Pimba
Encyclopedia
Pimba is a Portuguese
depreciatory term used for qualifying a variety of popular Portuguese
pop
and folk
solo singers as well as band
s, possibly inspired in Schlager
, who focus on simplistic catchy songs with rough lyrics frequently driven by metaphors with sexual meanings, or focused on basic and clichéd romantic stories.
Many Pimba songs use vulgar puns and jokes or address topics suggesting sexual behaviour, seemingly to gain popularity, as in the hit singles "Queres Ketchup, Maria?" ("Do You Want Ketchup, Maria?" — when spoken it sounds similar to "do you want to suck, Maria?"), by
Quim Barreiros
or "É o ECU!" ("It's the ECU!" (ECU
was the first name thought for the euro
) — when spoken sounds like "it's the ass!"), by Banda Lusa.
areas of the country and the emigration
phenomena which permeated Portuguese society throughout the 20th century. Although based in some elements of Portuguese folk music, it is basically straightforward functional pop music with simplistic harmonies and melodies, minimal lyrics and heavy use of cheap rhythm boxes and synthesizers. It is designed to be played in dancing parties and weddings.
Although very popular among Portuguese immigrants and certain rural areas of the country, Pimba music and its musicians/groups are generally considered inferior by most of the population, and is particularly attacked by artists dedicated to genuine Portuguese folk and traditional music.
They can be said to use the same themes as folklore
and target the same audience, though some Pimba singers (such as Marco Paulo
or Tony Carreira
) shun the title and call themselves "poetic
" or "romantic
artists" in an attempt to claim serious artistic recognition. A parallel between Pimba and American country music
audiences can be drawn - nevertheless the lyrics of country are usually of a more serious nature and its musical content is more complex and based on genuine folk tradition.
Pimba music is a cheap and mass-produced affair - extremely basic harmonic structures and catchy, short melodies, sometimes lifted from existing Portuguese folk songs, other times thinly veiled adaptations (or even outright plagiarism) from mainstream pop music. It draws superficially from Portuguese folk music (particularly with the use of the accordion
and certain popular rhythmic structures), but mixes it with instrumentation and basic arrangements from anglo-american pop music. The lyrics are also very simplistic and rough, based on clichéd dramatic love stories, partying, repetitive use of expletives and straightforward overt sexual innuendo.
Until the 1980s, the word "pimba" was merely a common, non-offensive slang word, generally used to express the accomplishment of an action or an unexpected event. In 1993, pop rock band Ex-Votos released an album called "Cantigas do Bloqueio", with the hit single "Subtilezas porno-populares" a.k.a. "...e pimba" a song that talked about the sexual fantasies of a degenerate man - it was so successful that popular singer Emanuel was quick to jump in the bandwagon and create a song with the same expression ("pimba") being repeatedly used in the chorus. This song was "Nós Pimba" (which translates to "We Pimba", meaning "we do it", sexually). In the 1990s, the word was informally coined as an adjective, to identify this kind of music, its sense being quite derogatory, synonymous with tacky. Use of the word spread to describe TV shows, radio programs and other media, fashion, etc. and eventually "pimba" acquired the general meaning of a cultural attitude that lacks intellectual content or quality and is tasteless and vulgar.
In recent years, a "pimba-pride" movement emerged, with fans and artists stating it is "the" contemporary Portuguese folk music, and arguing that music doesn't have to always be profound and elevated. Some intellectuals came to accept this view, recognizing that, in a proper context, this genre is unquestionably entertaining and amusing.
. He started his career before Emanuel, being one of the first, if not the actual first, documented case of Pimba. In most of his songs, Barreiros makes extensive use of ambiguous words, often with obvious sexual suggestions. One of Quim Barreiros' biggest hits was "A Garagem da Vizinha" (The [Female] Neighbour's Garage), which is a metaphor for the female genitalia, but he is also known for hits such as "Bacalhau à Portuguesa", where he asks a woman named Maria to let him smell her "codfish".
