culture – Page 3

Eu E O Meu País

Posted on Nov 28, 2023Nov 25, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Her’s another translation – this time “Eu e o Meu País” (me and my country) by Oquestrada. It has a weird bit of anglo-french wittering at the start and I’ll just pretend that doesn’t happen. I wish I had a video of them doing it live but every one I’ve found has been shonky fan footage.

The song itself isn’t that deep either. The bit I really like is the very beginning. Freguesia is one of my favourite words for some reason, and that second line is great, plus the sense you have of her dashing around everywhere trying to hug the whole country. So that’s the only reason for the translation. If you want an objectively better video of them playing an objectively more stompy song, check this out.

Portuguese	English
De distrito em distrito de freguesia em freguesia e quando os teus braços chegam aos meus nós somos só um, somos um só nós somos um só, somos só um eu e o meu país	District by district Parish by parish And when your arms reach mine We are one, we are one We are one, we are one Me and my country
Ouvi dizer que me amavas, adoravas, entendias ouvi dizer que me querias, me estimavas, percebias e se à noite me sorris de dia pouco me falas mas se à noite me sorris de dia pouco me falas de dia pouco me falas	I heard you loved me, adored me, understood me I heard you wanted me, esteemed me, noticed me And if at night you smile at me By day you hardly talk to me And if at night you smile at me By day you hardly talk to me By day you hardly talk to me
I wanna dancing with myself I wanna dancing with myself e é tanta a rotunda que já nem sei chegar a ti neste silêncio, neste pantanal sou turista acidental neste anúncio, neste postal sou turista acidental mas e tu, tu oh tu meu país mas e tu, tu oh tu meu país diz-me diz-me onde ficas tu neste postal	I wanna dancing with myself I wanna dancing with myself And there are so many roundabouts I don’t even know how to get to you In this silence, in this swamp I’m an accidental tourist In this advertisement, in this postcard I’m an accidental tourist But you, you, oh you, my country But you, you, oh you, my country Tell me where you are on this postcard

English

Sérgio Godinho

Posted on Nov 26, 2023Nov 27, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Sérgio Godinho, singer, writer and all-round renaissance man, has been working for 50 years now and Radio Comercial produced this really nice video of other musicians covering one of his best known songs. Of course, this sort of ensemble cast has been besmirched by that Imagine song in 2020, but they go a long way toward redeeming it.

I don’t recognise all the participants but I’ve definitely mentioned A Garota Não, António Zambujo, Miguel Araújo, Tiago Bettencourt, Ana Bacalhau, Claudia Pascoal, Tim from Xutos e Pontapés. I’m a little surprised I’ve never mentioned Camané apart from a couple of passing references. His eyebrows alone deserve their own blog post. And I’d been thinking of doing something about Os Quatro e Meia, but hadn’t got around to it yet

Aside from playing spot the celebrity, there’s a lot to look at in the video: there are shots taken in front of A Ponte D Luís in Porto, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, and a mural by Vhils. You should also be able to spot where they’ve tried to mock up some of his album covers too. Compare this discography – I can see a couple (Samuel Úria and David Fonseca), but I feel like I’m probably missing some because a few of the scenes look so staged that they seem like the director is trying to set up the shot – like at 2.02 Diogo Piçarra is sitting on a park bench and as he sings the line he puts his elbow up on the backrest, then 7 seconds later at 2.09 João Só does the exact same thing but on the other side. That’s not a coincidence! Likewise the weird quantum superposition of Rita Redshoes on the same bench at 1:56 looks like it’s not just random.

A lot of them I’d never heard of before, or heard of but never sat down and listened to, so I picked on a few who took my interest:

