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.
Uma Palavra
Chico Buarque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uma palavra só, a crua palavra
Que quer dizer
Tudo
Anterior ao entendimento, palavra
Palavra viva
Palavra com temperatura, palavra
Muda
Feita de lua mais que de vento, palavra
Palavra dócil
Palavra d'agua pra qualquer moldura
Que se acomoda em baldo, em verso, em mágoa
Qualquer feição de se manter palavra
Palavra minha
Matéria, minha criatura, palavra
Que me conduz
Mudo
E que me escreve desatento, palavra
Talvez à noite
Quase-palavra que um de nós murmura
Que ela mistura as letras que eu invento
Outras pronúncias do prazer, palavra
Palavra boa
Não de fazer literatura, palavra
Mas de habitar
Fundo
O coração do pensamento, palavra
The lyrics to Chico Buarque's song Uma Palavra are a contemplation on the power of language and the essence of words. The first verse speaks of the primary word, the raw word which means everything, even before understanding. This highlights the idea that words have a fundamental significance that can transcend their literal meaning.
The next stanza describes the living word, a word with temperature and texture, made not just of air but also of the moon's influence. This portrayal of words as something that exists in the tangible world, with the ability to change depending on external factors, is a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of language.
The third stanza speaks of the docile word, a word like water that can adapt to fit any form, whether it be sorrow, verse, or mold. This suggests that words can be versatile and flexible in their meaning, able to fit within any context or mold.
The final stanza is a personal reflection from the singer, who speaks about his own relationship with words. For him, words are his creation, his conduit, and his guide, even when he doesn't always pay attention to them. He ends the song with an acknowledgment of the power of the word to evoke pleasure and to inhabit the depths of the heart.
Overall, the lyrics of Uma Palavra are a beautiful meditation on the power of language and the many ways in which words can have an impact on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Palavra prima
The very first word, the raw word, that says it all, before understanding
Uma palavra só, a crua palavra
Just one word, the raw word
Que quer dizer Tudo
That means everything
Anterior ao entendimento, palavra
Before comprehension, it's just a word
Palavra viva
A living word
Palavra com temperatura, palavra
A word with temperature, a feeling tone
Que se produz Muda
That transforms itself, changes
Feita de lua mais que de vento, palavra
Made of the moon more than the wind, it's a word
Palavra dócil
A docile word
Palavra d'agua pra qualquer moldura
A word for any frame, like water
Que se acomoda em baldo, em verso, em mágoa
That fits in a bucket, in a verse, in sorrow
Qualquer feição de se manter palavra
Any manner of remaining a word
Palavra minha
My own word
Matéria, minha criatura, palavra
My creation, my material, it's a word
Que me conduz Mudo
That leads me silently
E que me escreve desatento, palavra
And that writes me unconsciously
Talvez à noite
Perhaps at night
Quase-palavra que um de nós murmura
Almost a word that one of us murmurs
Que ela mistura as letras que eu invento
That mixes the letters I invent
Outras pronúncias do prazer, palavra
Other expressions of pleasure, it's a word
Palavra boa
A good word
Não de fazer literatura, palavra
Not to make literature
Mas de habitar
But to inhabit
Fundo O coração do pensamento, palavra
Deep in the heart of thought, it's a word
Contributed by Elena T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Neivaldo Duarte
A "caneta" mais nervosa do cancioneiro popular. Creio que levará algum tempo para surgir uma outra como essa. Chico Buarque é demais!!! Junte-se às letras, melodias maravilhosas com arranjos de músicos fantásticos como: Luiz Cláudio Ramos (violão) ; Cristóvão Bastos (piano)... isso desde a formação antiga, com Hugo Fatoruzzo e outros caras. Muito top!!!!
Poeta das Calçadas
Palavra prima
Uma palavra só, a crua palavra
Que quer dizer
Tudo
Anterior ao entendimento, palavra
Palavra viva
Palavra com temperatura, palavra
Que se produz
Muda
Feita de luz mais que de vento, palavra
Palavra dócil
Palavra d'água pra qualquer moldura
Que se acomoda em balde, em verso, em mágoa
Qualquer feição de se manter palavra
Palavra minha
Matéria, minha criatura, palavra
Que me conduz
Mudo
E que me escreve desatento, palavra
Talvez, à noite
Quase-palavra que um de nós murmura
Que ela mistura as letras que eu invento
Outras pronúncias do prazer, palavra
Palavra boa
Não de fazer literatura, palavra
Mas de habitar
Fundo
O coração do pensamento, palavra
Poeta das Calçadas
❤️❤️❤️
Jose Torre
Shiditu