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.
De Onde Vem?
Alceu Valença Lyrics
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Estrela Brilhante
Piaba de Ouro
Deus Salve os Caboclinhos
Da Tribo dos Canidés
De onde vem o 'caboclo'
Será africano, será caeté?
De onde vem essa dança?
Ôôôô, de onde vem essa dor?
Meu coração de tambor
Não sabe de onde vem
Ôôôô, e de onde vem meu amor
Meu coração de tambor não sabe de onde vem.
Salve a Nação Elefante
Estrela Brilhante
Piaba de Ouro
Maracatu Dona Santa
De onde é que ele é?
Quem sabe é o som de Luanda
No bairro de São José...
Alceu Valença's song "De Onde Vem?" has a folkloric vibe and questions where things come from. The lyrics mention various traditional elements of Brazilian culture, such as the "Caboclo" (who could be of African or indigenous origin), the "Toré" (a traditional dance of indigenous origin), and the "Maracatu Dona Santa" (a type of Afro-Brazilian music and dance). The song also mentions several groups and symbols associated with regional festivals in Brazil, such as the "Nação Elefante," "Estrela Brilhante," and "Piaba de Ouro."
The song speaks of a deep longing and curiosity regarding the origins of both emotional pain and love. The repetition of the lines "Ôôôô, de onde vem essa dor? Meu coração de tambor não sabe de onde vem" ("Where does this pain come from? My drumming heart doesn't know where it comes from") and "Ôôôô, de onde vem meu amor? Meu coração de tambor não sabe de onde vem" ("Where does my love come from? My drumming heart doesn't know where it comes from") emphasizes the mystery and importance of these emotions.
Overall, "De Onde Vem?" invites listeners to contemplate their roots and the origins of the traditions and emotions that shape their lives, while celebrating the richness and diversity of Brazilian culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Salve a Nação Elefante
Greetings to the Elefante Nation
Estrela Brilhante
Shining star
Piaba de Ouro
Golden Piaba fish
Deus Salve os Caboclinhos
God save the Caboclinhos
Da Tribo dos Canidés
From the Canidé tribe
De onde vem o 'caboclo'
Where does the 'caboclo' come from
Será africano, será caeté?
Is it African, is it Caeté?
De onde vem essa dança?
Where does this dance come from?
Quem sabe vem do Toré.
Maybe it comes from Toré.
Ôôôô, de onde vem essa dor?
Oh, where does this pain come from?
Meu coração de tambor
My drumming heart
Não sabe de onde vem
Does not know where it comes from
Ôôôô, e de onde vem meu amor
Oh, and where does my love come from?
Meu coração de tambor não sabe de onde vem.
My drumming heart does not know where it comes from.
Maracatu Dona Santa
Dona Santa Maracatu
De onde é que ele é?
Where does it come from?
Quem sabe é o som de Luanda
Maybe it's the sound of Luanda
No bairro de São José...
In the neighborhood of São José...
Contributed by Elizabeth H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.