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.
Samba e amor
Chico Buarque Lyrics
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E tenho muito sono de manhã
Escuto a correria da cidade, que arde
E apressa o dia de amanhã
De madrugada a gente ainda se ama
E a fábrica começa a buzinar
O trânsito contorna a nossa cama, reclama
No colo da bem-vinda companheira
No corpo do bendito violão
Eu faço samba e amor a noite inteira
Não tenho a quem prestar satisfação
Eu faço samba e amor até mais tarde
E tenho muito mais o que fazer
Escuto a correria da cidade, que alarde
Será que é tão difícil amanhecer?
Não sei se preguiçoso ou se covarde
Debaixo do meu cobertor de lã
Eu faço samba e amor até mais tarde
E tenho muito sono de manhã
Chico Buarque's song "Samba e amor" is a playful and sensual ode to the night life in Rio de Janeiro. The lyrics describe the singer's love for both samba and his partner, with whom he spends the night making love and playing music on the guitar. Despite being surrounded by the sounds of the city and faced with the responsibilities of the day to come, the singer is content with living in the moment, free from the constraints of society's expectations. The song paints a picture of a carefree and bohemian lifestyle, where love and music are the only things that matter.
The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song, with the singer declaring his love for samba and his penchant for making love into the night. The second verse highlights the contrast between the singer's lifestyle and the rest of the city, which is already buzzing with activity as the factory starts up and the streets fill with traffic. The third verse describes the singer's contentment with his partner and his guitar, as they create music and love together. The final verse touches on the singer's ambivalence about leaving his comfortable and carefree existence, as he struggles with the idea of facing the day ahead.
Overall, "Samba e amor" is a romantic and carefree song that celebrates the joys of music, love, and living in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu faço samba e amor até mais tarde
I indulge in the pleasures of samba and love till late at night
E tenho muito sono de manhã
But I feel very sleepy during the day
Escuto a correria da cidade, que arde
I hear the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps
E apressa o dia de amanhã
And it makes the next day come too soon
De madrugada a gente ainda se ama
We still make love in the early hours of the morning
E a fábrica começa a buzinar
While the factories start their noisy operations
O trânsito contorna a nossa cama, reclama
And the traffic noise surrounds our bed, complaining
Do nosso eterno espreguiçar
About our endless stretching and lounging
No colo da bem-vinda companheira
I find solace in the embrace of my beloved partner
No corpo do bendito violão
And the sweet tunes of my cherished guitar
Eu faço samba e amor a noite inteira
Together, we enjoy the pleasures of samba and love all night long
Não tenho a quem prestar satisfação
I have no one to explain or justify myself to
Eu faço samba e amor até mais tarde
My passion for samba and love lasts till the late hours
E tenho muito mais o que fazer
And there's so much more I want to do
Escuto a correria da cidade, que alarde
I hear the chaos of the always busy city
Será que é tão difícil amanhecer?
I wonder why it's so hard to face the new day
Não sei se preguiçoso ou se covarde
I'm not sure if I'm just lazy or afraid
Debaixo do meu cobertor de lã
As I lay under my warm blanket
Eu faço samba e amor até mais tarde
I indulge in samba and love till late at night
E tenho muito sono de manhã
But I feel very sleepy during the day
Contributed by Lily O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.