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.
Lendas e mistérios da Amazônia
Chico Buarque Lyrics
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A Portela faz seu carnaval
Lenda e mistérios da Amazônia
Cantamos nesse samba original
Dizem que os astros se amaram
E não puderam se casar
A lua apaixonada chorou tanto
A lua apaixonada chorou tanto
Que do seu pranto nasceu o rio e o mar
E dizem mais
Jaçanã bela como uma flor
Certa manhã viu ser proibido seu amor
Pois um valente guerreiro por ela se apaixonou
Foi sacrificada pela ira do Pajé
E na vitória Régia
Ela se transformou
Quando chegava a primavera
A estação das flores
Havia uma festa de amores
Era tradição das Amazonas
Mulheres guerreiras
Aquele ambiente de alegria
Só terminava ao raiar do dia
Os quindo lá lá
Os quindo lê lê
Olha só quem vem lá
É o Saci Pererê
Os quindo lá lá
Os quindo lê lê
Olha só quem vem lá
É o Saci Pererê
Os quindo lá lá
Os quindo lê lê
The lyrics of "Lendas e Mistérios da Amazônia" by Chico Buarque tell a story about the legends and mysteries of the Amazon rainforest. The song starts by describing a colorful avenue where the famous Portela samba school celebrates its Carnival. In this samba original, they sing about the legends and mysteries of the Amazon.
One of the legends tells the story of the stars, who were in love but forbidden to marry. The moon, deeply in love, cried so much that her tears gave birth to the rivers and the sea. This signifies the power and influence of love, even in the celestial realms.
Another legend is about Jaçanã, a beautiful woman who witnessed her love being forbidden. She fell in love with a brave warrior, but was sacrificed due to the anger of the Pajé (shaman). However, she was transformed into a vitória-régia (water lily), representing the eternal beauty and resilience of love.
The song also celebrates the arrival of spring, the season of flowers and love. During this time, the Amazonian women warriors would celebrate with a festival of love that would last until dawn. The lyrics mention the festive sounds of "quindo lá lá" and "quindo lê lê," symbolizing the joyful atmosphere of this celebration.
Finally, the lyrics briefly mention the arrival of the mischievous character Saci Pererê. The Saci is a folklore character in Brazilian culture, known for his tricks and pranks. His appearance in the song adds an element of playfulness and humor to the storyline.
Overall, "Lendas e Mistérios da Amazônia" showcases Chico Buarque's ability to weave together various legends and mythological elements into a vibrant and enchanting samba, paying tribute to the rich cultural heritage of the Amazon region.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Francisco Buarque
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind