Dominguinhos (lit. "Little Dominic" - born José Domingos de Morais in Garan… Read Full Bio ↴Dominguinhos (lit. "Little Dominic" - born José Domingos de Morais in Garanhuns) is a Brazilian and one of the greatest accordion players of forro (i.e., forró) music. Dominguinhos was musically adopted by the great Luiz Gonzaga, the king of Baião (brazilian nordeste--northeast music). Dominguinhos was an accomplished musician, singer and composer, faithful to the roots of forró, with a jazzistic approach to his playing.

He has performed with musicians such as Luiz Gonzaga, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa (with whom he toured in Midem), Zé Ramalho, Toquinho, and Maria Bethânia. Some of his hits were recorded by Bethânia, Gil, Chico Buarque, Elba Ramalho, and Fagner. In 1997 Dominguinhos wrote the soundtrack of the film O Cangaceiro.

Asa branca
Dominguinhos Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando oiei a terra ardendo
Qual fogueira de São João
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação?
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação?
Que braseiro, que fornaia
Nem um pé de prantação

Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão
Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão
Inté mesmo a asa branca
Bateu asas do sertão
Entonce eu disse adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Entonce eu disse adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Hoje longe muitas léguas,
Numa triste solidão,
Espero a chuva cair de novo
Pra mim vortá pro meu sertão
Espero a chuva cair de novo
Pra mim vortá pro meu sertão
Quando o verde dos teus zóio
Se espaiá na prantação
Eu te asseguro, não chore não, viu
Que eu vortarei, viu, meu coração

Eu te asseguro, não chore não, viu
Que eu vortarei, viu, meu coração

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dominguinhos's song Asa branca speak of the devastating effects of drought on the sertão, or backlands, of Brazil. The singer witnesses the land burning like a São João bonfire and questions God about the suffering of the people and animals who depend on water for survival. The dire situation is vividly depicted through the metaphor of a blazing fire that leaves nothing but ashes and the loss of the singer's livestock, including the beloved alazão horse and the titular asa branca bird.

Amidst the despair and desolation, the singer also expresses his heartbreak at being separated from his love, Rosinha, whom he entrusts with his heart before leaving. The closing verses of the song offer a glimmer of hope for the future, as the singer awaits the rain that will allow him to return to his homeland and reunite with his beloved. The song thus captures the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, as well as the enduring connection between people, animals, and the natural world.

Overall, Asa branca is a poignant and powerful reminder of the challenges faced by those living in Brazil's drought-prone regions, and of the importance of compassion and solidarity in times of need.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando oiei a terra ardendo
When I saw the earth burning

Qual fogueira de São João
Like a bonfire on Saint John's Day

Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
I asked the God of the heavens, oh

Por que tamanha judiação?
Why such suffering?

Que braseiro, que fornaia
What a blazing fire, what an oven

Nem um pé de prantação
Not even a plantation

Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Due to lack of water, I lost my cattle

Morreu de sede meu alazão
My chestnut horse died of thirst

Inté mesmo a asa branca
Even the white-winged dove

Bateu asas do sertão
Flew away from the hinterlands

Entonce eu disse adeus Rosinha
So I said goodbye to Rosinha