Some female singers have shown a lot of success in this kind of music. One of them is Ruth Marlene (alternative spelling in correct Portuguese Rute Marlene). Another is Mónica Sintra, famous for songs like "Na minha cama com ela" ("In my bed with her") or "Afinal havia outra" ("After all there was another [girl]"), songs about heartbreak and cheating. Other famous Pimba singers include: Romana, Micaela, Agata, Claudisabel, Saul Ricardo, Nel Monteiro, Toy, among others.
Leonel Nunes is widely held as the King of the "alternative" Pimba, as the remote location he hails from influences most of his work, therefore to the urban or suburban listener some of the themes depicted in Leonel's songs might seem unusual, humorous or simply too far-fetched.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
depreciatory term used for qualifying a variety of popular Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
solo singers as well as band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
s, possibly inspired in Schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
, who focus on simplistic catchy songs with rough lyrics frequently driven by metaphors with sexual meanings, or focused on basic and clichéd romantic stories.
Many Pimba songs use vulgar puns and jokes or address topics suggesting sexual behaviour, seemingly to gain popularity, as in the hit singles "Queres Ketchup, Maria?" ("Do You Want Ketchup, Maria?" — when spoken it sounds similar to "do you want to suck, Maria?"), by
Quim Barreiros
Quim Barreiros
Quim Barreiros is a Portuguese pimba music writer and singer.He was born June 19, 1947, in Vila Praia de Âncora, located in Northern Portugal. A Garagem da Vizinha is one of his big hits. His most recent album is "O Brioche de Sofia"....
or "É o ECU!" ("It's the ECU!" (ECU
European Currency Unit
The European Currency Unit was a basket of the currencies of the European Community member states, used as the unit of account of the European Community before being replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999, at parity. The ECU itself replaced the European Unit of Account, also at parity, on 13...
was the first name thought for the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
) — when spoken sounds like "it's the ass!"), by Banda Lusa.
History
Pimba bands and musicians/singers are influenced by the ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas of the country and the emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
phenomena which permeated Portuguese society throughout the 20th century. Although based in some elements of Portuguese folk music, it is basically straightforward functional pop music with simplistic harmonies and melodies, minimal lyrics and heavy use of cheap rhythm boxes and synthesizers. It is designed to be played in dancing parties and weddings.
Although very popular among Portuguese immigrants and certain rural areas of the country, Pimba music and its musicians/groups are generally considered inferior by most of the population, and is particularly attacked by artists dedicated to genuine Portuguese folk and traditional music.
They can be said to use the same themes as folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
and target the same audience, though some Pimba singers (such as Marco Paulo
Marco Paulo
Marco Paulo is a Portuguese given name, may refer to*Marco Paulo Rebelo Lopes, Angolan international footballer of Portuguese descent*Marco Paulo Faria Lemos, Portuguese footballer...
or Tony Carreira
Tony Carreira
Tony Carreira is a Portuguese romantic singer. Born in the small rural locality of Armadouro, Pampilhosa da Serra, he moved to Paris at age 10 with his emigrant parents, and lived there for 20 years...
) shun the title and call themselves "poetic
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
" or "romantic
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
artists" in an attempt to claim serious artistic recognition. A parallel between Pimba and American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
audiences can be drawn - nevertheless the lyrics of country are usually of a more serious nature and its musical content is more complex and based on genuine folk tradition.
Pimba music is a cheap and mass-produced affair - extremely basic harmonic structures and catchy, short melodies, sometimes lifted from existing Portuguese folk songs, other times thinly veiled adaptations (or even outright plagiarism) from mainstream pop music. It draws superficially from Portuguese folk music (particularly with the use of the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and certain popular rhythmic structures), but mixes it with instrumentation and basic arrangements from anglo-american pop music. The lyrics are also very simplistic and rough, based on clichéd dramatic love stories, partying, repetitive use of expletives and straightforward overt sexual innuendo.
