"Anyone who doesn’t like samba isn´t a good person/Either they’re out of their mind or they have a lame foot." The author of one of the most defining verses of our popular music, Dorival Caymmi, also created a musical genre - canção praiana (beach song), which continues to influence icons of Brazilian music.
Caymmi was one of the greatest figures of the “Golden Age” of Brazilian radio, both as a singer and a composer which was unusual at that time. He composed songs that were simple yet sophisticated. As his son, Danilo, put it, he was “a man who knew how to use simplicity like no one else.” Or, as Dorival himself once wrote, “passo a passo, passando, passo”.
Image description: This is a painting depicting a rural scene with a small town in the background. On the left side, we see several simple houses, some with red roofs. In the center, there is a structure that appears to be a church with side towers, standing out against the horizon. On the right, there is a hill covered with green trees. In the foreground, people are walking and interacting, some are near animals, such as donkeys. The sky is clear and blue, with few clouds. There is no readable text in the image.Dorival Caymmi, 80 years old, in his apartment, in the neighborhood of Copacabana. Olavo Rufino, 1994. Instituto Antônio Carlos Jobim/Dorival Caymmi Collection
Caymmi was born in 1914 in the city of Salvador. Although Dorival masterfully captured the beauty of Bahia in his compositions, he spent most of his life in Rio de Janeiro and it was there that he saw his music reach the world. In 1938, just before his 24th birthday, he boarded an Ita (a ship from the Companhia Costeira that operated cabotage transport along the Brazilian coast) and left his hometown. Along with his clothes, he took his guitar.
In 1939, the year following his arrival in Rio de Janeiro, Caymmi achieved success when he recorded “O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?” with Carmen Miranda. The song was featured in the film Banana da Terra (1939), starring the singer. Caymmi’s meeting with Carmen Miranda was transformative for both of them. It is said that the iconic hand and arm movements that define Carmen’s performances were a suggestion made by Caymmi.
The first place he lived in Rio de Janeiro was a boarding house for students and workers on Rua São José, in the city center. Shortly after arriving, he went for a car ride through Copacabana and instantly fell in love: he adored being by the sea, in a neighborhood that reminded him of Bahia, with its beach, the fishing colony at Posto 6, and the Iemanjá celebrations. He lived on Rua Souza Lima and later moved to a building called Adriano de Barros, at 198, Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, on the corner of Rua Ronald de Carvalho, where he lived for the rest of his life.
In an interview, when asked, “Why the great love for Copacabana?” he replied: “Copacabana represents so many important things, many solid friendships. Its landscape is unusual - it has mysteries that enchant you. I love the shoreline, especially Posto 6, which I think is the most beautiful spot on the beach.”
Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of a man standing on the left, pointing his index finger at something outside the frame. He is wearing a white shirt and trousers, and he is wearing a hat. Beside him is a boat with the inscription "COPACABANA" in large black letters on the bow. The boat is resting in a setting that appears to be a beach. In the background, there is a tree and a sky with clouds. The upper part of the image contains the title "Copacabana" in large black letters, and beside it, there is a mention of the "Peixoto" and "Leme" neighborhoods. On the right, there is a text in Portuguese discussing poets and the muse of Copacabana.O Globo newspaper, 14 August, 1989.
Dorival Caymmi immortalized his love for the neighborhood in the song Sábado em Copacabana (Saturday in Copacabana), featuring the lyrics: "After working all week long / I´m not going to waste my Saturday / I’ve already planned my night / And I know just where to start / A great place to meet / Copacabana / To stroll along the shore / Copacabana / Then at a dimly lit bar / Copacabana.”
The life-sized bronze statue that immortalized Dorival Caymmi (approximately 1.80m tall and weighing nearly 300kg). The piece was unveiled on 11 December, 2008, just a few months after the singer died. It was created by Rio-born artist Otto Dumovich, who is also responsible for other statues throughout the city: Braguinha (in Copacabana), Cartola (in Mangueira), and Pixinguinha (in Travessa do Ouvidor, downtown).
Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph. In the foreground, we see a man walking toward the camera, smiling and raising his hand in a wave goodbye. He is holding a rectangular object in his hands. In the background, there is a beach with gentle waves breaking on the sand. Farther back are mountains covered by clouds, and to the right, a modern city with several tall buildings.Caymmi on the boardwalk, in 1997. Evandro Teixeira/AJB.
The photo was the basis for creating the statue. It shows Dorival walking with his guitar along the Copacabana boardwalk near Posto 6 and was taken by the renowned photographer Evandro Teixeira in the late 1990s. Otto Dumovich stylized Dorival's movement, capturing him in a joyful stride with his body slightly tilted. His left hand appears not only to be giving a friendly wave but also seems to dance samba. However, Otto stayed true to Dorival's typical attire - no suit and tie, just loose, comfortable clothing.
There really is no better place in Rio de Janeiro to honor Dorival Caymmi. As well as being "the most beautiful spot on the beach," Posto 6 is also home to a traditional group of fishers, who Caymmi often chatted with and where he bought fresh fish. In addition to the tourists who frequently stop to take a photo with the statue, it’s not uncommon during Carnival, for musicians and revelers to pay tribute to one of the Bahian artists who most embraced Rio.
Image description: The image shows two logos. On the left side, there is a blue shield with a crown and decorative elements, followed by the text "Rio Prefeitura Turismo" in blue. On the right side, there is a logo with the phrase "Rio Memórias" in orange, inside a square with vertical lines.
