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
Numa Esquina De Hanói
Djavan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quer ver, verás
Irei a ti pra viver
Depois morrer de paz
Ou não...
Quem saberá?
Ficarei sabedor
Ou se salobro nós
Me atiro, cívico
Aos meus amigos
De varar a noite
Trazás nó cego, dirás
E eu rirei, pecador
No que você corará mais
E de cor entregarás
A minha alma viva
E depenada para o satanás
Que enfim, quiçá lhe trai
Indiferente a mim
Que não lhe significa nada mais
Do que um lobo atroz
Perdido numa esquina de Hanói
Perdido numa esquina de Hanói
The lyrics of Djavan's song Numa Esquina De Hanói describe the complexities of love and relationships. The opening lines, "Um é par de dois / Quer ver, verás" can be translated to "One is a pair of two / See, you will see." These lines suggest that love is not always straightforward and may require a closer look to fully understand. The lyricist then presents the idea of living with the person they love but ultimately finding peace in death. The next line, "Ou não... / Quem saberá?" which translates to "Or not... / Who will know?" suggests uncertainty about the outcome of this relationship.
The following lines mention the importance of trust and understanding between the lovers. The singer says they will know if their partner has "tempered in salt" or if they have both become corrupted ("salobro nós"). The lyricist then references their friends ("Aos meus amigos / De varar a noite") and how they stay up all night together, suggesting that these relationships are less complicated and more enjoyable than romantic ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Um é par de dois
One is a pair of two, implying a desire for companionship and love.
Quer ver, verás
See for yourself, an invitation to discover the truth.
Irei a ti pra viver
I will come to you to live, expressing a desire for a meaningful relationship.
Depois morrer de paz
Then die in peace, indicating a desire for a peaceful end to life.
Ou não...
Or not..., acknowledging uncertainty about the future despite one's desires.
Quem saberá?
Who knows?, emphasizing the unpredictability of life.
Ficarei sabedor
I will become aware, suggesting a desire for knowledge.
Se você temperou no sal
If you seasoned with salt, implying a desire for honesty and authenticity in a relationship.
Ou se salobro nós
Or if we are both salty, suggesting a willingness to accept flaws in oneself and others.
Me atiro, cívico
I throw myself, willingly and patriotically dedicating oneself to a cause or person.
Aos meus amigos de varar a noite
To my friends for spending the night together, expressing loyalty and camaraderie among friends.
Trazás nó cego, dirás
You will bring a blind knot, you will say, humorously poking fun at a friend's foolishness.
E eu rirei, pecador
And I will laugh, acknowledging one's own imperfections and mistakes.
No que você corará mais
In which you will blush more, teasing a friend in a lighthearted manner.
E de cor entregarás
And you will deliver it by heart, emphasizing the sincerity of a friend's actions.
A minha alma viva
My living soul, indicating the importance of one's inner being.
E depenada para o satanás
And plucked for Satan, referencing the vulnerability and potential loss of one's inner self.
Que enfim, quiçá lhe trai
Who ultimately, perhaps, will betray you, acknowledging the potential for betrayal in relationships.
Indiferente a mim
Indifferent to me, emphasizing the insignificance of one's self in the eyes of others.
Que não lhe significa nada mais
Which means nothing more to you, highlighting the difference between how one perceives themselves and how others see them.
Do que um lobo atroz
Than a fierce wolf, symbolizing one's own inner strength and fierceness.
Perdido numa esquina de Hanói
Lost on a corner of Hanoi, representing the feeling of being lost and alone in an unfamiliar place, both physically and emotionally.
Perdido numa esquina de Hanói
Lost on a corner of Hanoi, representing the feeling of being lost and alone in an unfamiliar place, both physically and emotionally.
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.