He was one of the samba composers and founders of the Estação Primeira de Mangueira, and has credit for both the name of the school and its colors: green and pink. Cartola composed, alone and alongside others, more than 500 songs.
"Cartola did not exist. He was a dream we had."
(Nelson Sargento)
Ordenes E Farei
Cartola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Minha flor
Teu olhar reluz
Inspira amor, seduz
Quando te vejo
Sinto em mim um calor (oô...)
Só por ti
Sofrerei
À morte serei
Meu amor
Os teus olhos tão lindos da cor do luar
Os teus olhos que fazem meus olhos chorar
Escravizado para sempre serei
Estarei a teu lado
O que precisares
Ordenes, farei
In Cartola's song "Ordenes E Farei," the singer expresses his love and devotion to his significant other. He addresses her affectionately as "my love, my flower" and acknowledges the captivating power of her gaze, which inspires love and seduction in him. He goes on to declare that just by looking at her, he feels a warmth inside him, and he is willing to suffer any consequence, even death if necessary, just for her. He speaks of being enslaved forever and being at her service ready to do whatever she needs him to do. The song's melody is somber and melancholic, which adds to the sense of emotional intensity that the lyrics communicate.
The song is a classic example of a romantic ballad, and it is often played at weddings and other celebrations in Brazil. However, the song has deeper roots than just being a love song. Cartola, the composer and singer, is a significant figure in Brazilian music and was part of the samba movement in the 1930s. Cartola was born into poverty and had a difficult childhood, but he found solace in music, specifically in samba, which was a genre that represented the black working-class culture of Rio de Janeiro. In his songs, Cartola often spoke about the struggles and joys of the everyday people of Rio, and his music became a symbol of resistance against social and economic inequality.
Line by Line Meaning
Meu amor
My love
Minha flor
My flower
Teu olhar reluz
Your gaze shines
Inspira amor, seduz
Inspires love, seduces
Quando te vejo
When I see you
Sinto em mim um calor (oô...)
I feel a warmth within me (ooh...)
Só por ti
Only for you
Sofrerei
I will suffer
Até condenado
Even if condemned
À morte serei
To death I will go
Os teus olhos tão lindos da cor do luar
Your eyes so beautiful, the color of the moon
Os teus olhos que fazem meus olhos chorar
Your eyes that make my eyes cry
Escravizado para sempre serei
Enslaved forever I will be
Estarei a teu lado
I will be by your side
O que precisares
Whatever you need
Ordenes, farei
Order me, I will do
Contributed by Isabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cayo Naddeo
quando entra a velha guarda cantando é mesmo de arrepiar!!!
Renato de Resende
que maravilha!!! há tanta poesia neste grande mestre Cartola!! suas composições fluem, são leves e maravilhosamente melódicas, que bem fazem aos ouvidos!!! salve grande poeta e compositor!