Os 3 do Nordeste - E Proibido Cochilar - from O Proibido Cochilar - CBS 1974
Click on the video above to play the song.
As Cangaceiras - E Proibido Cochilar - from Forró Em Limoeiro (or s/t) - Itamaraty 1970 / 1976
Click on the video above to play the song.
Originally called Trio Luar do Sertão (English: The Sertão Moonlight Trio), Os 3 do Nordeste (The 3 of the North) were one of the most successful forró groups on CBS in the 1970s. The dates given for their formation are conflicting. What seems to be solid fact is their lucky break came when Jackson do Pandeiro recommended them to Abdias* as the CBS session band to replace the group on staff.
From the back of Os 3 Nordeste’s 1975 LP Mulher Com M Só: “Jackson came up to Abdias and, with very Paraibean mojo, said: ‘There it is Shorty, if you wanna hear the real bad a**es and put out an LP, you just say the word and I’ll bring em here.”
(Thanks Tiago “Bigode Hula Cavaquinho” Machado for the translation!)
Their first CBS LP was released in 1974. Although their lineup has changed considerably, they are still performing and releasing albums today.
With it’s hypnotic accordion, wicked chorus and throaty vocals by Mestre Zinho, E Proibido Cochilar (English: It’s Forbidden To Doze Off or It’s Forbidden To Nap - playfully encouraged people to stay awake at a late night forró party) was a deserved hit worthy of Jackson do Pandeiro’s kudos. It is one of the best known forró songs. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s what we call a floor filler at soul all-nighters.
The song was composed by the brilliant Antonio Barros, who wrote dozens of famous hits recorded by stars like Luiz Gonzaga, Jackson do Pandeiro, Dominguinhos, Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil. This LP is also one of the most common and easily obtainable forró albums. I’m guessing that E Proibido Cochilar made it into collections of people who didn’t always buy forró thanks to the strength of the title track.
As Cangaceiras**, an all female forró act, are a bit of a mystery to me. I haven't found any biographical information online. Their version of E Proibido Cochilar, with flourishes of funk guitar, is a favorite of DJ Greg Caz, who spins it on Wednesday nights at Nublu in New York. My pressing of Forró Em Limoeiro came out on a label called Itamaraty in 1976, but according to Greg, the album is older: "A quick note: the As Cangaceiras LP was reissued several times on the same label with different covers. The version I have is the original self-titled edition, which was actually released in 1970. Itamaraty, by the way, is the Brazilian diplomatic corps. Vinícius de Moraes was a diplomat, and Itamaraty fired him when it was discovered he was spending his nights in bars, singing "popular music" with no-good youngsters like Jobim and Baden Powell!"*** Those scoundrels!
* Abdias was called dir. artistica or direção artística on the back cover of many CBS albums, which I believe means he was the A&R / Artist and Repertoire talent scout for the label. I’m not certain if this also meant that he played a hand in producing the artists that he brought to CBS.
** Not to be confused with Os Cangaceiros, who released an album on Musidisc in 1965 with casual, loungy versions of forró favorites.
***Thank you Greg Caz!
 |
| Os 3 Do Nordeste (1977) photo lifted from: http://www.forroemvinil.com/os-3-do-nordeste-7 |
No comments:
Post a Comment