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.
Balanço De Rede
Alceu Valença Lyrics
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Morri de sede
Tantas águas rolaram, meu amor
Tantos balanços de rede
No sonho de um sonhador
Quanta água, tanta sede
Quantas ruas, tanto chão
Tantas chuvas de verão
Quantas luas, tantas vezes
Quando medo, tantos não
Quantos lábios, tantos beijos
Tantas chuvas de verão
The lyrics of Alceu Valença's song Balanço De Rede speak about reminiscing the good old days and how much the persona has missed those beautiful moments. The first line, "Querubim já fechou," translates to "Querubim already closed." This line sets the tone for the rest of the song, indicating that a place that was once cherished is now closed, and the persona is left with just memories. The following lines, "Morri de sede, Tantas águas rolaram, meu amor," translate to "I died of thirst, so many waters have rolled, my love." These lyrics represent a longing for something that has already passed that one can never retrieve.
The next few lines, "Tantos balanços de rede, No sonho de um sonhador," translate to "So many hammocks swinging, in the dream of a dreamer." These beautiful lyrics represent the persona's desire to go back in time and live those beautiful moments that once made them so happy, even if it's only in their dreams. The chorus, "Quanta água, tanta sede, Quantas ruas, tanto chão, Quantas praias de água verde, Tantas chuvas de verão, Quantas luas, tantas vezes, Quando medo, tantos não, Quantos lábios, tantos beijos, Tantas chuvas de verão," represents several experiences that the persona has had in their life. From thirst to rain, from the number of kisses to the number of beaches they have visited, this chorus represents a life well lived full of various experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Querubim já fechou
The evening has arrived
Morri de sede
I died of thirst, longing for something unattainable
Tantas águas rolaram, meu amor
So much has happened, my love
Tantos balanços de rede
So many moments of comfort and rest
No sonho de um sonhador
In the dream of a dreamer, in a world of possibilities and imagination
Quanta água, tanta sede
So much water, yet so much thirst
Quantas ruas, tanto chão
So many roads, so much ground to cover
Quantas praias de água verde
So many beaches with green waters, representing the many choices in life
Tantas chuvas de verão
So many summer rains, which can be seen as blessings and hardships
Quantas luas, tantas vezes
So many moons, so many times
Quando medo, tantos não
When afraid, so many said no
Quantos lábios, tantos beijos
So many lips, so many kisses
Tantas chuvas de verão
So many summer rains, which can be seen as blessings and hardships
Contributed by Mackenzie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.