Agua De Beber
A. Gilberto & A.C. Jobim Lyrics

In "Agua de beber," A. Gilberto & A.C. Jobim's classic, the singer compares their beloved's love to rain, and their heart to a flower in desperate need of nourishment. They plead with their lover, acknowledging that their very existence relies on their love's life-giving "power," and longing to "bloom to the sky" rather than wither away. The refrain's repetition of "Água de beber" serves as a sort of plea, indirectly asking for the necessary water to sustain their love like a flower. The singer also acknowledges that rain falls on all things, even on the vastness of the sea or the barrenness of the desert, ending the poem with a call to receive this water - "Since the rain has to fall, let it fall on me."

The use of the rainflower metaphor in "Agua de beber" is widely understood to be representative of a larger theme in Brazilian music and culture - saudades, which can be translated roughly as "nostalgia" or a deep longing for a home or a person that may be out of reach. This longing for completeness, for a home and a heart that are full and content, overflow into lyrics that evoke the imagery of nature and the rainforest, with its lush vegetation and the necessity of rain for its survival. Additionally, the call-and-response nature of the chorus is typical in Brazilian music, reflecting a cultural heritage influenced by African traditions.