Born into a poor family in Maceió (capital of Alagoas, Northeast Brazil), Djavan formed the group Luz, Som, Dimensão (LSD - "Light, Sound, Dimension"), playing Beatles covers. In 1973 Djavan moved to Rio de Janeiro and started singing in local nightclubs. After competing in several festivals he gained attention and recorded the album A Voz, o Violão e a Arte de Djavan in 1976. The album included the song "Flor de Lis" which became one of his most memorable hits. Albums that followed included his other musical influence, African music, and additional hits followed like "Açaí", "Sina" and "Samurai", which featured Stevie Wonder's harmonica. His best known compositions are: "Meu Bem Querer", "Oceano", "Faltando um Pedaço", "Esquinas", "Seduzir", "Pétala", "Lilás", "A Ilha", "Fato Consumado", "Álibi", "Azul" and "Serrado".
His songs have been recorded by Al Jarreau, Carmen McRae, The Manhattan Transfer, and, in Brazil by Gal Costa, Dori Caymmi, Nana Caymmi, Lenine, João Bosco, Chico Buarque, Daniela Mercury, Ney Matogrosso, Dominguinhos, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Johnny Alf, and other artists. The 1988 Epic Records single, "Stephen's Kingdom", featured a guest appearance from Stevie Wonder.
In 1999, his live concert double-volume album, Ao Vivo, has sold 1.2 million copies and the song, "Acelerou" became the Best Brazilian song of the year at 2000 Latin Grammy Awards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djavan
É Hora
Djavan Lyrics
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Na hora de receber
É hora de se comer
O pão que o diabo amassou
É hora de trabalhar
Na hora de receber
É hora de se comer
Me conta como foi o dia
Me conta o que restou
Pro dia de amanhã
Não é necessário dizer
Periga
Você chorar e eu sorrir
E o povo inteiro a perguntar
Porque o rio deságua no mar
The lyrics of Djavan's song É Hora describe the challenges and struggles of daily life, featuring a focus on the need to work hard and receive rewards for one's efforts. The opening lines repeat the phrase "it's time to work" twice, followed by a mention of the need to receive payment for one's labors, and then transitioning to a reference to the difficulty of making ends meet with the phrase "it's time to eat the devil's bread," implying the idea of poverty and hardship. The repetition of this verse highlights the cyclical nature of work, payment, and consumption, while also emphasizing the challenges of life.
The following verse changes focus to personal relationships, with the line "tell me how the day went" and then referring to what remains for the next day. This line suggests a longing to connect with others and share experiences, while also acknowledging that tomorrow is another day with its own struggles and challenges. The final lines are somewhat ambiguous but seem to suggest a potential for conflict or tension between people, with the idea of someone crying while another laughs and the potential for questions and a lack of understanding ("the whole people asking why the river flows into the sea").
Overall, the lyrics of É hora offer a realistic and somewhat bleak perspective on life, depicting both the mundanity and struggles of daily existence, as well as the potential for interpersonal conflict and misunderstandings.
Line by Line Meaning
É hora de trabalhar
It's time to work and put in the effort
Na hora de receber
When it's time to earn the reward
É hora de se comer
It's time to eat and enjoy the fruits of labor
O pão que o diabo amassou
The bread that was made under difficult circumstances
Me conta como foi o dia
Tell me about your day and experiences
Me conta o que restou
Tell me what's left after the day's challenges
Pro dia de amanhã
For tomorrow's day to come
Não é necessário dizer
There's no need to explain further
Periga
It's possible
Você chorar e eu sorrir
You cry and I smile
E o povo inteiro a perguntar
And everyone is asking
Porque o rio deságua no mar
Why the river flows into the sea
Contributed by Julia L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.