Capicua is quite interesting – she’s one of the first on screen. She’d broken the dress code by just turning up in normal clothes instead of being in her finery. I am not a rap aficianado, so I wasn’t really moved by her stuff, but her videos are quite interesting and worth a look. My favourite actual song is “Maria Capaz“, which is obviously a wordplay on Maria Rapaz, and I like that she’s turned it around and made it a good thing like that. Very good!
I feel like there’s split in the genders of the singers: Most of the guys are showbiz veterans like Palma, Abrunhosa and Ribeirinho, all grizzled and weatherbeaten. Then there are people like Zambujo and Araújo in the next generation down, younger than me but not exactly spring chickens; and there is a fair sprinkling of young dudes in there too. The women, on the other hand, are almost all young, hot and immaculately groomed. I don’t really see any female fadistas of that older generation, coming out of retirement. I wonder if they were asked. The only woman I noticed who looks like she had done the hard miles and approaching his level of seniority was Mafalda Veiga, who is straight after Capicua. She seems to have done quite a lot of duets with the other musicians in the video (here) and I liked that there was someone there representing for us grown-ups.
Buba Espinho is the least rock star-looking person I’ve ever seen and I checked out a video of his and it’s charming because he acts like a big ol’ doofus as well. His music’s Ok though and I don’t hold it against him that he isn’t trying to be super-cool in the american style. There are videos of him doing more straightforward Fado too and he looks more at home there.
Carolina Deslandes is also fine but I didn’t feel the need to buy all her music. That’s a shame because she has an amazing voice.
Rui Ribeirinho seems like an interesting guy. He’s from a band called GNR – not to be confused either with Guns ‘n’ Roses or with the Banda da Guarda Nacional Repúblicana. They’ve been around since the eighties and they’re still rockin’. HOLD THE PHONE – My wife’s just told me she met him at a party once! What the actual fuck?
Rita Redshoes is someone I’d heard of but never paid much attention to. I quite liked this video where she is surrounded by Caretos… wait, why don’t I have any posts about Caretos? I could have sworn I’d written about them a few months back but I can’t find it now. Oh well, add it to the to-do list. Rita Redshoes has a very diverse back catalogue. There are some in english, this children’s show and even some relaxing white noise to send you to sleep!
Pedro Abrunhosa is another name I know but I’ve never listened to. I can’t say I was that interested to be honest. Sorry, Pedro. He’s been around a long time though. I might put him on my Spotify for a while and see if I can find something I like. Listen to the crowd on this video – they love him!
Sara Correia has a cracking set of pipes – she really belts it out, sailing that line between fado and more commercial pop, a bit like Ana Moura. She and Abrunhosa have collaborated before in the past on a fundraiser for Ukraine and it’s really powerful. Better when she’s singing than him, it must be said, but powerful all the same. Oh and she’s singing at Cadogan Hall in February – right, get that one in the diary!

Let’s do the lyrics, shall we? Lots of passive voice here: it’s going to be difficult to render it into english without sounding affected but I’ll do my best.

Portuguese	English
A principio é simples, anda-se sozinho Passa-se na rua bem devagarinho Está-se bem no silêncio e no borburinho Bebe-se as certezas num copo de vinho E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	At first it’s simple, walk alone It happens in the road, nice and slowly It’s OK in the silence and the noise Certainties are drunk in a glass of wine And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life
Pouco a pouco o passo faz-se vagabundo Dá-se a volta ao medo, dá-se a volta ao mundo Diz-se do passado, que está moribundo Bebe-se o alento num copo sem fundo E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	Little by little, the step becomes slow One takes a turn to fear, a turn to the world It’s said that the past is dying Breath is drunk in a bottomless cup And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life
E é então que amigos nos oferecem leito Entra-se cansado e sai-se refeito Luta-se por tudo o que se leva a peito Bebe-se, come-se e alguém nos diz bom proveito E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	And then friends offer a place to sleep One enters tured and leaves refreshed And fights for everything that’s taken to heart Drinks, eats, and someone says “Enjoy!” And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life
Depois vêm cansaços e o corpo fraqueja Olha-se para dentro e já pouco sobeja Pede-se o descanso, por curto que seja Apagam-se dúvidas num mar de cerveja E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	Afterwards comes tiredness and the body weakens One looks inside, little remains Asks for rest, no matter how short Doubts are washed away in a sea of beer And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life
E enfim de uma escolha faz-se um desafio Enfrenta-se a vida de fio a pavio Navega-se sem mar, sem vela ou navio Bebe-se a coragem até dum copo vazio E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	And in the end, a choice becomes a challenge Life is confronted in its entirety Navigating without a sea, without a sail or a ship Courage is drunk from an empty cup And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life
E entretanto o tempo fez cinza da brasa E outra maré cheia virá da maré vaza Nasce um novo dia e no braço outra asa Brinda-se aos amores com o vinho da casa E vem-nos à memória uma frase batida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida Hoje é o primeiro dia do resto da tua vida	And meanwhile time turns the coal to ash And another high tide follows a low tide A new day is born, on the arm another wing Loves are toasted with house wine And a well-worn phrase comes to mind Today is the first day of the rest of your life Today is the first day of the rest of your life

