Tanha
Cesária Évora Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Esse odjos de uva maduro
Dôs strela de ceu na bô rosto
Tanha de meu, nha Deusa, nha sonho
Dixam dormi um sono de amor

Nh'amor pa bô ô Tanha
Nem qui ondas de mar
Bêja areia
Bêja praia

Nh'amor pa bô ô Tanha
E amor de mas
Cretcheu de mar pa areia

De cada vez que m'lembra na bô
De céu caiba um strela




De tanto pensa na bô, ô Tanha
Céu ja ca tinha mas strela

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Cesária Évora's song Tanha references the physical appearance of the person she is singing to. She describes their eyes as being like ripe grapes and having stars from the sky on their face. These physical details are important to her as she sings this song to express her love and admiration for this person. She refers to them as "Tanha de meu," which translates to "my desire," and "nha Deusa, nha sonho," meaning "my goddess, my dream." She wants to be able to sleep a peaceful love-filled sleep because of this person.


The chorus of the song expands on Évora's love for this person. She compares her love to the waves of the sea, kissing the sand and the beach. She expresses that her love for them is so strong that it is like the love of the sea for the sand. She sings that just thinking of this person makes the sky have one less star, as if her thoughts of them have taken a piece of the sky away.


Line by Line Meaning

Esse odjos de uva maduro
Your eyes are like ripe grapes


Dôs strela de ceu na bô rosto
Two stars from the sky on your face


Tanha de meu, nha Deusa, nha sonho
You are my loneliness, my goddess, my dream


Dixam dormi um sono de amor
You let me sleep a love-filled sleep


Nh'amor pa bô ô Tanha
My love for you, oh Tanha


Nem qui ondas de mar
Is as strong as the waves of the sea


Bêja areia
Kissing the sand


Bêja praia
Kissing the beach


E amor de mas
And it's too much love


Cretcheu de mar pa areia
Love that goes from the sea to the sand


De cada vez que m'lembra na bô
Every time I remember you


De céu caiba um strela
A star falls from the sky


De tanto pensa na bô, ô Tanha
From thinking too much about you, oh Tanha


Céu ja ca tinha mais strela
The sky doesn't have any more stars




Contributed by Camilla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Sergei Zuev

Прекрасная музыка.....

Regina Kato

Yes, any song sung by Cesaria becomes a beautiful song! She’s a unique singer! ❤

Lima Deolinda

Très jolie chanson 👏

Regina Kato

comme elle meme❤belle Cesaria ❤