The firstborn son of Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived at several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome. He wrote and studied literature as a child and found music through the bossa nova compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He performed as a singer and guitarist in the 1960s as well as writing a play that was deemed dangerous by the Brazilian military dictatorship of the time. Buarque, along with several Tropicalist and MPB musicians, was threatened by the Brazilian military government and eventually left Brazil for Italy in 1969. However, he came back to Brazil in 1970, and continued to record, perform, and write, though much of his material was suppressed by government censors. He released several more albums in the 1980s and published three novels in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2019, Buarque was awarded the Camões Prize, the most important prize for literature in the Portuguese language.
Chão De Esmeraldas
Chico Buarque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Um chão de esmeraldas
Quando levo meu coração
À Mangueira
Sob uma chuva de rosas
Meu sangue jorra das veias
E tinge um tapete
Pra ela sambar
Que quer se mostrar
Soberba, garbosa
Minha escola é um catavento a girar
É verde, é rosa
Oh, abre alas pra Mangueira passar
The lyrics to Chico Buarque's song "Chão De Esmeraldas" express a deep appreciation for the samba school Mangueira, and the feeling of pride and joy that comes with being a part of it. The opening line, "Me sinto pisando um chão de esmeraldas" (I feel like I'm walking on a floor of emeralds), conveys a sense of elevated importance, as if being in the presence of the school and its members is a truly special experience. The rain of roses represents the admiration and respect that others give to the school, while the singer's own blood, spilled in excitement and passion, creates a carpet on which the school can proudly dance.
Throughout the song, the lyrics describe the school in terms of its majesty and grandeur, using phrases like "sobraba, garbosa" (proud and majestic) to describe its aura. The chorus, "Oh, abre alas pra Mangueira passar" (Oh, make way for Mangueira to pass), expresses a desire for the school to be given its rightful place of respect and attention, both on the street and in wider society. All of these elements come together to create a sense of deep love and admiration for the samba school, and a belief in its ability to bring joy and positivity to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Me sinto pisando
I feel like I'm stepping
Um chão de esmeraldas
on a floor of emeralds
Quando levo meu coração
When I take my heart
À Mangueira
to Mangueira
Sob uma chuva de rosas
under a shower of roses
Meu sangue jorra das veias
my blood rushes from my veins
E tinge um tapete
and stains a carpet
Pra ela sambar
for her to samba
É a realeza dos bambas
It's the royalty of the samba stars
Que quer se mostrar
who want to show off
Soberba, garbosa
Proud, majestic
Minha escola é um catavento a girar
My school is a pinwheel spinning
É verde, é rosa
It's green, it's pink
Oh, abre alas pra Mangueira passar
Oh, make way for Mangueira to pass by
Contributed by Abigail S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Poeta das Calçadas
Me sinto pisando
Um chão de esmeraldas
Quando levo meu coração
À Mangueira
Sob uma chuva de rosas
Meu sangue jorra das veias
E tinge um tapete
Pra ela sambar
É a realeza dos bambas
Que quer se mostrar
Soberba, garbosa
Minha escola é um catavento a girar
É verde, é rosa
Oh, abre alas pra Mangueira passar
Poeta das Calçadas
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Elton Vieira
Mangueira 💚💓