Alceu Valenca was born in countryside Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. He is considered the most successful artist in achieving an aesthetic balance between traditional northeastern Brazilian music and a broad range of electronic sounds and effects from pop music. One can find traces of maracatu, coco and "repentes de viola" (improvising fast-paced Brazilian folk music) in most of his songs. Alceu was able to utilize the electric guitar the electric bass, and lately even a synthesizer was added to his broad scope of musical instruments.
Because of that, Alceu was able to recreate Northeastern traditional music, like baiao, coco, toada, maracatu, frevo, caboclinhos, embolada and repentes: all sung with a sometimes rock sometimes alternative sounding music background. His music and his themes are intangible, universal and unlimited. However, his aesthetic basis is genuinely Brazilian Northeastern music.
Arrepiando
Alceu Valença Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trazendo alegria e forró
O milharal fulorô trazendo
A riqueza do chão
A morena se enfeitou
Sonhando com o seu amor
Acendeu uma fogueira
Namorando esta morena
Arrepio à imaginação
Que chamego bom danado
Tô morrendo de paixão
Toca miudinho, toca miudinho
Toca miudinho, pra eu dançar
Com o meu amor (Bis)
The lyrics to Alceu Valença's song "Arrepiando" describe the excitement and joy of the São João festival, a popular celebration in Brazil that marks the beginning of winter. The festival is known for its vibrant music and dancing, particularly the traditional forró style, which is mentioned in the lyrics. The song paints a picture of a young woman getting ready for the celebrations, adorned in beautiful clothing and dreaming of her love. The mention of the corn fields signifies the abundance of food and harvest, which is celebrated during the festival.
The chorus is an invitation to dance, with the singer asking for the music to be played "miudinho", or softly, so that he can dance closely with his beloved. The lyrics evoke feelings of romance and passion, with the singer confessing that he is "dying of love" for his partner. The music itself is upbeat and energetic, reflecting the celebratory spirit of the festival.
Line by Line Meaning
São João já chegou
The celebration of Saint John has begun
Trazendo alegria e forró
Bringing joy and traditional dance music called forró
O milharal fulorô trazendo
The cornfield is in blooming, bringing abundance
A riqueza do chão
The richness of the earth
A morena se enfeitou
The dark-skinned woman adorned herself
Sonhando com o seu amor
Dreaming about her love
Acendeu uma fogueira
She lit a bonfire
Dentro do seu coração
Inside her heart
Namorando esta morena
Courting this dark-skinned woman
Arrepio à imaginação
Giving shivers to the imagination
Que chamego bom danado
What a good cuddle
Tô morrendo de paixão
I'm dying of passion
Toca miudinho, toca miudinho
Play softly, play softly
Toca miudinho, pra eu dançar
Play softly so I can dance
Com o meu amor (Bis)
With my love (repeat)
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.