About the song

Some send me some notes! I know part of it is about playing samba, and people complaining about the noise, wanting us to stop!

Listen to as many different versions as possible - recognize that there isn't only one 'right' version, but get to know what the essence of the song is, and how you can shape that essence in different ways. If you can't learn the words, learn to hum the melody.

Sounds

Patterns

In these tracks, hear the tamborim (played with a bongo sound) pattern on one side of the stereo mix, and the agogo on the other side:

Tamborims: yes, please, mama, I want cake, mama, really really really I want cake, mama.

Agogo: You must anticipate that first note; throw the agogo!

Entradas...
Tamborim & agogo - slow
Tamborim & agogo - medium
Tamborim & agogo - fast

Things are a bit harder to hear on these tracks recorded at a rehearsal:

Caixa pattern for A Batucada dos Nossos Tantãs
...just do the accents with your strong hand. Then practice filling in with the other hand
Mike explaining the caixa pattern
 
Caixa Pattern
Caixa pattern fro A Batucada Dos Nossos Tantans
Tamborim pattern
 
Entradas, Breques
Terceira: Alan explains the entrada
Tamborim: Alan explains the entrada
Tamborim: Alan explains the entrada again!
Alan explains the caixa entrada
Caixas play entrada with just surdos a couple of times
We all play the entrada and carry on for about one minute
We all play the first break
We all play the ending
.. and prcatice the ending a couple of times
   

Videos

Fundo de Quintal - you can see a tan-tan being played, and a repique de mão. Great sound quality, especially on the primeira surdo. It shows the words - look at them, get to know the feel of the words, the cadences, the phrasing. That way, you will get a much better feel for the song - and you'll be able to sing "La la la" to the right tune! It's a medley - only the first two minutes are "Batucada..."
   
Next - pagode as it was meant to be played. The only thing missing - where are the beers? You can really hear the tan-tan on this one. And hear how the shaker just lifts it up and pulls everything together when it comes in - it's not always about drums. And people dance in the street
   
And another - looks like another professional pagode group:
   
The next - a more amateur version, pared down, not much arrangement, no breaks, not great sound. But I can hear the cavaquinho well on this one, and that kid plays really well, gets a good sound. And hear that typical hand-clapping rhythm at the end

Words

A Batucada dos Nossos Tantãs

D F#
Samba, a gente não perde o prazer de cantar
                           Am
E fazem de tudo pra silenciar
D7 G
A batucada dos nosso tantãs.
    Gm B7
O seu ecoar o samba se refez
           E7/9 
Seu canto se faz reluzir
Em7 A7 Podemos sorrir outra vez.
D F#m Samba. eterno delírio de compositor Am Que nasce da alma sem pele sem cor D7 G Com simplicidade, não sendo vulgar. Gm Fazendo da nossa alegria
D B7 Seu habitat natural. E7/9 A7 D Samba floresce no fundo de nosso quintal. B7 Em7 A7 Esse samba é pra você que vive a falar D B7 Em7 E a criticar, querendo esnobar, querendo acabar A7 D Com a nossa cultura popular. B7 Em7 A7 bonito de se ver o samba correr D B7 Pro lado de lá, fronteira não há
Em7 Pra nos dividir A7 D Você não samba mas tem que aplaudir.