Born 27 January 1949, in Alagoas, Brazil, Djavan combines traditional brazi… Read Full Bio ↴Born 27 January 1949, in Alagoas, Brazil, Djavan combines traditional brazilian rhythms with popular music drawn from all over the american continent, Europe and Africa.

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

Primeira Estrada
Djavan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Esse seu coração
Nunca foi tão frio
Dá pra ver a ilusão
Na beira do rio
Rio

Imploro pra você ficar
Quem disse que fica?

Não fica
Com tanto pra lhe dar
E você modifica
Fica

Campos que florirão
Num sertão de vinho
Você se vai sem razão
E leva o caminho
De vez

Como é que vai ser
Pra viver
Precisando tanto
De você

Se alguém sabe de amor
Por favor, me fale
Se era amor, por que acabou?
Quem amou não sabe
Não se sabe

Só um pouco de atenção
Enxeria-me de brios
No mar do meu coração
Trago os meus navios
Ávidos
Pra resistir e proteger
De todo o perigo, digo
Ficar sem você, já vou dizer
'Não consigo'
Sigo

Sonhei com um grande amor
E o que tive foi nada
O que era doce acabou
Na primeira estrada
Nada

Como é que vai ser
Pra viver
Precisando tanto
De você
Se alguém sabe de amor
Por favor me fale
Se era amor por que acabou?

Quem amou nunca sabe
Não se sabe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Djavan's song "Primeira Estrada" delve into the complexities of love and loss, encapsulating the raw emotions experienced when a relationship unravels. The opening verse sets the tone with the stark realization that the singer's heart has never been colder, hinting at a shattered illusion by the river's edge. This imagery sets the stage for a plea for the other person to stay, highlighting the disparity between the singer's willingness to give everything and the other person's inclination to change and eventually depart.

The song continues to paint a vivid picture of longing and confusion, with references to flourishing fields in a land of wine that will now wither as the other person departs without reason, carrying away the path they once walked together. The uncertainty and pain of the situation are palpable as the singer contemplates the future without their loved one, questioning how they will navigate life without the essential presence of the other person.

The chorus echoes the central theme of the song, as the singer seeks understanding and insight into the nature of love and its inexplicable endings. The poignant plea for someone to explain the mysteries of love and why it fades resonates with anyone who has grappled with the aftermath of a failed relationship. The repetition of the question "Se era amor, por que acabou?" ("If it was love, why did it end?") underscores the universal quest for closure and comprehension in matters of the heart.

In the final verses, the singer reflects on their own vulnerability and the struggle to protect their heart from the pain of loss. The metaphor of ships in the sea of the heart symbolizes a desire to weather the storms and dangers of life without succumbing to the absence of their beloved. However, the admission that "Ficar sem você, já vou dizer 'Não consigo'" ("To stay without you, I can't") encapsulates the deep emotional entanglement and dependency that can persist even after a relationship has ended. The song ultimately grapples with the harsh reality that the grand love the singer dreamed of turned into nothing as they faced the first road of separation, leaving them adrift and questioning the nature of love's fleeting existence and its haunting aftermath.

Line by Line Meaning

Esse seu coração
Your heart has never been so cold

Nunca foi tão frio
Dá pra ver a ilusão

Dá pra ver a ilusão
You can see the illusion

Na beira do rio
At the edge of the river

Imploro pra você ficar
I beg you to stay

Quem disse que fica?
Who said they would stay?

Não fica
Doesn't stay

Com tanto pra lhe dar
With so much to offer you

E você modifica
And you change

Fica
Stay

Campos que florirão
Fields that will bloom