Eu morava na areia
"Many people have recorded this song, but it's a traditional song from the northeast.
The first verse [the chorus below] is the most common and the other verses are usually improvised." - Bruna
Eu morava na areia
I Lived in the Sand
Circle Dance
Circle Dance
(Portuguese)
(English)
Refrão
Eu morava na areia, sereia
Me mudei para o sertão*, sereia
Aprendi a namorar, sereia
Com um aperto de mão, ô sereia.
As estrelas no céu correm, sereia
Eu também quero correr, sereia
Elas correm atrás da noite, serei
Eu atrás do bem-querer**.
Refrão
Cajueiro pequenino, sereia
Carregadinho de flor, sereia
Eu também sou pequenina, sereia
Carregadinha de amor, ô sereia
Refrão
Fui na fonte beber água, sereia
Não fui por água beber, sereia
Eu fui ver as piabinhas, sereia
Na veia dágua correr, ô sereia
Refrão
E você, dona Rosane, sereia
Renda fina na janela, sereia
Daquela renda mais fina, sereia
Que ninguém põe a mão nela, ô sereia
Refrão
(Chorus)
I lived in the sand, mermaid
I moved to the desert*, mermaid
I learned to date, mermaid
With a handshake, oh mermaid.
The stars in the sky run, mermaid
I want to run too, mermaid
They chase the night, mermaid
I'm chasing my love**, oh mermaid
(Chorus)
Little cashew, mermaid
Full of flowers, mermaid
I am a little girl, mermaid
Full of love, oh mermaid
(Chorus)
I was at the source of the drinking water, mermaid
I was not there for drinking water, mermaid
I went to see the little fish, mermaid
Running in the vein of water, O mermaid
(Chorus)
And you, Mrs. Rosanne, mermaid
Fine lace in the window, mermaid
That very fine lace, mermaid
No one puts a hand on her, O mermaid.
(Chorus)
Notes
*"'Sertão' is a dry region in the northeast of Brazil. Geographically, it's not exactly a desert. I translated it as 'desert' because many sources say that sertão is a diminutive form of desertão (big desert), the word by which the Portuguese colonizers called this place. - Bruna
**"Bem-querer is a nickname for a person you love, like darling or sweetheart. It means you want the person to feel good, 'good will'." - Bruna
Thanks!
Thanks!
Sheet Music
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Bruna Marcela Benevenutti for sharing this song with us, for the score and translation (with Lisa)!
Image: By Diogo Sergio, cc.
Obrigada!