para índio colar esquisito Índio viu presente mais bonito Eu não quer colar Índio quer apito

Cork-Puller The waters are going to roll I don't want to see any full bottle left I get a hold of the cork cork cork-puller And drink until I drown Let the waters roll If the police lock me up for that And at the last minute release me I get a hold of the cork cork cork-puller Nobody catches me, nobody catches me Mommy, I Want Mom, mom, mommy I want, Mommy I want to suckle Give the sucker, give the sucker Give the sucker so the baby will not cry Sleep little darling of my heart Take your baby bottle and join the gang I have a sister whose name is Ana She winks so much that she lost her eyebrow Zezé's Mane Look at Zezé's mane Could he be? Could he be? (fairyyyy) Could he be bossa nova Could he be Mohamed He seems to be deviated * But this I don't know If he is Cut his hair Cut his hair Cut his hair * (a play on the word veado that in Brazil means deer and also queer or faggot) Booze Do you think booze is water? Booze is no water Booze comes from the still And water comes from the stream I can do without anything in life Rice, beans and bread I can do without butter And all the rest means nothing I can do without love Even think this is funny The only thing I can't do without Is the blasted booze Give me some money Hey, you there Gimme some money now Gimme some money now You won't give You won't give, no You gonna see The big melee I'm gonna drink Drink until I fall Gimme, gimme, gimme, hey Gimme some money now Put on the rubber Put on the rubber Put it on, my love, Today is raining It's not getting hot Put on the rubber on the neck Put it on all over I don't want to see anybody Without a rubber So no one will get hurt This Carnaval… Indian Wants Whistle Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh Indian wants whistle If you don't give I'll beat you with a stick There in Bananal White man's woman Brought Indian weird necklace Indian saw a prettier gift Me don't want necklace Indian wants whistle These lyrics were based on a widespread joke in the early '60s. The whistle to which the song refers is the sound of breaking wind.

These are the marchinhas that continue alive, according to a list published by no. (http://www.no.com.br):

1899 — "Ô abre-alas" (Chiquinha Gonzaga)

1930 — "Ta-hi (Pra você gostar de mim)" (Joubert de Carvalho)

1932 — "O teu cabelo não nega" (Lamartine Babo/Irmãos Valença)

1933 — "Linda morena" (Lamartine Babo)

1934 — "Linda lourinha" (Braguinha)

1935 — "Cidade maravilhosa" (André Filho)

1936 — "Pierrô apaixonado" (Heitor dos Prazeres/Noel Rosa)

1937 — "Mamãe eu quero" (Jararaca/Vicente Paiva)

1938 — "As pastorinhas" (Braguinha/Noel Rosa)
"Yes, nós temos bananas" (Braguinha/Alberto Ribeiro)

1939 — "A jardineira" (Benedito Lacerda/Humberto Porto)

1941 — "Aurora" (Mário Lago/Roberto Roberti)
"Ala-la-ô" (Haroldo Lobo/Nássara)

1942 — "Nós, os carecas" (Arlindo Marques Jr./Roberto Roberti)

1944 — "Eu brinco" (Pedro Caetano/Claudionor Cruz)

1949 — "Chiquita Bacana" (Braguinha/Alberto Ribeiro)

1951 — "Tomara que chova" (Paquito/Romeu Gentil)

1952 — "Saçaricando" (Luiz Antonio/Jota Júnior/Oldemar Magalhães)

1953 — "Cachaça" (Mirabeau/L. de Castro/Lobato)

1954 — "Piada de salão" (Armando Cavalcanti/Klecius Caldas)
"Saca-rolha" (Zé da Zilda/Waldir Machado)

1955 — "Maria Escandalosa" (Armando Cavalcanti/Klecius Caldas)

1956 — "Quem sabe, sabe" (Carvalhinho/Joel de Almeida)
"Turma do funil" (Mirabeau/Milton de Oliveira/Urgel Castro)

1957 — "Vai com jeito" (Braguinha)

1960 — "Me dá um dinheiro aí" (Ivan/Homero/Glauco Ferreira)

1961 — "Índio quer apito" (Haroldo Lobo/Milton de Oliveira)
"A lua é dos namorados" (Armando Cavalcanti/Klecius
Caldas)

1962 — "Marcha do Cordão do Bola Preta" (Nelson Barbosa/Vicente Paiva)

1964 — "Marcha do remador (Se a canoa não virar)" (Antonio Almeida/O. Magalhães)
"A cabeleira do Zezé" (João Roberto Kelly/Roberto Faissal)

1965 — "Mulata iê-iê-iê" (João Roberto Kelly)

1967 — "Máscara negra" (Zé Keti)

1970 — "O primeiro clarim" (Klecius Caldas/Rutinaldo)
"Bandeira branca" (Laércio Alves/Max Nunes)

1980 — "Maria Sapatão" (João Robreto Kelly/Chacrinha/Don Carlos/Leleco)

Send your
comments to
Brazzil