Elba Ramalho was born in the rural area of Conceição, in Vale do Piancó. In 1962, the family moved to the city of Campina Grande, also in Paraíba. Her father became the owner of the local theater. Daughter of a musician, she became interested in music still as a teenager.
In 1966, she participated, for the first time, in a performance on stage, in the Choir of the Fundação Artística e Cultural Manuel Bandeira, of which she was a member, with "Evocação do Recife". The Manuel Bandeira and Cecília Meireles Talking Choirs gained fame and started to be seen all over the Northeast, and Elba, who made her first presentation on stage together with them, soon became the highlight in the presentations. She starred in the poetic montages of Castro Alves, Thiago de Mello, Lindolfo Bell, Carlos Pena Filho and Figueiredo Agra. He participated in the montages of the plays "Ministro do Supremo" and "Diálogo das Carmelitas."
In 1968, while attending college of Economics and Sociology at the Federal University of Paraíba, she formed the ensemble As Brasas, in which she acted as drummer, which later became a theater group. However, Elba never stopped singing, and performed in several festivals throughout the Northeast.
In 1979, she released her first album, "Ave de Prata", and since then she has consolidated her position as one of the main Brazilian singers in activity. On her father's side, she is a cousin of fellow singer Zé Ramalho.
She has two Latin Grammys for her albums: Qual o Assunto Que Mais Lhe importa?, released in 2008, and Balaio de Amor, 2009, in the category Best Brazilian Roots Album: Regional and Tropical. In over 35 years of career, Elba Ramalho has sold more than 10 million albums. She received from the Art Critics Association of São Paulo the award "Best Show of the Year" on two occasions: in 1989 for the show Popular Brasileira and in 1996 for the show Leão do Norte.
Asa Branca
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qual fogueira de São João
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação
Que braseiro, que fornalha
Nem um pé de plantação
Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão
Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão
Inté mesmo a asa branca
Bateu asas do sertão
Entonce eu disse, adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Entonce eu disse, adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Hoje longe, muitas léguas
Numa triste solidão
Espero a chuva cair de novo
Pra eu voltar pro meu sertão
Espero a chuva cair de novo
Pra eu voltar pro meu sertão
Quando o verde dos teus olhos
Se espalhar na plantação
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu
Que eu voltarei, viu
Meu coração
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu
Que eu voltarei, viu
Meu coração
The song "Asa Branca" by Elba Ramalho tells a story of a man from the drought-stricken sertão (backlands) of Brazil. As the song begins, the singer sees the land on fire, and he asks God why there is so much suffering. The imagery of the burning land is compared to a São João bonfire, a traditional Brazilian festival during which communities celebrate with large bonfires. The singer then describes the lack of water, which has caused him to lose his cattle and his prized horse due to thirst.
As the song continues, the singer mourns not only his losses, but the departure of even the asa branca (white-winged dove), a bird that is known for its ability to survive in even the harshest of conditions. The singer bids farewell to his love, Rosinha, asking her to hold onto his heart in his absence. The loneliness of being so far from home is palpable in the final lines, as the singer expresses the hope that the rain will come and he will be able to return to his beloved sertão once more.
Line by Line Meaning
Quando olhei a terra ardendo
When I saw the burning land
Qual fogueira de São João
Like a Saint John's bonfire
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
I asked God in heaven, oh
Por que tamanha judiação
Why so much suffering
Que braseiro, que fornalha
What a blaze, what a furnace
Nem um pé de plantação
Not even a single crop
Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
I lost my cattle due to lack of water
Morreu de sede meu alazão
My bay horse died of thirst
Inté mesmo a asa branca
Even the white-winged bird
Bateu asas do sertão
Flew away from the backcountry
Entonce eu disse, adeus Rosinha
Then I said, goodbye Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Keep my heart with you
Hoje longe, muitas léguas
Now far away, many leagues
Numa triste solidão
In a sad loneliness
Espero a chuva cair de novo
I hope for rain to fall again
Pra eu voltar pro meu sertão
So I can return to my backcountry
Quando o verde dos teus olhos
When the green of your eyes
Se espalhar na plantação
Spreads across the plantation
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu
I assure you, don't cry, see
Que eu voltarei, viu
That I'll come back, see
Meu coração
My heart
Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda.
Written by: Humberto Teixeira, Luiz Gonzaga
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind