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
ALegre Menina
Djavan Lyrics
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Palácio real lhe dei, um trono de pedraria
Sapato bordado a ouro, esmeraldas e rubis
Ametista para os dedos, vestidos de diamantes
Escravas para serví-la, um lugar no meu dossel
E a chamei de rainha, e a chamei de rainha
O que fizeste sultão de minha alegre menina
Só desejava um espelho de vidro prá se mirar
Só desejava do sol calor para bem viver
Só desejava o luar de prata prá repousar
Só desejava o amor dos homens prá bem amar
Só desejava o amor dos homens prá bem amar
No baile real levei a tu alegre menina
Vestida de realeza, com princesas conversou
Com doutores praticou, dançou a dança faceira
Bebeu o vinho mais caro, mordeu fruta estrangeira
Entrou nos braços do rei, rainha mas verdadeira
The lyrics of "Alegre Menina" by Djavan depict the story of a sultan who tries to make his cheerful and happy young lady into a queen. He gives her a royal palace, a throne embroidered with precious stones, shoes with gold embroidery, amethysts for her fingers, diamond dresses, slaves to serve her, and a place in his canopy. He calls her his queen, but she only wishes to be in the countryside, enjoy simple pleasures such as picking flowers, have a glass mirror to see herself, and rest under the silver moon. She desires the warmth of the sun, the love of men, and to love them in return. At the royal ball, she is dressed in royalty and converses with princesses, learned men, and dances with grace. She drinks the most expensive wine and eats exotic fruits, but at the end of the night, she finds herself in the arms of the true king, even though she is the queen.
The message in the song is that true happiness comes from simplicity and natural pleasures rather than material possessions and social status. The girl in the song is content and happy being in nature and being loved by the people than being a queen in a palace where she is lonely and unfulfilled. The song critiques the societal norms and expectations placed in people to attain success, power, and social status, which may not necessarily translate into happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
O que fizeste sultão de minha alegre menina
What have you done, sultan, to my cheerful girl
Palácio real lhe dei, um trono de pedraria
I gave her a royal palace, a throne made of precious stones
Sapato bordado a ouro, esmeraldas e rubis
Embroidered shoes made of gold, emeralds, and rubies
Ametista para os dedos, vestidos de diamantes
Amethysts for her fingers, dresses made of diamonds
Escravas para serví-la, um lugar no meu dossel
Slaves to serve her, a place in my canopy bed
E a chamei de rainha, e a chamei de rainha
And I called her queen, and I called her queen
Só desejava campina, colher as flores do mato
All she desired was the countryside, to pick flowers from the bushes
Só desejava um espelho de vidro prá se mirar
All she desired was a glass mirror to see herself
Só desejava do sol calor para bem viver
All she desired was the warmth of the sun to live well
Só desejava o luar de prata prá repousar
All she desired was the silver moon to rest
Só desejava o amor dos homens prá bem amar
All she desired was to love men well
No baile real levei a tu alegre menina
I took your cheerful girl to the royal ball
Vestida de realeza, com princesas conversou
Dressed in royalty, she conversed with princesses
Com doutores praticou, dançou a dança faceira
She practiced with doctors, danced the lively dance
Bebeu o vinho mais caro, mordeu fruta estrangeira
She drank the most expensive wine, bit into exotic fruits
Entrou nos braços do rei, rainha mas verdadeira
She entered the arms of the king, a true queen
Writer(s): Jorge Amado, Dorival Tostes Caymmi
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.