Gal Costa’s “O Dengo Que a Nega Tem,” hidden for 50 years, delivers 7 minutes of percussive bliss
In 1972, Gal Costa was riding high. Her live album Fa-Tal – Gal a Todo Vapor had just cemented her as one of Brazil’s most electric performers, a fearless presence who could pivot from tropicalia radicalism to torch-song intimacy without breaking stride. She was already a central figure in the countercultural wave that swept through Brazilian music in the late ’60s and early ’70s, but Fa-Tal put her in a different category: a star with range, danger and total command.
It was in this context that she recorded “O Dengo Que a Nega Tem,” a studio track meant to build on Fa-Tal’s momentum. Its lack of a release at the time is a mystery, especially given the lineup and the material. Written by Dorival Caymmi, one of Brazil’s foundational songwriters, the track tapped into a deeper lineage of Brazilian music while still carrying the attitude of the era Gal helped define. It was a moment when everything she touched seemed to radiate possibility. That this song sat in the vault for more than 50 years is less a footnote than a reminder of how much even her lost work still commands attention.
A few months ago, out of the blue, Universal Music Brazil released the song as part of a surprise digital EP. If you’re just getting going on this Monday, light the fuse on your week by listening to this. The EP features a killer band: Lanny Gordin on guitar, Tutty Moreno on drums, Bruce Henry on bass and Perna Froes on piano.