Portuguese

José Malhoa

Posted on Nov 24, 2023Nov 26, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Fazendo os exercícios lacunares no livro “Qual É a Dúvida”, deparei com uma palavra desconhecida que me atrapalhou. O objetivo desta questão especifica era decidir se o substantivo precisa, ou não, de um artigo indefinido (um, uma):

“Tenho ______ Malhoa e…. (blábláblá)”

Acabei por deixar vazio o espaço porque achava que “Malhoa” era uma doença qualquer. Confundi-o com maleita, apesar da letra maiúscula. Mas a resposta certa é “um” porque Malhoa era um artista, portanto “um Malhoa” é um quadro pintado por aquele artista. Igualmente em inglês, os ricos dizem “I have a Picasso on my yacht” ou não sei o que é, não sou Jeff Bezos, mas o importante é que “🇬🇧 a Picasso” e “🇵🇹 um Malhoa” têm a mesma forma portanto não é nada difícil!

Mas quem é este gajo, Malhoa?

Segundo a Wikipedia, o artista nasceu em 1855 e começou a sua formação com 12 anos. Fez parte de uma tertúlia de artistas portugueses chamada “O Grupo do Leão”. Apesar de ser pioneiro do movimento naturalista, a sua obra era reconhecida como sendo muito parecida com a corrente artística impressionista que estava muito a moda naquela altura.

Faleceu em 1933 e foi sepultado no Cemitério dos Prazeres. Existe um museu dedicado à sua memória.

Once again I’m indebted to Cristina of “Say it in Portuguese” for correcting the errors in the original draft

English

RIP Sara Tavares

Posted on Nov 20, 2023 by Colin Lusk

I was sorry to hear Sara Tavares (who I’ve written about on here before) had passed away yesterday. She had been diagnosed with a brain tumour a decade ago, but, as I understand it, had recovered. It seems to have come back recently, which I wasn’t aware of and I was shocked to hear she was dead.

Forty five is no age, and it’s a great loss to music. I hadn’t realised previously that she was also a former eurovision entrant, as well as all those awards and collaborative projects. She really achieved a lot.

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English, Portuguese

Uns Vão Bem e Outros Mal – Fausto

Posted on Nov 13, 2023Nov 9, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Translation time! This song is fantastic and I love it. I first heard it as a small segment, used as the theme for a podcast called Assim se faz Portugal, hosted by Maria Rueff. the singer, Fausto Bordalo Dias, known simply as Fausto, is a well-regarded artist who has been making music for decades and is still going. He released his first album 5 years before the end of the dictatorship and soon after was drafted into the colonial war in Guinea, but he was a conscientious objector, and he went on to be active politically. And it really shows in this song, from a 1977 album called Madrugada dos Trapeiros (Dawn of the ragpickers).

The song is structured using the idea of a folk dance called a Roda or “Baile Mandado” (guided dance – you can see an example here, which gives you a better idea of what the song is building on), where everyone has their place and they’re being given instructions, but instead of dance steps, what’s happening is the usual round of the poor being oppressed because they are ruled by people from a different class who don’t share their values, but “o baile vai terminar” and I guess there’s a parallel between mandador (The person who calls the intructions at the dance) and the boss, going on in the first verse especially

