Cravo e Canela
Bonnie "Prince" Billy/Tortoise Lyrics


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Ê morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo.
Ê cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela.
A lua morena
A dança do vento
O ventre da noite
E o sol da manhã
A chuva cigana
A dança dos rios
O mel do cacau
E o sol da manhã
The luna morena
The sound of the woods
The taste of the clove
Cinnamon stone
The rainy cigana
The dance of the rivers
The taste of the clove




Cinnamon stone
Fernando de Paula Junior

Overall Meaning

In the lyrics of the song "Cravo é Canela", Bonnie "Prince" Billy/Tortoise capture the essence of a sensual and exotic experience that is brought about by the taste, smell, and sight of certain elements. The lyrics start with the question "Ê morena quem temperou? Cigana quem temperou?", which means "Who seasoned (or spiced) the brown one? Who seasoned (or spiced) the gypsy woman?" The answer to this question comes in the following lines, "O cheiro do cravo. Ê cigana quem temperou? Morena quem temperou? A cor de canela", which means "The smell of clove. It was the gypsy woman who seasoned. It was the brown one who seasoned. The color of cinnamon."


As the song progresses, it paints a mysterious and enchanting picture of a place where the moon is brown, the wind dances, the night is fertile, and the morning sun shines bright. The imagery of the "chuva cigana" (rainy cigana) and the "dança dos rios" (dance of the rivers) add to the mystical aura of the lyrics. The repetition of "clove" and "cinnamon stone" reflects the intoxicating effect that these spices have on the senses.


Overall, "Cravo é Canela" is a poetic celebration of sensory experiences that stir the imagination and evoke a sense of wonder about the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Ê morena quem temperou?
Oh, dark-skinned one, who infused?


Cigana quem temperou?
Gypsy, who infused?


O cheiro do cravo.
The scent of clove.


Ê cigana quem temperou?
Oh, Gypsy, who infused?


Morena quem temperou?
Dark-skinned one, who infused?


A cor de canela.
The color of cinnamon.


A lua morena
The dark-skinned moon


A dança do vento
The dance of the wind


O ventre da noite
The belly of the night


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


A chuva cigana
The Gypsy rain


A dança dos rios
The dance of the rivers


O mel do cacau
The honey of the cocoa


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


The luna morena
The dark-skinned moon


The sound of the woods
The sound of the forest


The taste of the clove
The flavor of the clove


Cinnamon stone
Stone of cinnamon


The rainy cigana
The rainy Gypsy


The dance of the rivers
The dance of the rivers


The taste of the clove
The flavor of the clove


Cinnamon stone
Stone of cinnamon




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RONALDO BASTOS, MILTON NASCIMENTO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@sambobscura

GREETINGS FROM BRAZIL! all my respect.
Milton, the greatest <3

@markdarnell614

Wow! Bonnie Prince Billy covering one of my favorite Milton Nascimento songs! RESPECT! Brazilian Portuguese is NOT that easy! Love this arrangement - Steve Reich meets Eumir Deadato!

@romulodornelas3206

You totaly right, Brazilian portuguese is HARD. I'm brazilian and also from Minas Gerais, BH, city of "Clube da Esquina". Very pround!

@dougstephens1979

I love this album