Ratimbum or Rá-Tim-Bum was a children's programof great success, produced by TV Cultura, between 1989 and 1992.
When someone is on their birthday, after the famous "Happy Birthday to you", they usually sing another chorus which is "ra-tim-bum".
There is the theory that Rá-Tim-Bum is an onomatopoeia, that is, a figure of speech, that transcribes the sound of birthday balloons popping. Another version indicates that Rá-Tim-Bum is the onomatopoeia of musical instruments of a fanfare or circus band, more specifically the snare drum (Rá), the cymbals (Tim) and the bass drum (Bum).
Discover the meaning of onomatopoeia.
There is another theory that ratimbum actually refers to an Indian raja called Timbum, who visited colleges in India and ended up captivating students with the sound of his name.
As these students were usually invited to attend birthday parties, the word began to form part of their chants.
Castle Ra-Tim-Bum
Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum was another successful television program on TV Cultura, which aired between 1994 and 1997, totaling 90 episodes.
This program also gave rise to a franchise of other educational and entertainment attractions, such as the Rá-Tim-Bum Theater and the Rá-Tim-Bum Island.