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.
Linha De Montagem
Chico Buarque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A cor a coragem
Cora coração
Abecê abecedário
Ópera operário
Pé no pé no chão
Eu não sei bem o que seja
O que será que será que se veja
Vai passar por lá
Pensa pensa pensamento
Tem sustém sustento
Fé café com pão
Com pão com pão companheiro
Pára paradeiro
Mão irmão irmão
Na mão, o ferro e ferragem
O elo, a montagem do motor
E a gente dessa engrenagente
Dessa engrenagente
Dessa engrenagente
Dessa engrenagente sai maior
As cabeças levantadas
Máquinas paradas
Dia de pescar
Pois quem toca o trem pra frente
Também de repente
Pode o trem parar
Eu não sei bem o que seja
Mas sei que seja o que será
O que será que será que se veja
Vai passar por lá
Gente que conhece e prensa
A brasa da fornalha
O guincho do esmeril
Gente que carrega a tralha
Ai, essa tralha imensa
Chamada Brasil
Samba samba são Bernardo
Sanca são Caetano
Santa santo André
Dia a dia diadema
Quando for, me chame
Pra tomar um mé
The lyrics to Chico Buarque's "Linha de montagem" paint a picture of a production line in a factory, highlighting the monotonous and repetitive nature of the work, as well as the camaraderie and shared struggles of the workers. The opening lines ("Linha linha de montagem/A cor a coragem/Cora coração") play with the sounds of words and their associations, referencing the assembly line and the courage required to work in such an environment. The repeated refrain of "eu não sei bem o que seja/mas sei que seja o que será" ("I don't know exactly what it is/but I know that it will be") reinforces the uncertainty and ambiguity of the workers' situation - they may not know exactly what they are building or what the future holds, but they have faith that things will work out in the end.
The verses also allude to the economic and political struggles facing Brazil at the time, with references to "o elo, a montagem do motor" ("the link, the assembly of the engine") and "essa tralha imensa/Chamada Brasil" ("this immense junk/called Brazil"). However, the song ultimately celebrates the resilience and strength of the workers, who continue to push forward even in the face of adversity. The final lines ("Quando for, me chame/Pra tomar um mé") reflect this sense of solidarity and brotherhood - even though the workers may never fully escape the factory or the system that binds them, they can still find moments of joy and connection with each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Linha linha de montagem
Assembly line, where products are manufactured in mass-production
A cor a coragem
Color and courage, two things that stand out in the work environment
Cora coração
The heart is affected by the work environment and conditions
Abecê abecedário
The alphabet, representing knowledge required for the job
Ópera operário
The workers and their daily tasks are like a grand opera, with many parts and intricacies
Pé no pé no chão
Staying grounded in reality and practicality
Eu não sei bem o que seja
Not sure what the future holds
Mas sei que seja o que será
Confident that things will happen as they are meant to
O que será que será que se veja
What will happen, will happen
Vai passar por lá
We will go through it
Pensa pensa pensamento
Thinking and analyzing are important in the work environment
Tem sustém sustento
Sustenance is necessary for survival
Fé café com pão
Having faith and fortitude to get through the day
Com pão com pão companheiro
Sharing and companionship among coworkers
Pára paradeiro
Stopping point or destination
Mão irmão irmão
Brotherhood and solidarity among colleagues
Na mão, o ferro e ferragem
Workers handle heavy materials and tools
O elo, a montagem do motor
The assembly and connection of different components to build a motor
E a gente dessa engrenagente
The people working in this assembly line
Dessa engrenagente
In this assembly line
Dessa engrenagente
In this assembly line
Dessa engrenagente sai maior
From this assembly line, greater things are produced
As cabeças levantadas
Workers feeling empowered and standing tall
Máquinas paradas
The assembly line stops when the machines stop working
Dia de pescar
A day off work, to go fishing and relax
Pois quem toca o trem pra frente
Those who move the train forward
Também de repente
Suddenly, unexpectedly
Pode o trem parar
But the train can also come to a stop
Gente que conhece e prensa
Skilled workers who understand the machine and its components
A brasa da fornalha
The heat from the furnace
O guincho do esmeril
The sound of the grinder
Gente que carrega a tralha
Workers who carry the heavy load and equipment
Ai, essa tralha imensa
The immense load of equipment and materials
Chamada Brasil
All of this is part of the fabric of Brazil and its economy
Samba samba são Bernardo
A mention of different Brazilian cities
Sanca são Caetano
A mention of different Brazilian cities
Santa santo André
A mention of different Brazilian cities
Dia a dia diadema
A mention of different Brazilian cities
Quando for, me chame
When the time comes, call me
Pra tomar um mé
To have a drink together and celebrate the hard work
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Djair Silva, Francisco Buarque
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind