Passarim
Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics
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Porque o tiro feriu mas não matou
Passarinho me conta então me diz
Porque que eu também não fui feliz
Me diz o que eu faço da paixão
Que me devora o coração
Que me devora o coração
Que me maltrata o coração
E o mato que é bom, o fogo queimou
Cadê o fogo, a água apagou
E cadê a água, o boi bebeu
Cadê o amor, o gato comeu
E a cinza se espalhou
E a chuva carregou
Cadê meu amor que o vento levou
(Passarim quis pousar, não deu, voou)
Passarim quis pousar, não deu, voou
Porque o tiro feriu mas não matou
Passarinho me conta então me diz
Por que que eu também não fui feliz
Cadê meu amor minha canção
Que me alegrava o coração
Que me alegrava o coração
Que iluminava o coração
Que iluminava a escuridão
Cadê meu caminho a água levou
Cadê meu rastro, a chuva apagou
E a minha casa, o rio carregou
E o meu amor me abandonou
Voou, voou, voou
Voou, voou, voou
E passou o tempo e o vento levou
Passarim quis pousar, não deu, voou
Porque o tiro feriu mas não matou
Passarinho me conta então, me diz
Por que que eu também não fui feliz
Cadê meu amor minha canção
Que me alegrava o coração
Que me alegrava o coração
Que iluminava o coração
Que iluminava a escuridão
E a luz da manhã, o dia queimou
Cadê o dia, envelheceu
E a tarde caiu e o sol morreu
E de repente escureceu
E a lua então brilhou
Depois sumiu no breu
E ficou tão frio que amanheceu
(Passarim quis pousar, não deu, voou)
Passarim quis pousar não deu
Voou, voou, voou, voou, voou
The song "Passarim" by Antônio Carlos Jobim tells the story of a bird who tried to land but was shot, wounded but not killed, and flew away. The bird's flight triggers introspection in the singer, who questions why he too has not found happiness. He wonders what to do with the passion that devours his heart, as he reflects on the impermanence of love and the transience of life.
The song uses natural imagery to illustrate the fleeting nature of love and life. The fire that once burned in the grass has been put out by water, the water the cows drink has disappeared, and the love that once existed is gone, devoured by the cat or carried away by the wind. Similarly, the traces of the singer's path have been erased by rain, his house carried away by the river, and his love lost in flight like the bird.
The closing stanza of the song is perhaps the most poignant, as it conveys a sense of hopelessness and resignation in the face of a cold, dark, and indifferent world. The sun has died, the moon has disappeared, and a deep chill has set in. The song ends with the refrain "voou, voou, voou" (flew, flew, flew), which echoes the bird's flight and suggests a sense of finality, as if to say that love, like the bird, has flown away and cannot be brought back.
Line by Line Meaning
Passarim quis pousar, não deu, voou
A bird wanted to rest, but left instead
Porque o tiro feriu mas não matou
It left because it was hurt but not fatally
Passarinho me conta então me diz
The singer asks the bird to tell them
Porque que eu também não fui feliz
Why the artist was also unhappy
Me diz o que eu faço da paixão
The artist asks what they should do with their passion
Que me devora o coração
That is consuming their heart
Que me maltrata o coração
And is hurting their heart
E o mato que é bom, o fogo queimou
The good things like the forest were destroyed by fire
Cadê o fogo, a água apagou
And the fire was put out by water
E cadê a água, o boi bebeu
Then the water was consumed by the animals
Cadê o amor, o gato comeu
Just like the love that disappeared without a trace
E a cinza se espalhou
And the ash was scattered all around
E a chuva carregou
And the rain washed it away
Cadê meu amor que o vento levou
The singer wonders where their love went
Cadê meu amor minha canção
The singer asks where their love and happiness went
Que me alegrava o coração
That used to bring joy to their heart
Que iluminava o coração
That used to illuminate their life
Que iluminava a escuridão
That used to light up the darkness
Cadê meu caminho a água levou
The singer's path was washed away by water
Cadê meu rastro, a chuva apagou
Their marks and signs were erased by the rain
E a minha casa, o rio carregou
Even their home was carried away by the river
E o meu amor me abandonou
And their love left them behind
Voou, voou, voou
It flew away
E passou o tempo e o vento levou
Time passed and the wind took everything away
E a luz da manhã, o dia queimou
The morning light was consumed by the sun
Cadê o dia, envelheceu
The day passed and aged quickly
E a tarde caiu e o sol morreu
The evening came and the sun set
E de repente escureceu
And suddenly it got dark
E a lua então brilhou
And then the moon shone
Depois sumiu no breu
But then it disappeared into the darkness
E ficou tão frio que amanheceu
And it became so cold that morning came
Passarim quis pousar não deu
The bird wanted to rest, but couldn't
Voou, voou, voou, voou, voou
So it flew away, far away
Contributed by Christopher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Richard Norris
on Samba Do Soho
It's "Diadem" which is a fancy headband. Also, I believe this song was written by Jobim's son, Paolo.