Portuguese	English
Senhoras e meus senhores, façam roda por favor Senhoras e meus senhores, façam roda por favor, cada um com o seu par Aqui não há desamores, se é tudo trabalhador o baile vai começar. Senhoras e meus senhores, batam certos os pézinhos, como bate este tambor Não queremos cá opressores, se estivermos bem juntinhos, vai-se embora o mandador Vai-se embora o mandador	Ladies and gentlemen, Form a circle please Ladies and gentlemen, Form a circle please Each one with their partner There are no heartbreaks here If everything is working The dance will begin Ladies and gentlemen Stamp your feet right in time to this drum We don’t want oppressors here If we’re getting on well together The boss can leave The boss can leave
Faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres Folha seca cai ao chão, folha seca cai ao chão Eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, Que eu sou doutra condição, que eu sou doutra condição	Do what you like Do what you like Do what you like The dead leaf falls to the ground The dead leaf falls to the ground I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want Because I’m from a different class Because I’m from a different class
De velhas casas vazias, palácios abandonados, os pobres fizeram lares Mas agora todos os dias, os polícias bem armados desocupam os andares Para que servem essas casas, a não ser para o senhorio viver da especulação Quem governa faz tábua rasa, mas lamenta com fastio a crise da habitação E assim se faz Portugal, uns vão bem e outros mal	From old empty houses, abandoned palaces The poor make homes But now every day The well-armed police Clear the floors What are those houses good for If not for the gentry To live off speculation Whoever governs makes a blank slate But deeply regrets the housing crisis And thats how it goes in Portugal Some do well and others badly
Faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres Folha seca cai ao chão, folha seca cai ao chão Eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, Que eu sou doutra condição, que eu sou doutra condição	Do what you like Do what you like Do what you like The dead leaf falls to the ground The dead leaf falls to the ground I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want Because I’m from a different class Because I’m from a different class
Tanta gente sem trabalho, não tem pão nem tem sardinha e nem tem onde morar Do frio faz agasalho, que a gente está tão magrinha da fome que anda a rapar O governo dá solução, manda os pobres emigrar, e os emigrantes que regressaram Mas com tanto desemprego, os ricos podem voltar porque nunca trabalharam E assim se faz Portugal, uns vão bem e outros mal	So many people without work They don’t have bread or sardines And they don’t even have a place to live They wrap up against the cold Because people ate so thin Raging with hunger The government gives a solution It tells the poor to emigrate And the emigrantes that returned But with so much unemployment The rich can return because they never work And thats how it goes in Portugal Some do well and others badly
Faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres Folha seca cai ao chão, folha seca cai ao chão Eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, Que eu sou doutra condição, que eu sou doutra condição	Do what you like Do what you like Do what you like The dead leaf falls to the ground The dead leaf falls to the ground I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want Because I’m from a different class Because I’m from a different class
E como pode outro alguém, tendo interesses tão diferentes, governar trabalhadores Se aquele que vive bem, vivendo dos seus serventes, tem diferentes valores Não nos venham com cantigas, não cantamos para esquecer, nós cantamos para lembrar Que só muda esta vida, quando tiver o poder o que vive a trabalhar Segura bem o teu par, que o baile vai terminar	And how could anyone else, having such different interests, Govern the workers? If that guy who lives well Living off his servants has different values They don’t come to us with songs, We don’t sing to forget We sing to remember That this life only changes When power is held by Those who live to work Hold your partner tight Because the dance is about to end
Faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres, faz lá como tu quiseres Folha seca cai ao chão, folha seca cai ao chão Eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, eu não quero o que tu queres, Que eu sou doutra condição, que eu sou doutra condição	Do what you like Do what you like Do what you like The dead leaf falls to the ground The dead leaf falls to the ground I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want I don’t want what you want Because I’m from a different class Because I’m from a different class

English, Portuguese

Lisboa Casta Princesa – Lucília do Carmo

Posted on Nov 10, 2023Nov 9, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Here’s another song translation. This one’s a real old-school fado from Lucília do Carmo, mother of Carlos do Carmo and friend of Alfredo Marceneiro, who I’ve mentioned on here before because he sang the original Casa da Mariquinhas. I don’t know what the story of this song is but it’s from the Salazar era and it’s giving me strong Fado, Fátima, Futbol vibes.

