A Tamba Lyrics in English by Jorge Ben Jor
Nagô refers to the Yoruba people, an ethnic group predominantly found in Nigeria and Benin. In Brazil, it specifically denotes the descendants of enslaved Yoruba people and their cultural contributions, particularly in music and religion.
In the context of Jorge Ben Jor's song, "Rei Nagô" (King Nagô) likely refers to a revered figure or a symbolic representation of the rich Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage, especially samba, which is deeply rooted in African traditions. The lyrics lament that since the "King Nagô" left, "Ninguém jamais fez samba, ninguém jamais cantou" (No one ever made samba, no one ever sang), highlighting the profound loss of this cultural essence.
Jorge Ben Jor turns a drum call into an invitation. He opens with "A conga esta chamando" ("The conga is calling") and "Pois a tamba está tocando" ("Because the tamba is playing") — the tamba is an Afro-Brazilian hand drum, and its sound is the reason "Hoje nós vamos sambar" ("Today we're going to samba").
Midway through, the mood shifts: "Desde que se foi / O nosso Rei Nagô" ("Since he's been gone / Our King Nagô") mourns a departed figure from Bahia's Nagô (Yoruba) religious tradition, and the song insists nobody has made real samba or sung since. The refrain "Um lamento ou uma canção de amor" ("A lament or a love song") is Ben's own summary of what a great samba actually is — grief and romance carried by the same drumbeat.
