Alcione was introduced to the traditional Brazilian music by her father. He was a military musician who worked as the conductor of the corps marching band. At the age of thirteen, she was already able to give vocal performance in college parties. At this same age, she began to study clarinet, and then learnt to play the trumpet.
At age 20 Alcione moved to Rio de Janeiro. There she worked at the city's TV Excelsior, and later went on tour in Argentina and Chile for four months. On returning to Brazil, she settled in São Paulo, working in nightclub and making appearances on television. In 1970, she started her two-year tour in Europe, performing as a vocalist and a trumpet artist.
In 1972, when back to Brazil, Alcione recorded her first single. The following year, she traveled to sing in Mexico and, in 1974, Portugal, where she recorded her first full-length album. In 1975 Alcione released her LP, A Voz do Samba, which achieved gold sales status and featured several hit tracks. The most successful songs were Não Deixe o Samba Morrer, written by Edson and Aloiso, and O Surdo, written by Totonho/Paulinho Resende.
In the late 1970s, Nazaré became well-known as a samba artist and achieved international recognition. She recorded Alerta Geral for Philips Records and, in 1978, released this album, the title of which was taken from a television show that Alcione had hosted on TV Globo for two years. Following its success, Alcione continued to release several other full-length albums in late 1970s and early 1980s, including her self-titled album.
In 1997, Alcione signed with Universal Records, subsequently releasing a label debut named Valeu, through Polygram the next year. This was followed by Celebração that same year, and Claridade---Uma Homenagem A Clara Nunes in 1999. In December 2002 Alcione was recognized for playing an important part in founding the Paraíso School of Samba in London, England. She also helped organizing and preparing the stage for a British version of the Carnival Brasil, Paraíso dos Orixás (Brazil, Paradise of the Gods). In 2003, her 2002 album, Ao Vivo, received the Best Samba/Pagode Album Award at fourth Latin Grammy Award ceremony.
She has interpreted several hits such as Não deixe o samba morrer, Lá vem você, Gostoso veneno and Ilha da maré.
On July 7, 2007 she performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth in Rio de Janeiro.
Coração brasileiro
Alcione Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Já acabou meu dinheiro
Esse meu jeito tristonho
Vai de janeiro a janeiro
Mas já cansei de chorar
Meu coração brasileiro
Já não quer mais apanhar
Já não dá mais pra agëntar
Pra esperança não me abandonar
Eu vou rezar
Pra esperança esperar
Já perdi meu apego
Perdi meu chamego
Minha inocência perdi
Perdi meu sossego
Perdi meu emprego
Minha paciência
Eu já fui classe média
Mas nunca fiz média
E não sou comédia pra nêgo encarnar
Tá tão ruim que não dá pra piorar
Eu vou rezar
Já vendi meu apê, já vendi a TV
Minha velha carroça, vendi
Já vendi meu carnê
Já vendi sem querer
Meu terreno na roça
E foi tanto do imposto
Que me foi imposto
Mas não sou encosto pra negô deitar
Birimbolô, e tá ruim de clarear
Eu vou rezar
Vou rezar pra São Jorge,
Meu santo guerreiro
São Sebastião, que é do Rio de Janeiro
Pedir proteção, saúde e dinheiro
Pra me segurar
Pra Santa Luzia, Santa Margarida
E Nossa Senhora Aparecida
E fazer promessa
Pra ver essa vida da gente mudar
Vou pedir pra Anastácia
"Padim Padre Ciço"
Que os "zome"
Se lembrem do seu comprmisso
Que parem com isso
De não chegar junto
E nem se tocar
Apelar pra São Pedro, Antonio e João
Também pra São Luíz do Maranhão
Pedindo esperança, arroz e feijão
Pro povão aguentar
Pois é
Eu vou rezar
The song "Coração brasileiro" by Alcione speaks about the struggles of living in Brazil and the hardships that people face. The lyrics express a feeling of hopelessness and exhaustion with life, and the desperation to find some sort of relief from the constant struggles. The opening lines state that the singer has woken up from their dreams and is out of money. The melancholic tone of the song is highlighted by the fact that this kind of sadness is present all year round. However, the singer is tired of crying and does not want their Brazilian heart to keep getting hurt. They want to pray for hope to stay with them and not abandon them.