Portuguese	English
Lisboa, Casta* Princesa Que o manto da realeza Abres com pejo Num casto beijo Lisboa tão linda és Que tens de rastos aos pés A majestade do Tejo Lisboa das Descobertas De tantas terras desertas Que deram brado No teu passado De beleza tens a coroa Velha Lisboa Da Madragoa Quantos heróis tens criado!	Lisboa, Chaste Princess Whose royal robe You open shyly In a chaste kiss. Lisboa, you’re so lovely That you have trailing at your feet The majesty of the Tejo. Lisboa of the discoveries of so many deserted lands That made you famous* In your past You have the crown of beauty Old Lisbon From Madragoa So many heroes you’ve created!
Sete colinas São teu colo de cetim Onde as casas são boninas Espalhadas num jardim**** E no teu seio Certo dia foi gerado E cantado Pelo povo sonhador O nosso fado	Seven hills Are your satin skirts***** Where the houses are beautiful Spread out in the garden And on your breast Some day was brought into being And sung By the people who dream Our Fado
Lisboa, tardes doiradas Dos domingos, das toiradas Em que luzia A fidalguia E em que esse sangue valente Mostrava que havia gente A quem a morte sorria Lisboa, terra de fama Tens a tristeza de Alfama E a poesia Da Mouraria E nos teus velhos recantos Eu sei lá quantos Tu tens encantos Dos tempos da valentia!	Lisboa, golden afternoons Of Sundays, of bullfights In which shone The nobility And in which that brave blood Showed that there were people Who smiled at death Lisboa, famous land You have the sadness of the Alfama And the poetry Of the Mouraria And in your old corners I don’t know how many You have enchantments Of the times of bravery

* Casta can mean “caste” is it’s a noun, but I think this is an adjective: the feminine form of “casto”

** 🤔

***Brado can also mean “a shout” but I don’t think that makes sense, given teh following line, so assume this is what she means.

****This is the lyric I found for this song but I’m pretty sure she says “espalhado em jardins”

*****It’s weird that this one word, colo can mean two completely different parts of the body, but hey ho. I’ve taken it as meaning the skirts arranged on a lap, because we don’t really have a word for the top part of a woman’s chest, above the breast, and I’m not writing “breast”. Anyway, a breast is mentioned a few lines later – how many breasts do you need, people? Her son is always singing about them too!

English, Portuguese

Lisboa Menina e Moça

Posted on Sep 20, 2023Sep 18, 2023 by Colin Lusk

I’m in a translation mood again, and this one is a more traditional number: Lisboa, Menina e Moca by legendary fadista Carlos do Carmo. It’s pretty well known, and I hear it very often, so this is one of those songs to be aware of. The title is literally “Lisbon, Girl and Young Woman”, and he’s basically talking to the city as if it it was a girl and he was trying to – as the young folk say – rizz it up. It strikes me as a tiny bit cringe, but maybe that’s my cultural perspective. Let’s dive into the lyrics and see what it’s like. The version I’ve chosen is from an appearance on The Voice Portugal, and it’s notable because he breaks off part-way through to tell the young people in teh audience to stop clapping because it’s fado, not rock, which is a classic old dude move. That’s enough of your malarkey, Jack!

Portuguese	English
No Castelo ponho um cotovelo Em Alfama descanso o olhar E assim desfaço o novelo de azul e mar Á Ribeira encosto a cabeça Almofada da cama do Tejo Com lençóis bordados à pressa na cambraia dum** beijo	I put one of my elbows on the castle I rest my gaze on the Alfama And like that, I undo the knot* of blue and sea I lean my head on the Ribeira The pillow on the bed of the Tejo With hastily-embroidered sheets, in the cambric of a kiss
Lisboa, menina e moça*, menina Da luz que os meus olhos vêem, tão pura Teus seios são as colinas, varina** Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura Cidade a ponto-luz, bordada Toalha á beira-mar, estendida Lisboa, menina e moça, amada Cidade mulher da minha vida	Lisboa, girl and woman, girl By the light my eyes see, so pure Your breasts are he hills, sea lady The call that brings me to the door, tenderness CIty with points of light, emroidered Towel by the seashore, stretched out Lisbon, girl and woman, loved City, woman of my life
No Terreiro eu passo por ti Mas na Graça eu vejo-te nua Quando um pombo te olha, sorri, és mulher da rua E no bairro mais alto*** do sonho Ponho um fado que soube inventar Aguardente de vida e medronho****, que me faz cantar	On the Terreiro, i pass by you But in Graça, I see you naked When a pigeon sees you, it smiles, you are a woman of the road And in the highest suburb of the dream I give you a fado that I knew how to invent Brandy made of life and fruit that makes me sing
Lisboa no meu amor, deitada Cidade por minhas mãos, despida Lisboa, menina e moça, amada Cidade mulher da minha vida	Lisboa on my love, laid City by my hands, undressed Lisbon, girl and woman, loved City, woman of my life

*Novelo usually means a ball of thread or a cotton reel, but can mean a complicated thing, so I’m thinking he’s talking about a knot that he’s undoing, rather than a cotton reel – it just seems to make more sense in the context but I could be wrong.

**I couldn’t make any sense of this and thought he was saying “dei um beijo”, but that ain’t it chief! He’s just comparing the lightness of a kiss to the lightness of the material. There’s an explanation of all this needlework metaphhor here if you want to know more.

***I’m, translating moça as woman, not young woman, because I think it sounds better. FIght me! By the way, Menina e Moca is also the name of an early portuguese novel by Bernadim Ribeiro. Maybe there’s a link?

****Eesh! How to translate this? I think he’s saying she’s a woman who lives by the side of the sea – the second meaning given on Priberam – and that woudl make a certain amount of sense.

*****Referring to the Bairro Alto neighbourhood, of course, a wretched hive of wine and fadory if ever there was one

******Medronho is a kind of tree whose fruits are used to make aguardente de medronho.

English, Portuguese

Lena d’Agua – Grande festa

Posted on Sep 18, 2023Sep 17, 2023 by Colin Lusk

Lena D’Agua is a singer who seems to have been around since the seventies and was a member of a truly unmemorable eurovision band back in the glory days of 1978, but what drew my attention to her is that her latest album was largely written by Pedro Da Silva Martins, who wrote a lot of Deolinda’s best stuff when they wre around. I don’t think it’s quite up to Deolinda standards, but it’s pretty good. Have a listen! The video is a bit cringe though so feel free to look somewhere else while you’re at it. I don’t go to many parties, but if that’s what they are like, I don’t think I’m missing much.

Portuguese	English
Inda* vou ganhar o Festival Com uma canção de macramé Hei de fazer capa num jornal A pavonear um jacaré**	I’m still going to win the festival With a macramé song I’ll probably make the headlines Showing off to an alligator
Espero que te caia a boca ao chão Q’eu estou pronta para a grande festa E tu de charuto e roupão Com um arpão espetado na testa	I hope your jaw hits the floor because I’m ready for the big party And you with your cigar & fancy clothes With a harpoon stuck in your forehead
Espero ainda ser um furacão Ter uma cintura de ballet A arrastar as joias pelo chão Acenar de um porsche com chofer	I still hope to be a hurricane To have a ballet waist To drag jewelry across the floor To wave from a chauffer-driven porsche
Espero que te caia a boca ao chão Q’eu estou pronta para a grande festa E tu de charuto e roupão Com um arpão espetado na testa	I hope your jaw hits the floor because I’m ready for the big party And you with your cigar & fancy clothes With a harpoon stuck in your forehead
Espero ainda ter algo carnal Na minha poltrona de chalé Matar esta fome canibal Qu’eu ando tão farta de café	I still hope to have something carnal In the armchair at my chalet To satisfy this cannibal hunger Becaue I’m so tired of coffee
Espero que te caia a boca ao chão Qu’eu estou pronta para a grande festa E tu de charuto e roupão Com um arpão espetado na testa	I hope your jaw hits the floor because I’m ready for the big party And you with your cigar & fancy clothes With a harpoon stuck in your forehead
Espero que te caia a boca ao chão Qu’eu estou pronta para a grande festa E tu de charuto e roupão Com um arpão espetado na testa Estou pronta para a grande festa	I hope your jaw hits the floor because I’m ready for the big party And you with your cigar & fancy clothes With a harpoon stuck in your forehead I’m ready for the big party

* Seems just to be a shortened form of Ainda

** OK, the translation makes no sense. There are a couple of alternative explanations according to the Dicionario Informal: I think the most likely one is that she’s talking about cigarettes, since that’s quite a strong motif in the video, so maybe she’s on the front of the newspapers posing with a fag? But there are a few alternative definitions that she could be referring to. Giving an ugly woman a makeover? Posing with a patient who’s been waiting a long time for an operation???

English, Portuguese

Chakras

Posted on Sep 6, 2023Sep 5, 2023 by Colin Lusk

After looking at that Da Weasel rap the other day, I thought maybe I’d try another so here we are. I returned to this video which I mentioned in passing a year or so ago. I thought the song was called Classe Crua, but Classe Crua is the name of the band, which is composed of Sam the Kid (he’s the white guy) and Beware Jack (tall hair). This song has a “feat” on it – with a guy called Chullage (woolly hat, big beard) (feat is short for “featuring”). Chullage is a form of Chulagem, the quality of being a Chulo: a pimp or a vulgar person.