Until the 1980s, the word "pimba" was merely a common, non-offensive slang word, generally used to express the accomplishment of an action or an unexpected event. In 1993, pop rock band Ex-Votos released an album called "Cantigas do Bloqueio", with the hit single "Subtilezas porno-populares" a.k.a. "...e pimba" a song that talked about the sexual fantasies of a degenerate man - it was so successful that popular singer Emanuel was quick to jump in the bandwagon and create a song with the same expression ("pimba") being repeatedly used in the chorus. This song was "Nós Pimba" (which translates to "We Pimba", meaning "we do it", sexually). In the 1990s, the word was informally coined as an adjective, to identify this kind of music, its sense being quite derogatory, synonymous with tacky. Use of the word spread to describe TV shows, radio programs and other media, fashion, etc. and eventually "pimba" acquired the general meaning of a cultural attitude that lacks intellectual content or quality and is tasteless and vulgar.
In recent years, a "pimba-pride" movement emerged, with fans and artists stating it is "the" contemporary Portuguese folk music, and arguing that music doesn't have to always be profound and elevated. Some intellectuals came to accept this view, recognizing that, in a proper context, this genre is unquestionably entertaining and amusing.
Examples
A very popular Pimba artist is Quim BarreirosQuim Barreiros
Quim Barreiros is a Portuguese pimba music writer and singer.He was born June 19, 1947, in Vila Praia de Âncora, located in Northern Portugal. A Garagem da Vizinha is one of his big hits. His most recent album is "O Brioche de Sofia"....
. He started his career before Emanuel, being one of the first, if not the actual first, documented case of Pimba. In most of his songs, Barreiros makes extensive use of ambiguous words, often with obvious sexual suggestions. One of Quim Barreiros' biggest hits was "A Garagem da Vizinha" (The [Female] Neighbour's Garage), which is a metaphor for the female genitalia, but he is also known for hits such as "Bacalhau à Portuguesa", where he asks a woman named Maria to let him smell her "codfish".
Some female singers have shown a lot of success in this kind of music. One of them is Ruth Marlene (alternative spelling in correct Portuguese Rute Marlene). Another is Mónica Sintra, famous for songs like "Na minha cama com ela" ("In my bed with her") or "Afinal havia outra" ("After all there was another [girl]"), songs about heartbreak and cheating. Other famous Pimba singers include: Romana, Micaela, Agata, Claudisabel, Saul Ricardo, Nel Monteiro, Toy, among others.
Leonel Nunes is widely held as the King of the "alternative" Pimba, as the remote location he hails from influences most of his work, therefore to the urban or suburban listener some of the themes depicted in Leonel's songs might seem unusual, humorous or simply too far-fetched.
Artists
- Emanuel
- Quim BarreirosQuim BarreirosQuim Barreiros is a Portuguese pimba music writer and singer.He was born June 19, 1947, in Vila Praia de Âncora, located in Northern Portugal. A Garagem da Vizinha is one of his big hits. His most recent album is "O Brioche de Sofia"....
- LINDALindaLinda may refer to:* Linda , a female given name * Linda , stage name of Svetlana Geiman, a Russian singer* "Linda" , a popular song written by Jack Lawrence...
- Rosinha
- Jorge Ferreira
- Ruth Marlene
- José Malhoa
- AgataAgata-Places:* Agata, Siberia, a place in Russia* Agata Station, a train station in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan* Sant'Agata Bolognese, an Italian commune in the province of Emilia Romagna-Miscellaneous:...
- RomanaRomanaRomana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- Nel Monteiro
- Tony CarreiraTony CarreiraTony Carreira is a Portuguese romantic singer. Born in the small rural locality of Armadouro, Pampilhosa da Serra, he moved to Paris at age 10 with his emigrant parents, and lived there for 20 years...
- Leonel Nunes