Lyrics from "A Flor e o Espinho" by Nelson Cavaquinho, Guilherme de Brito and Alcides Caminha (1957) Song begins at 0:55 --- Good Audio Version (Beth Carvalho) --- Get your smile out of the way, cause I want to go by with my pain Today for you I'm just a thorn, and a thorn doesn't… Continue reading “A Flor e o Espinho” and “Folhas Secas”
Author: lyricalbrazil
My name is Victoria Broadus and I'm currently living in Oberlin, Ohio, where I teach Latin American History at Oberlin College. I learned Portuguese while working toward a Master's degree at Georgetown back in 2008/09, which is also when I began traveling to Brazil. I started this site in late 2011 when I was living in New York City, missing Brazil but fortunate to be surrounded by lots of great opportunities to hear Brazilian music. I wanted to share that music with friends and family and any other readers out there who wonder what the songs they're listening to are saying, and why. From 2012-2017 I lived in Brazil -- first São Paulo for a year, then Rio for nearly five -- before coming back to the United States for my PhD program at Georgetown, which I completed in June 2023.
Please let me know if there is a song you would like translated or would like to hear more about. You can leave a comment here or anywhere else on the site, or on the Facebook page.
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Chão de Estrelas
Lyrics from "Chão de Estrelas" (Starry Ground) by Orestes Barbosa and Sílvio Caldas (1937) --- Good Audio Version (João Gilberto) --- My life was an illuminated stage, I was always dressed in gold A clown of lost illusions Covered in phony bells of joy, I went around singing my fantasy Among the feverish palms* of hearts My… Continue reading Chão de Estrelas
Expresso 2222
Lyrics from "Expresso 2222" by Gilberto Gil Album: Expresso 2222 LP (Philips, 1972) - Good Audio Version --- The Express 2222 started running It runs direct from Bonsucesso to the hereafter The Express 2222 started running From Brazil Central Station It runs direct from Bonsucesso To after the year 2000 They say there are a… Continue reading Expresso 2222