It’s a challenging translation. It’s got crioula, french, english and street slang all the way through it, mixed together like a big old liguistic stew.

Portuguese	English
Marés Frias, vento Forte, balançam o meu suporte Mas ganho equilíbrio na balança! Já não escrevo só reporto fotografias no meu bloco Imagens são a melhor referência Bad feeling não me move Só balança o meu suporte O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe	Cold seas, strong wind, shakes the ground I’m standing on But I gain stability from the instability I don’t write, I only report photographs of my block Images are the best reference Bad feeling doesn’t move me Just shakes the ground I’m standing on The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits
Velho mar, barcos novos, velhos jogos, novos modos Velho passaporte, novo avião, nova escala Velho mapa, novas rotas Dou a volta ganho pernas como centopeias Descansa, tenho o nirvana nas veias Tiro-te as teimas, a cena é phat como Baleias Palavras bem usadas são uma Uzi, uma arma Calma, a nova expressão apaga o velho trauma São chagas da nossa Aura, mágoas da nossa alma Chakras do nosso karma Não há vivalma Que fique indiferente e se ficarem indiferentes Dá-me tempo “deixa-me rir” como o Jorge Palma O Sociólogo da nova escola, com a velha guarda A criar modas por aí a fora Com a velha fórmula na nova montra Keep it real p’ra zona aos que trocam sprints por maratonas	Old sea, new boats, old games, new styles Old passport, new plane, new scale Old map, new routes I go far a walk I get legs like centipedes Chill, I have nirvana in my veins I’ll take away your stubbornness, the scene is phat like whales Well used words, I’m an uzi, a weapon Calm down,the new expression wipes out the old trauma They are wounds on our aura, injuries on our soul Chakras of our karma There’s no living soul That will be indifferent, and if they’re indifferent Give me time, “let me laugh” like Jorge Palma* The sociologist of the new school with the old guard Creating methods out there With the old formula in the new shopfront Keep it real in the sone for people who swap sprints for marathons
Marés Frias, vento Forte, balançam o meu suporte Mas ganho equilíbrio na balança! Já não escrevo só reporto fotografias no meu bloco Imagens são a melhor referência Bad feeling não me move Só balança o meu suporte O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe	Cold seas, strong wind, shakes the ground I’m standing on But I gain stability from the instability I don’t write, I only report photographs of my block Images are the best reference Bad feeling doesn’t move me Just shakes the ground I’m standing on The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits
Beware! I wanna be there Onde toda a gente é gente, e o que é bom é freeware Mas buéda gente ’tá a ver magenta, a follow the líder Buéda gente vive à tangente A swallow o que houver Nhãs* brodas usam a cabeça só p’ra por new wear E dizem-me “Chullage é uma new era” (Chulagi dja bu era) Deixam links, fazem clicks Bebem pink, fazem pics E mandam comments ‘Pa que te piques e o views atinjam peaks Na broda, been there Coolest monkeys in da jungle HM ou Pull And Bear Broda couldn’t bear Muita câmara Muito filtro, muito share, muito flair Tanto fait-divers** Teresa May ou Tony Blair Same old same old, nique sa mere* Novos governos, mesmo xaxos** Novos alunos, as mesmas praxes Novos beats, os mesmos baixos Novos mc’s os memo chachos*** Tudo a tentar o encaixe Mas já nada sai da caixa Tudo tão aprumado que parece tudo Tão saído do terceiro Reich Versos controversos ‘Pa poder dar nas views Essa medalha tem reverso Tudo o mesmo point of view Buéda flow mas não é diverso Trágico como em Lampedusa Brodas acabam imersos Há uma festa no terraço Duma casa sem alicerces Fuck’em Fecho a matraca****** E alinho os chakras Escrevo linhas sacras Cansado de tantos wankers Galinhas e bácoras Meu pensamento entra no train A curtir Coltrane E mando rimas só por treino Giants steps A love supreme Estou fora do frame Ponho os fones, subo o gain, expulso o pain E mando um grito Tenho buéda fantasmas e por eles não tenho escrito Tens buéda fantasmas daqueles que te têm escrito Estás tipo Mc’Donalds Já vens da América feito Aqui só foste frito Digo o que sinto Novo ou proscrito E não preciso de ser seguido nem subscrito Já não rappo Só vomito Nunca omito Meu commitment Quando debito Foda-se Sam granda beat Foda-se Beware obrigado pelo convite!	Beware I wanna be there Where everybody is us and what’s good is freeware But a lot of people are seeing magenta to follow the leader A lot of people live at a tangent And swallow whatever there is And the brothers only use their heads to put on new wear And they tell me, “Chullage, it’s a new era” (Chulagi dja bu era) They post links, they make clicks They drink pink, they take pics Why do you bite, and your views hit peaks No brother, been there Coolest monkey in the jungle H+M or Pull and Bear Brother couldn’t bear Lots of camera Lots of filters, lots of shares, lots of flair Lots of other stuff Teresa May and Tony Blair Same old same old. fuck their mother New governments, same assholes New students, same hazing rituals New bears, same baselines New MCs, same guys Everything trying to fit in But now nothing gets outside the box Everything is so polished it all seems To have come from the Third Reich Controversial verses To be able to get views This medal has another side All from the same point of view Lots of flow, but it isn’t diverse Tragic like in Lampedusa Brothers end up immersed There’s a party on the terrace Of a house with no foundations Fuck ’em I’m shutting my mouth And aligning my chakras I write sacred lines Tired of so many wankers Chickens and piglets My thought gets on the train Enjoying Coltrane And rap some rhymes just for practice Giant Steps A Love Supreme I’m outside the frame I put on my headphones, turn up the gain, expel the pain And I let out a scream I have so many ghosts and because of them, I haven’t written You have so many ghosts the kind that write you You’re like McDonalds You came from America, ready made You were fried here I say what I feel New or forbidden And I don’t need to be followed or subscribed I don’t rap I just vomit I don’t omit Mu commitment When I debit Fuck it, Sam, great beat Fuck it, Beware, thanks for the invitation
[Refrão: Beware Jack] Marés Frias, vento Forte, balançam o meu suporte Mas ganho equilíbrio na balança! Já não escrevo só reporto fotografias no meu bloco Imagens são a melhor referência Bad feeling não me move Só balança o meu suporte O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe O beat entra, o flow cospe	[Refrain by Beware jack] Cold seas, strong wind, shakes the ground I’m standing on But I gain stability from the instability I don’t write, I only report photographs of my block Images are the best reference Bad feeling doesn’t move me Just shakes the ground I’m standing on The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits The beat enters, the flow spits

