Synopsis
“UMA HISTORIA DO SAMBA”
“O nosso samba, humilde samba, foi de conquistas em conquistas”
-Cartola / Carlos Cachaça
“A STORY OF SAMBA”
“Our samba, this humble samba, has made the conquest of conquests”
-Cartola / Carlos Cachaça
Our story of samba starts where exactly? Who’s to say?
In London in 1984? Or was it earlier?
With the Portuguese conquest of Brazil…
On the dreadful journey from Africa in the belly of a slave ship…
With the arrival of the entire Portuguese royal court in Rio in 1808? Or under the ‘quasi-national’ artistic direction of Presidente Vargas in Brazil the 1930s?
Samba is moving, shifting, growing on a continuing journey, there is no one definitive history everyone has there own take and ours is just one story but definitely one worth celebrating.
Theme by Sasha Koura
Music
Uma Historia do Samba (2009) from London School of Samba on Myspace.
Music composed by Paul Rumbol, Lyrics by Xavier Osmir
Chorus
Parabens para voce London School
São vinte é cinco seus anos lindos de gloria
Um samba verdadeiro
Traz pra avenida sua historia . . . (bis)
Verse 1
Foi num encontro de bambas
Que a vehla guarda se encontrou – oo
Tocavam e cantavam temas
Dos velhos tempos que empolgou
Unidos – laia, laia – compositores, sambistas
Belas passistas é artistas
Fundaram o nosso barracão
E de maos dadas foi erguido o pavilhão
O som da bateria anunciou
Que chegou em Notting Hill
O Carnival do meu Brasil – Brasil
Bosco de Oliveira é Carlos Funetes
Velha Guarda encandecente
Pato sua obra aqui ficou
A pioneira escola a desfilar
No Reino Unido chega o povo pra sambar
Tocando samba para o mundo inteiro
Ligando London ao nosso Rio de Janeiro (bis)
Verse 2
Contagiante o samba se tornou – oo
Tranzendo muito axe é alegria
Porta Bandeira gira o estandarte
Madrinha Mocidade aqui chegou
Foi batizada a nossa escola
Com harmonia todo povo se encantou
Uma historia do samba, uma celebração!
Com tum, tum, tum – da bateria
Vamos cantar é festejar
Happy Birthday London School
Em Verde é Branco vem brilhar (bis)
Chorus
Parabens para voce London School
São vinte é cinco seus anos lindos de gloria
Um samba verdadeiro
Traz pra avenida sua historia . . . (bis)
Translation by Maxine Shorto
Chorus
Happy Birthday to you London School
It is 25 years of glory
A genuine samba
Bringing your history to the streets (repeat)
Verse 1
It was at a gathering of musicians
That the old school met up
Playing and singing themes
Inpsired by the good old times
LSS – composers and sambistas
Beautiful dancers and artists
Founded our barracão
And holding hands they raised the LSS’s flag
The sound of the drummers announced
What had arrived in Notting Hill
Was the carnival of my Brazil – Brazil
Bosco de Oliveira and Carlos Funetes
The enlightened founding members
Pato, your influence is still felt
The first School of Samba to parade
In the UK the people came to samba
Dancing samba from the whole world
Connecting London to Rio de Janeiro (repeat)
Verse 2
Samba became contagious – oo
Bringing peace and happiness
Porta Bandeira spins the flag
Godmother Mocidade has arrived
Our school was baptised
And with harmony it enchanted our people
A history of samba, a celebration!
Com tum, tum, tum, of the bateria
Lets sing and party
Happy Birthday London School
In Green and White we will shine (repeat)
Chorus
Happy Birthday to you London School
It is 25 years of glory
A genuine samba
Bringing your history to the streets (repeat)
Notting Hill Carnival 2009 – part 1
Notting Hill Carnival 2009 – part 2
London School of Samba 2009 Notting Hill Carnival
London School of Samba Press Photos
Pictures of our performance at 2009′s Notting Hill Carnival can be seen on various websites.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock