BABY SANTIAGO, first Brazilian rock song-writer

Baby Santiago whose real name was Fulgêncio Santiago was the first Brazilian song-writer who actually sat down and wrote original lyrics in Portuguese for what was known as rock'n'roll. Fulgêncio born on 17 October 1933, in São Paulo-SP.

Some time in 1957, he went to see 'Don't knock the rock' (released in the USA in December 1956; in Brazil in mid-1957) and fell in love with Little Richard's crazy performance of 'Long tall Sally'. Fulgêncio then wrote Portuguese lyrics for it and showed it to his pal Wilson Miranda, an aspiring singer who eventually recorded it for Chantecler in 1960 as 'Bata baby' (Hit me, baby) that became Miranda's first hit.

Up to 1961, Brazilian rock was made up of a 100% of covers of US or European hits. Baby Santiago was the first guy who thought he could sit down and write an original rock tune in his own language.

In 1961, Santiago penned 'Adivinhão' for George Freedman and 'Rock do Sacy' for Demetrius, two young rockers who had a good teeny-bopper following. Both songs were co-written with Tony Chaves who was none other than Wilson Miranda himself whose real name was Antonio Wilson Chaves de Miranda.

Baby Santiago was also a singer in his own right having recorded 'Vem vem' and 'Seu Valério' for Carnaval 1961 for independent label California.

In 1962, with the twist craze raging all over the world, Santiago writes 'O twist é bom' for young Black singer Mario Augusto which goes up the charts and becomes Santiago's biggest hit. Tony Campello also records Baby's 'Vamos dançar o twist' (Let's dance the twist) for Odeon.

In 1962, in the wake of 'O twist é bom' chart action Continental Discos signs Baby Santiago as a singer and releases 'Xaxado rock'' b/w 'Estou muito louco'.  

In 1963, Santiago maybe inspired by Tony Campello's 'Boogie do bebê' which was #1 at the charts records 'Boogie do guarda' b/w 'Bola no taco' for independent label VS with arrangements by Rogerio Duprat who would become an avante-garde arranger for Tropicalia (1967-1968).

Here are some songs written by Santiago: 'Coisinha linda' by Tony Campello in 1963; 'A bruxa' (The witch) by Demétrius in 1964; 'Viver com você' by The Jet Blacks in 1965 and 'Lucifér' by Sergio Murilo in 1965.

Baby Santiago sings at TV Paulista's 'Ritmos para a Juventude', a rock show MCed by Antonio Aguillar - Radiolandia #382 - 1st October 1962. 

Baby Santiago as a singer in 'Xaxado rock' b/w 'To muito louco' for Continental in 1962. 

For some mysterious reason, Baby Santiago didn't fit in the Jovem Guarda format and by 1966 was completely ostracized. He then started performing as a crooner at night-clubs in São Paulo, having sung at the Holliday Inn in Campinas, Americana, Ribeirão Preto, São Bernardo do Campo and other venues in the state. 

Albert Pavão, former teen-heart-throb and a rock journalist says: 'I was at a record shop in October 2008, when I spotted a billboard announcing a Baby Santiago show accompanied by rockabilly band Ready Teds. I was really glad to know Baby was still very much active at 75, after all those years. Later on, I found some clips of Santiago and the Ready Teds on YouTube. He was still rockin'! God bless him!'

Here are some of Baby Santiago's best lyrics. They are really witty with a sexual undertone that is what rock'n'roll is all about. Santiago has been compared with Chuck Berry and it's not a long shot actually.

Adivinhão 

Você anda namorando a minha filha com segunda intenção
(adivinhão, adivinhão)

você anda namorando a minha filha p’ra querer botar a mão
(adivinhão, adivinhão)

o seu negócio é andar de Lambretta

quando falo em casamento você faz careta

vai dando o fora, playboy,
caso contrário eu lhe meto a mão

A noite ela falta a aula p’ra encontrar contigo
tomar coca cola

quando o chega o fim do ano ela leva bomba
e você nem dá bola.

recorded by George Freedman for RGE in 1961.

Rock do Sacy

Era noite de luar, sai p’ra namorar

quando ele pulou na minha frente a gritar

Cigarro, hei me dá um cigarro a ai

E e e e eu, quase que eu desmaiei

De boné vermelho  e uma perna só

boca bem aberta a me dizer sem dó.

Meu broto viu, mas logo fugiu
quando aquela voz fanhosa ouviu.

Medroso fui, podem falar
mas eu queria ver vocês no meu lugar.

Correr eu quis, mas foi em vão
estava em minha frente estendendo a mão.

Eu lhe dei o cigarro e fiquei olhando
saindo como um louco pulando e gritando.

recorded by Demétrius for Continental in 1961.

O twist é bom

Jeny, telefone p’ra Marly

Guiomar, tire a mesa do lugar

Dora, põe o disco na vitrola

olha, tem que ser agora

que o twist já vai começar

O twist é bom p’ra se dançar

eu tenho certeza que vocês vão gostar.

recorded by Mario Augusto for Copacabana in 1962.

