Thursday, 23 July 2009

Clara Nunes - Canto das Três Raças


Lyrics:

Ninguém ouviu
Um soluçar de dor
No canto do Brasil

Um lamento triste
Sempre ecoou
Desde que o índio guerreiro
Foi pro cativeiro
E de lá cantou

Negro entoou
Um canto de revolta pelos ares
No Quilombo dos Palmares
Onde se refugiou

Fora a luta dos Inconfidentes
Pela quebra das correntes
Nada adiantou

E de guerra em paz
De paz em guerra
Todo o povo dessa terra
Quando pode cantar
Canta de dor

ô, ô, ô, ô, ô, ô
ô, ô, ô, ô, ô, ô

ô, ô, ô, ô, ô, ô
ô, ô, ô, ô, ô, ô

E ecoa noite e dia
É ensurdecedor
Ai, mas que agonia
O canto do trabalhador

Esse canto que devia
Ser um canto de alegria
Soa apenas
Como um soluçar de dor
Translation (by me):

Nobody has heard
A sigh of pain
In the song of Brazil

A sad lament
Has always resonated
Ever since the indian warrior
Went into captivity
And from there he sang

The black man composed
A song of revolt through the air
In the Quilombo dos Palmares
Where he took refuge

Besides the struggle of the Inconfidentes
For the breaking of chains
Nothing did any good

And in war and peace
In peace and war
All the people of this land
When they can sing
They sing about pain

Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh

Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh

And it echoes night and day
It is deafening
Oh! What agony
The song of the laborer

This song that should have been
A song of joy
Resounds only
As a sigh of pain

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paulo - I adore the music of Clara Nunes, but speak no Portuguese. Thank you for the translation of this beautiful song.

Paulo said...

It's for comments like these that I put up posts like this.

Bob Corwni said...

I've been listening to this song for 15 years not understanding a word....I knew the googlegod would find this page so I too could thank you for your effort.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for translating this beautiful song. Axe!

Paulo said...

My pleasure. Glad to know this is of some use to somebody out there.

Anonymous said...

Obrigada, Paolo! I am from Serbia and adore this song but have not known it's meaning since now. I couldn't imagine it is so strong !

Paulo said...

Strong lyrics, indeed. Strong voice too.

Arthur said...

Thanks from France for the translation
Axe !

Paulo said...

Mon plaisir, pas de quoi

Steph said...

Thank you. I know these words from years of listening to mom's awesome brasilian music. It's like I have her with me to hear this. Thank you so much.

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