“Dança do BumBum” – or the “Bum Dance” – came out in 1996, and it spread through the central, northeastern, and southern parts of Brazil, making everyone self-conscious of their bums and the size of their shorts (the shorter, the better).
Axé music is said to have originated in Bahia, where the drums beat heavily, the skies are blue, and the tropical heat covers the body without mercy. It was born in the 80’s, with the popular manifestations of the Carnaval da Bahia, Bahia’s Carnival. It mixes Pernanbucan frevo (a type of Brazilian dance), afro-Brazilian rhythms, reggae, merengue, forró (another type of Brazilian dance and music), maracatu, and other types of afro-Latin rhythms. Axé, as a term, means positive energy, and in music, it has manifested itself through rhythms that encourage movement, excitement, and an ever-present smile. There is no neutral stance when it comes to Axé: you either love it or hate it. During the 90s, it blew through walls, radios, and television sets, with bands that became extremely well-known and established the “look” of Axé videos and choreographies.
When “Dança do BumBum” – or the “Bum Dance” – came out in 1996, it spread through the central, northeastern, and southern parts of Brazil, making everyone self-conscious of their bums and the size of their shorts (the shorter, the better). It was not just that the song was filled with simple rhymes, familiar words, and provocative terms. “Dança do BumBum” also brought back memories of earlier hits by the same band, É o Tchan (or Gera Samba, as they were previously known), and helped establish the singers, dancers, and musicians behind it. More importantly, “Dança do BumBum” allowed É o Tchan’s back-up dancers to rise to fame.
The lyrics open by mentioning that the singers are in “paraíso” (paradise), where there is an “abundancia” (abundance), most likely of beautiful women with shapely figures (personified by the back-up dancers). A story follows, about a “menina” (girl). She had danced to all the previous hits by the group, and because of her, there is a new “dança,” called the “dança do bumbum.” Then, there are some challenging instructions on how to do the dance: “bota” (a slant term for “coloca” or “put”) your hands on your knees, give a little “baixadinha,” stoop a bit, and start moving your “bundinha” (your little bum).
The song uses words that are familiar to every Brazilian, like “gostoso” (which can mean “sexy,” “delicious,” or “tasty”) and “bundinha” or “poupanchinha” (affectionate terms for “bum”). According to the singers, this new dance is “magnifico” (magnificent) because of the skills of the “loirinha” (blond girl) and the “neguinha” (black girl), É o Tchan’s back-up dancers (the “neguinha” later became the “moreninha” or “brunette”). These women always ensured their shorts were tiny, their bodies up to scratch, and, at times, even sang along with the leading male voices, becoming singers in their own right.
Although simple, the song was able to convey the “happiness” and “positive energy” sought by the word Axé (and it still does). É o Tchan were responsible for leading a musical movement. Whether this movement was a positive or negative development is up for debate. Arguments fly between Brazilians: you’ll either hear groans or excited encouragement when the band’s name is mentioned. “Dança do BumBum” by no means defines what Axé is, but it offers a sample of the genre from a famous group.
Lyrics:
"Cheguei, hein ! Estou no Paraíso! Que abundancia meu irmão!" Conheci uma menina que veio do sul Pra dançar o tchan e a dança do tchu tchu Deu em cima, deu em baixo, na dança do tchaco E na garrafinha deu uma raladinha Agora o Gera Samba mostra pra vocês A dança do bumbum que pegou de uma vez Bota a mão no joelho E da uma baixadinha Vai mexendo gostoso, Balancando a bundinha Agora mexe vai, Mexe, mexe mainha Agora mexe, Mexe, mexe lourinha Agora mexe, Mexe, mexe neguinha Agora mexe Balancando a poupancinha Mexe, mexe, pro lado Mede, mexe, pro outro Vai mexendo embaixo Vai mexendo gostoso Vai no sapatinho, vai Remexendo gostosinho, vai "Ah, que beleza, que maravilha, isso eh magnifico, mãe!"
