Although his songs celebrate the people of Bahia and he himself is enshrined in the popular Brazilian imagination as the archetypal Bahian, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to find fame in the 1930's and never moved back to Bahia.
He became a contemporary and sometimes rival of composer Ary Barroso and enjoyed a lifelong friendship with Bahian author Jorge Amado. Dorival Caymmi first achieved success in the late 1930s with Carmen Miranda, for whom he composed 'O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?'. He recorded for five decades, both singing solo with his own guitar accompaniment, and backed by bands and orchestras. In the 1960s many of his songs were covered by bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto, and he collaborated with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Among the many musicians heavily influenced by Dorival Caymmi are Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
Dorival Caymmi passed away at age 94 on August 16, 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, of multiple organ failure. He is survived by three children, all of whom are in the prominent musicians: Nana, Danilo and Dori Caymmi.
A Preta Do Acarajé
Dorival Caymmi Lyrics
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Na rua deserta
A preta mercando
Parece um lamento
Ê o abará
Na sua gamela
Tem molho e cheiroso
Pimenta da costa
Ô acarajé é cor
Ô la lá io
Vem benzer
Tá quentinho
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
O trabalho que dá pra fazer que é
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Ninguém quer saber o trabalho que dá
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
O trabalho que dá pra fazer que é
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Ninguém quer saber o trabalho que dá
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Dez horas da noite
Na rua deserta
Quanto mais distante
Mais triste o lamento
Ê o abará
The lyrics of Dorival Caymmi's song "A Preta Do Acarajé" depict the lonely streets of Salvador at night, where a black woman is selling acarajé and abará. The song is a tribute to the hard work of black women who are often relegated to jobs like selling street food to make a living. The tone of the song is melancholic, with the woman's cries sounding like a lament. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes that everyone loves acarajé and abará, but no one wants to acknowledge the hard work that goes into making them.
The lyrics also describe the ingredients that go into making the dish, with references to the flavorful spices and peppers that give it its unique taste. The song highlights the cultural significance of acarajé, a popular street food in Salvador made of black-eyed peas, onions, and salt formed into balls and deep-fried, and abará, a variation of acarajé that is steamed instead of fried. Both dishes are a part of the Afro-Brazilian cuisine and are often sold by black women on the streets of Salvador.
Overall, the lyrics of "A Preta Do Acarajé" tell a story of the overlooked hard work of black women who sell street food to make a living, and the cultural significance of the Afro-Brazilian cuisine they carry with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Dez horas da noite
It's ten o'clock at night
Na rua deserta
On the deserted street
A preta mercando
A black woman selling
Parece um lamento
It sounds like a lament
Ê o abará
It's the abará
Na sua gamela
In her wooden bowl
Tem molho e cheiroso
It has a savory sauce
Pimenta da costa
Coastal pepper
Tem acarajé
It has acarajé
Ô acarajé é cor
Oh acarajé is color
Ô la lá io
Oh la lá io
Vem benzer
Come and bless
Tá quentinho
It's hot
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Everybody likes acarajé
O trabalho que dá pra fazer que é
But the work it takes to make it
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Everybody likes abará
Ninguém quer saber o trabalho que dá
Nobody cares about the work it takes
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Everybody likes acarajé
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Everybody likes abará
Todo mundo gosta de abará
Everybody likes abará
Todo mundo gosta de acarajé
Everybody likes acarajé
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.