To muito louco 

Dou–lhe um murro na cabeça que estoura o seu sapato

meus amigos me disseram que você me fez de pato

Estou louco, meu bem, estou muito louco porque, hum

disseram que um broto estranho saiu com você, meu bem

Quando chego na escola todos ficam me olhando

tenho a nítida impressão que é de mim que estão falando

Fui correndo p’r’o cartório p’ra meu nome retirar

me disseram que não pode, que eu preciso me casar

Estou louco, meu bem, estou muito louco porque, hum

disseram que sou obrigado a casar com você, meu bem.

(Instrumental break)

Você sabe muito bem que eu nunca fui de negócio

Um amigo me falou que queria ser meu sócio

Estou louco, meu bem, estou muito louco porque, hum

ele queria ser meu sócio pensando em você, meu bem

Fui dar parte p’ra polícia, não quiseram me atender

me disse o delegado que ele conhece você

Estou louco meu bem, estou muito louco porque

eu soube que o delegado conhece você, eh eh.

recorded by Baby Santiago for Continental in 1962. 

A bruxa

Velha medonha, de faca na mão

voando sentada no vassourão

olha a bruxa, olha a bruxa, yeah

a velha quer pegar criança p’ra fazer sabão, ah han

Voando baixo, me apavorei

passou raspando, e eu até gritei
olha a bruxa, olha a bruxa, yeah
a velha quer pegar criança p'ra fazer sabão, ah han

Vai pilotando seu vassourão
se não desvio vou p'ro caldeirão
olha a bruxa, olha a bruxa, yeah
a velha quer pegar criança p'ra fazer sabão, ah han

Ela tinha boca escancarada

e na sua boca tinha um dente só

cinco metros de altura
no pescoço tinha um nó

Avise a polícia, avise Mané
avise a garotada para dar no pé
olha a bruxa, olha a bruxa, yeah
a velha quer pegar criança p'ra fazer sabão, ah han.

recorded by Demétrius for Continental in 1964.

Lucifer

No meio da sala ele apareceu

e de-repente tudo escureceu

alguém num canto o reconheceu

é o Lucifér, o diabo chifrudo, é o Luciér uh uh uh  

a turma que estava dançando logo deu no pé, ah aha

A turma do conjunto se apavorou

preto ficou branco, branco amarelou

o homem que era mudo, sem querer gritou:

é o Lucifér, o diabo chifrudo, é o Lucifér uh uh uh  

a turma que estava dançando logo deu no pé, ah aha

Isto acontece com quem dança e canta

em tempo de quaresma ou na semana santa

foi  isso mesmo que aconteceu e foi por isso que ele apareceu.

recorded by Sergio Murilo for RCA Victor in 1965.

former DJ Carlos Alberto Lopes aka Sossego, singer-producer Tony Campello, singer-journalist Albert Pavão & Baby Santiago at the Museum of Image & Sound (MIS) in São Paulo in 1984.

Baby Santiago in his eighties...

TONY CAMPELLO

Tony Campello was an early rock'n'roller who lived in Taubaté-SP, a northwest town in the state of São Paulo on the side of Via Dutra, the highway that links São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Tony whose real name was Sergio hailed from a pretty musical family. Soon after Elvis Presley came into the international scene Tony started lerning how to ply the guitar and formed a rock outfit called Ritmos OK! 

Tony Campello sharing a table with Dolores Duran and Comendador Bahar - who was the spitting image of British actor Sydney Greenstreet in 'Maltese Falcon' -  at a TV show in Rio de Janeiro's TV Tupi, Channel 6 in 1959. The lady giving her lovely back to the camera is Alaide Costa.

From left to right: singer-song-writer Dolores Duran holds an album Tony Campello probably brought to promote on a TV Rio programme in  1959; Ely Celano, TV Rio stage-designer and an unidentifed man.

Tony Campello was one of the first Brazilian rock'n'rollers. He started singing and playing his guitar as soon as he listened to his first Elvis Presley record back in his hometown Taubaté-SP. He formed his own band called Ritmos OK and started performing at dances and balls.

Tony whose real name was Sergio Benelli Campello had a younger sister called Célia who had a golden voice and ended up being more famous than him. She actually became Celly Campello, the Queen of Brazilian Rock selling heaps of records and being at #1 in the charts more than anyone else in Brazilian show business at the time. Celly though had other plans than being a recording artist. She got married in May 1962 and just like Greta Garbo did in 1942,  went into retirement at the age of 22.  

Even though Celly became bigger than himself and everyone else for that matter, Tony never had a chip on his shoulder. On the contrary, he enjoyed his sister's success and usually toured the country with her being part of the band that accompanied her. Tony recorded as much as his sister but never reached the top of the charts. 

1961 was a pretty good year for Tony; he hit with 'Você me venceu', a cover of Sedaka's 'You're knocking me out', 'Querida Susie', a cover of Robin Luke's 'Susie darling' and 'Baby face' which had been covered recently by Brenda Lee. 