* Reference to this song

** Lots of english in this verb, but lots of slang too. Buéda gente seems to be “bué da gente. Bué is slang derived from africa. I think it’s maybe not that new. I think bué fixe (“very cool” dates back a while, but bué is generally a reinforcer so it indicates a lot of something or very much something

***Crioulo Cabo Verdiano – short for minhas/meus

**** Dammit, this is french!!!

***** Dammit, so is this!

******Not sure abot this one but basing it on this.

********Seems to be short for the spanish word “muchachos”

********This word can have a lot of meanings. I’m assuming he’s talking about his mouth since none of the other options make much sense.

English

1 Day of Summer

Posted on Aug 2, 2023Aug 6, 2023 by Colin Lusk

I had one of those moments on social media where I see something I don’t really understand and I have to go off and unravel the mystery and learn something along the way. It started with this Instagram post from Cinema São Jorge:

I guessed the origin, although I haven’t seen it for years. It’s from the pinnacle of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl movie era, 500 Days of Summer:

And I guess they’re excited because it was July the 31st, the day Quim Barreiros, accordionist and master of Música Pimba has decreed to be the best day to get married. Why? Because “depois entra agosto” (then comes August). It’s explained in this Sapo article but they’re not explaining it quite well enough for a non-native, so let me unravel the pun in all its corny glory.

“A gosto” is used in recipes in the way “to taste” is used in English recipes. Season to taste =Temperar a gosto, or you could just have “(a gosto)” in place of a specific quantity after the name of the ingredient (see this absolutely disgusting recipe, for example), meaning as much or as little as you like. So when he says “depois entra a gosto”, he’s just saying after you get married you can enter (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) whenever you please.

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