A Palma De Bimba
Lyrics, Translations, Music Video and Song Meaning
Song Lyrics
0:02 - A palma estava errada
Eng: The clapping was wrong
0:04 - Bimba parou bateu outra vez
Eng: Bimba stopped and clapped again
0:07 - Bata esta palma direito
Eng: Clap your hands correctly
0:08 - A palma de bimba é um dois tres
Eng: The clapping of Bimba is one, two, three
0:10 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:11 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:13 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:14 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:15 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:16 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:17 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:18 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:20 - Se você é devoto de Bimba
Eng: If you’re a student of Bimba
0:22 - Na roda ele vai lhe ajudar
Eng: He’ll help you in the roda
0:25 - Mas se não, sai correndo
Eng: But if you’re not, run away
0:26 - Que a roda tá aberta e o bicho vai pegar
Eng: The roda is open and the bug will get you
0:28 - Olha a palma de Bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:29 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:31 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:32 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:33 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:34 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:35 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:36 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:38 - A quadra estava errada
Eng: The song was wrong
0:40 - Bimba parou outra vez
Eng: Bimba stopped again
0:42 - Cante esta quadra direito
Eng: Sing this song right
0:44 - A palma de Bimba é um dois tres
Eng: The clapping of Bimba is one, two, three
0:46 - Olha a palma de Bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:47 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:48 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:50 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:51 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:52 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:53 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
0:54 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
0:56 - A Iúna estava errada
Eng: The Iúna rhythm was wrong
0:58 - Bimba falou outra vez
Eng: Bimba said again
1:00 - Não matrate esta ave moleque
Eng: Don’t mistreat this bird, boy
1:02 - E a palma de Bimba é um dois tres
Eng: And the clapping of Bimba is one, two, three
1:04 - Olha a palma de Bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
1:05 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
1:06 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
1:07 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
1:09 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
1:10 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
1:11 - A ginga estava errada
Eng: The ginga was wrong
1:14 - Bimba parou outra vez
Eng: Bimba stopped again
1:16 - Ô ginga bonito moleque
Eng: Ginga beautifully, boy
1:17 - E a palma de Bimba é um dois tres
Eng: And the clapping of Bimba is one, two, three
1:19 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
1:21 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
1:22 - Olha a palma de Bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
1:23 - É um dois tres
Eng: Is one, two, three
1:24 - Olha a palma de bimba
Eng: The clapping of Bimba
History and sentiment behind song
In this song iúna is the name of a berimbau rhythm, and also the name of a bird. Clapping hands during the roda is done in capoeira regional and contemporanea, but not in capoeira Angola. The typical rhythm for clapping is “one-two-three-(rest)” following the beat of the pandeiros, or corresponding to the “dim-dom-dom” of the berimbau. Sometimes this song is sung to motivate people to clap when the clapping is getting weak, or to correct clappers who are off-beat.
Bimba of course refers to Mestre Bimba, the creator of Capoeira Regional (the style we do). The clapping is said to be from Bimba in this song because he developed the music and bateria in regional so that we clap on the first, second, and third beats.
"o bicho vai pegar"/"someone will catch you"- this literally translates into the bug will hit/sting you.
