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.
Noite Vazia
Alceu Valença Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E ele ainda não voltou
Faz um ano, um mês, um dia
E ele ainda não voltou
Helena
Acorda linda e preguiçosa
O sol batendo na vidraça
Na roupa branca no varal
Helena não lembra nada
Da noite anterior
Entre o silêncio do quarto
E o ronco do elevador
Entre o espelho e a pia
Helena chorou de dor
Helena pensou bobagens
Sentindo as horas passar
Se arrastando na noite
Colada em seu calcanhar
A noite negra vazia
Querendo lhe sufocar
The song "Noite Vazia" by Alceu Valença tells the story of Helena, who wakes up to a new day, but her partner has not returned home. The lyrics illustrate the emptiness and loneliness felt by Helena as she reflects on the passing of time, a year, a month, and a day, with no sign of her loved one's return. The repetition of "e ele ainda não voltou" (and he hasn't come back yet) emphasizes the desperation felt by Helena. As the sun rises, bringing light to Helena's surroundings, she is still left in the dark about her partner's whereabouts.
As the song progresses, Helena reminisces about the previous night, but she cannot remember anything. She is surrounded by silence, and the only sound she hears is the sound of the elevator's rumble. Helena's pain is palpable as she cries while standing in front of the mirror and the sink, feeling lost and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Madrugou, raiou o dia
The day has dawned, but he hasn't returned yet
E ele ainda não voltou
He still hasn't come back after one year, one month, one day
Helena acorda linda e preguiçosa
Helena wakes up beautiful and lazy
O sol batendo na vidraça
The sun is shining through the window
Na sala, no quarto, na roupa branca no varal
In the living room, in the bedroom, on the white clothesline
Helena não lembra nada da noite anterior
Helena doesn't remember anything from the night before
Entre o silêncio do quarto e o ronco do elevador
Between the silence of the room and the sound of the elevator
Entre o espelho e a pia Helena chorou de dor
Helena cried in pain between the mirror and the sink
Helena pensou bobagens
Helena had foolish thoughts
Sentindo as horas passar
Feeling the hours go by
Se arrastando na noite colada em seu calcanhar
Dragging through the night, stuck to her heel
A noite negra vazia querendo lhe sufocar
The empty black night wanting to suffocate her
Contributed by Charlotte Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Denis Feliciano
Madrugou, raiou o dia
E ele ainda não voltou
Faz um ano, um mês, um dia
E ele ainda não voltou
Helena
Acorda linda e preguiçosa
O sol batendo na vidraça
Na sala, no quarto,
Na roupa branca no varal
Helena não lembra nada
Da noite anterior
Entre o silêncio do quarto
E o ronco do elevador
Entre o espelho e a pia
Helena chorou de dor
Helena pensou bobagens
Sentindo as horas passar
Se arrastando na noite
Colada em seu calcanhar
A noite negra vazia
Querendo lhe sufocar
Leticia Josefina Fabia Nappi
Conhecendo essa maravilha em 2021!
Andre Riceliano Da Silva Melo
minha música preferida.
Ricardo Maisatto
Poesia Pura!
Olívia Maia
de uma sensibilidade sem tamanho...
MARIA ALBINA MAGERA
UAU! Noite vazia...
Rubenita Ferreira
Noite vazia. . .