Zumbi (song)

"Zumbi" is a song by Brazilian samba-rock artist Jorge Ben.^[2] It appears on his 1974 album, A Tábua de Esmeralda.^[3] Its title refers to Brazilian slave settlement leader Zumbi dos Palmares. The song's lyrics describe the scene of a slave auction, ending with hopeful speculation about what will happen when Zumbi arrives. The refrain "Angola, Congo, Benguela, Monjolo, Cabinda, Mina, Quiloa, Rebolla" evokes the African origins of the slaves up for sale in the song.^[4][5] This vocal by Ben accompanied only by percussion is interrupted by a short, rising guitar chord, which announces the climax of the song, with the reintroduction of the sound mass of the brass and the singing taking on more passionate and dramatic contours, alternating with figurative intonations, in the final execution of the chorus, interspersed with apostrophes ("my people!") and some improvised vocals.^[6]

"Zumbi"
Song by Jorge Ben
from the album A Tábua de Esmeralda
Jorge Ben singles chronology
"Zumbi" "10 Anos Depois"

Johann Moritz Rugendas portraits from the 1800s featuring slaves from the locations referred to in the song.^[1]

The song has also been recorded by Caetano Veloso on the album Nights of the North.^[7]

References

1. "Zumbi lyrics" (Lyrics). Retrieved 2014-04-14.
2. Dunn, Christopher (2001). Brutality Garden. UNC Press. pp. 178. ISBN 978-0-8078-4976-7. Retrieved 3 October 2008. Jorge Ben +zumbi.
3. Petillo, Alexandre; Alexandre Matias (2005). Noite passada um disco salvou minha vida. Geração Editorial. p. 174. ISBN 978-85-7509-126-5. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
4. Beier, Rogerio (2012-02-05). "Aprendendo História com Jorge Ben Jor" (Blogpost). Retrieved 2014-04-14.
5. Jorge Ben Jor - Zumbi. YouTube. 2012-02-05.
6. Oliveira, Luciana Xavier de (2012-06-11). "África Brasil (1976): uma análise midiática do álbum de Jorge Ben Jor // África Brasil (1976): mediatic analisys of the album from Jorge Ben Jor". Contemporânea Revista de Comunicação e Cultura (in Portuguese). 10 (1): 158–174. doi:10.9771/contemporanea.v10i1.5820 (inactive 1 November 2024). ISSN 1809-9386.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
7. Heckman, Don (April 22, 2001). "POP MUSIC; Record Rack; *** 1/2 CAETANO VELOSO "Noites do Notre," Nonesuch". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 October 2008.^{[dead link]}