Born on the 27th August 1941 in the port town of Mindelo, Cape Verde, on the island of São Vicente. Long known as the queen of the morna, a soulful genre (related to the Portuguese fado) sung in Creole-Portuguese, she mixed her sentimental folk tunes filled with longing and sadness with the acoustic sounds of guitar, cavaquinho, violin, accordion, and clarinet. Évora's Cape Verdean blues often spoke of the country's history of isolation and slave trade, as well as emigration; almost two-thirds of the million Cape Verdeans alive live abroad.
Évora's voice, a finely-tuned, melancholy instrument with a touch of hoarseness, highlighted her emotional phrasing by accenting a word or phrase. Even audiences who do not understand her language could be held spell-bound by the emotions evident in her performances.
In 2004 she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album.
A heavy smoker for decades, Évora was diagnosed with heart problems in 2005. She suffered strokes in 2008 and in September 2011, when she announced she was retiring. She died at the age of seventy in São Vicente, Cape Verde on the 17th December 2011 from respiratory failure and hypertension. A Spanish newspaper reported that forty-eight hours before her death she was still receiving people in her home in Mindelo, popular for always having its doors open.
Bia lulucha
Cesária Évora Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Corda bô t'olha
Bô cretcheu ta bai
Ta bai, ta bai, ta bai Fogo e Brava
M'ta passa pa Mindelo
M'ta fica pa tchora
Ó menina bô é nha consolança
Bô é nha perdição
The lyrics of Cesária Évora's song Bia Lulucha are emotionally charged and speak about a young girl named Bia Lulucha. The opening line, "Menina Bia Lulucha, corda bô t'olha" translates to "Girl Bia Lulucha, your cord looks good." Cord in this instance is referring to the necklace Bia is wearing. The next line "Bô cretcheu ta bai" translates to "Your sweetheart is leaving" and sets up the melancholic tone for the rest of the song.
As the song continues, Cesária sings about how she is going to pass through Mindelo, a city in Cape Verde, and stay there to cry. She tells Bia that she is her consolation and her downfall, which could mean that Bia is the one thing keeping her going, but also the one thing that causes her pain. The last line of the song, "Bô é nha cosinha fofa" means "You are my sweet little thing," and could be interpreted as a term of endearment or a bittersweet goodbye.
Overall, the song is about the pain of separation and the deep emotional connection between two people. It's unclear whether Cesária is singing to Bia as a lover or a friend, but the raw emotion in her voice leaves a lasting impact on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Menina Bia Lulucha
Young girl Bia Lulucha
Corda bô t'olha
Your eyes are looking at me
Bô cretcheu ta bai
Your sweetheart has left
Ta bai, ta bai, ta bai Fogo e Brava
He's gone, he's gone, he's gone to Fogo and Brava
M'ta passa pa Mindelo
I'm going to Mindelo
M'ta fica pa tchora
I'm staying here to cry
Ó menina bô é nha consolança
Oh girl, you are my comfort
Bô é nha perdição
You are my damnation
Bo é nha cosinha fofa
You are my sweet treasure
Contributed by Taylor P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@taino20
lyrics:
Menina Bia Lulucha
Corda bô t'olha
Bô cretcheu ta bai
Ta bai, ta bai, ta bai Fogo e Brava
M'ta passa pa Mindelo
M'ta fica pa tchora
Ó menina bô é nha consolança
Bô é nha perdição
Bo é nha cosinha fofa
@mariamadrame9505
Cesaria la très grande dame aux pieds nue ❤❤❤
Puisse tu être auprès des méritants ! A jamais dans nos cœurs !
@kezialuyana_4132
Anos 80 , horizonte 2000 , paralelo , dancei até não poder mais . Que saudades .
@sylvozartistik7935
I can't hear a word of what she is saying but i love it.Listening from South AFRICA 2021
@Fantasticbeasts992
Happy that I have this beauty on vinyl 🙌🏾🕺🏽
@joaovieira9645
Amo muito essa coladeira ♥️😍🇨🇻🇨🇻
@fredericodasilva1632
This song is beautiful. Music is not made like this anymore. I heard back in the in 90's and it's still an amazing jam in 2020.
@myandyou01
It's true! All the time!
@nandatati
Granda keta!!! 💯 #Respect Rainha dos pés descalços 💐
@ndiayemarcellin8627
Que de souvenirs en écoutant cette chanson. Une grande voix .quel bonheur de l'entendre à nouveau
@Iliana___2532
Ça me déchire le cœur 😪