It looks like Fate had something special in store for him for in 1963 - less than a year after his sister got married and left the rock scene - Tony Campello reached the top of the charts with  'Boogie do bebê', a cover of Buzz Clifford's 'Babysitting boogie'.

'Querida Susie' (Susie darling) lyrics published by Rio de Janeiro's 'Correio da Manhã', 4 June 1961; 'Baby face' published on 2 July 1961. 

1963

1. Não te esqueças de mim (Non ti scordar di me) versão: Fred Jorge
2. Esta noite (Tonight) v.: Romeu Nunes
3. Presa a um grãozinho de areia (Legata a un granello di sabbia) v.: Nazareno de Brito
4. Moon River (Henry Mancini-Johnny Mercer)
5. Quando, quando, quando (Tony Renis) v.: Teixeira Filho
6. Vamos fingir (Making believe) v.: Fred Jorge

1. Como sinfonia (Come sinfonia) v.: Romeu Nunes
2. Não toque esta canção (Don't play that song) v.: Hamilton Di Giorgio
3. Non esser timida (Del Prete)
4. Pingo d'água (Raindrops) v.: Nick Savoia
5. Quem me faz sofrer (Mattinata) v.: Fred Jorge
6. O dia do amor (Our day will come) v.: Fred Jorge

same photo of  Rio de Janeiro's TV Tupi, Channel 6 studio in 1959.

1963's 'Boogie do bebê' (Babysitting boogie) was Tony Campello's greatest hit ever.

'Boogie do bebê' b/w 'Coisinha linda' 78 rpm.

1963 was Tony Campello's biggest year. He had his only Number One with 'Boogie do bebê', a cover of Buzz Clifford's 'Baby sittin' boogie'.

i 

1963 E.P. featuring 'Não te esqueça de mim' plus 'O canário' (Yellow bird) in which Tony sings a duet with his famous sister Celly Campello - one of her good-bye songs when she retired to get married in May 1962.

Circa 1964 Tony tried to get into the Italian pop-music boom but with no great success; differently from a few years back, original recordings from Italy were more popular than the Brazilian covers. Times had changed swiftly! The Brazilian lyrics for Richard Anthony's 'Cin cin' above which in Portuguese was 'Tchin tchin'. Tony might be busy talking on two phones at the same time but the record-buying public was interested in something else.

Tony Campello at the back-cover of Revista do Rock; Celly Campello & Sergio Murilo as Queen & King of Brazilian Rock'n'roll at the cover of Revista do Rock; add for Celly Campello's first 'Programa da juventude' on TV Record in 1959; 1960s list of best selling records.

Celly Campello, Brenda Lee & Tony Campello in September 1959, when Brenda visited Sao Paulo and sang at Teatro Record.

Tony Campello on the cover of 'São Paulo na TV' - November 1965 - Tony tried to conform with the new trend coming from abroad: his Pompadour went down considerably but his hair wasn't long enough as to look like those British youngsters that were all the rage among the followers of the new Brazilian rock called 'Jovem Guarda'.

Tony sings at TV 'Jovem Guarda' rock show in late 1965.

Tony Campello tried to blend in with the newest generation (Roberto Carlos emulating the Beatles's look) in late 1965 but times had changed too fast.

Teresinha Sodré became Mrs. Tony Campello

Tony's career became erratic after 1964. With the Italian music invasion Odeon thought Tony could capture some of that market but translations were not as successful as they had been up to 1963.

Tony tried all formulas and dance crazes with no avail. 'Pertinho do mar' was actually a medium-sized hit but it was a bit too little too late.

Bobby de Carlo & Tony Campello - Revista do Radio 1960.

Tony's flat on Rua Amaral Gurgel, 471 was broken into and reported by Revista do Radio #600 - 18 March 1961. 

'Revista do Radio' 31st January 1959 - in what must have been Tony Campello's first exposure in the Brazilian media. The headlines says: A North-American who was born in Sao Paulo! 

Revista do Radio was the most popular show-business weekly in the country and they usually showed all their contempt & sarcasm towards foreign acts or Brazilian acts who showed any inclination to perform rock'n'roll or any 'imported' rhythm. 

Tony Campello weds Terezinha Abate in at the Church of Santa Terezinha, on Rua Maranhão, 617, on 27 September 1963, at 5:30 pm.

Who's it flying up there?

Is it a bird? Noooo.

Is it a plane? Noooo.

Is it Tony Campello? Yeahhh!

Flying Tony Campello in late 1958...

Odeon-14.328 - 'Forgive me', Tony Campello's 1st single for Odeon b/w 'Handsome boy' sung by his sister Celly Campello.

Odeon-14.384 - 'My special angel' b/w 'Louco amor' a cover of Paul Anka's 'Crazy love' that was covered by Carlos Gonzaga for RCA Victor. 

Odeon-14.492 Tony covers Ricky Nelson's 'Poor little fool' (Pobre de mim) b/w Paul Anka's 'Pity pity' (Tenha pena).