The rest of the song describes how the singer has lost everything they had, even their sense of peace and job. The reference to the middle class indicates that financial status does not necessarily protect them from the struggles of life. Despite having to sell everything they own, they still have to deal with the heavy burden of taxation. The song ends with a prayer to several saints, including Saint George and Saint Sebastian, for protection, health, and wealth. The singer is asking for help from above to change their life and that of the Brazilian people, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and help for everyone to stand strong.
Line by Line Meaning
Já acordei do meu sonho
I have come to terms with reality
Já acabou meu dinheiro
I am out of money
Esse meu jeito tristonho
I am feeling sad
Vai de janeiro a janeiro
It lasts all year long
Mas já cansei de chorar
I am tired of crying
Meu coração brasileiro
My Brazilian heart
Já não quer mais apanhar
No more beating
Já não dá mais pra agëntar
I can't take it anymore
Eu vou rezar
I will pray
Pra esperança não me abandonar
So that hope won't abandon me
Pra esperança esperar
So that hope can wait for me
Já perdi meu apego
I have lost my attachment
Perdi meu chamego
I have lost my affection
Minha inocência perdi
I have lost my innocence
Perdi meu sossego
I have lost my peace
Perdi meu emprego
I have lost my job
Minha paciência
My patience
Eu já fui classe média
I used to be middle class
Mas nunca fiz média
But I never pretended to be someone I'm not
E não sou comédia pra nêgo encarnar
I am not a joke for anyone to mock
Tá tão ruim que não dá pra piorar
It is so bad that it can't get any worse
Já vendi meu apê, já vendi a TV
I have sold my apartment and my TV
Minha velha carroça, vendi
I have sold my old cart
Já vendi meu carnê
I have sold my payment books
Já vendi sem querer
I have accidentally sold
Meu terreno na roça
My rural land
E foi tanto do imposto
And I paid so much tax
Que me foi imposto
That was imposed on me
Mas não sou encosto pra negô deitar
But I am not a burden for others to rely on
Birimbolô, e tá ruim de clarear
It's tough and not getting any better
Vou rezar pra São Jorge,
I will pray to Saint George
Meu santo guerreiro
My saintly warrior
São Sebastião, que é do Rio de Janeiro
Saint Sebastian, who is from Rio de Janeiro
Pedir proteção, saúde e dinheiro
To ask for protection, health, and money
Pra me segurar
To keep me going
Pra Santa Luzia, Santa Margarida
To Saint Lucy, Saint Margaret
E Nossa Senhora Aparecida
And Our Lady of Aparecida
E fazer promessa
And make a vow
Pra ver essa vida da gente mudar
To see our lives change
Vou pedir pra Anastácia
I will ask Anastácia
"Padim Padre Ciço"
"Padre Ciço's esteemed nickname"
Que os "zome"
That the wise ones
Se lembrem do seu comprmisso
Remember their commitment
Que parem com isso
That they stop this
De não chegar junto
Of not coming together
E nem se tocar
And not realizing
Apelar pra São Pedro, Antonio e João
Pleading with Saint Peter, Saint Anthony and Saint John
Também pra São Luíz do Maranhão
And also to Saint Louis of Maranhão
Pedindo esperança, arroz e feijão
Asking for hope, rice and beans
Pro povão aguentar
For the people to endure
Pois é
That's right
Eu vou rezar
I will pray
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ARLINDO DOMINGOS DA CRUZ FILHO, JOSE FRANCO LATTARI, ACYR MARQUES DA CRUZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind