His compositions include the world famous "Upa Neguinho" (with Gianfrancesco Guarnieri), "Pra Dizer Adeus" (with Torquato Neto) (also known in its English version as "To Say Goodbye"), "Choro Bandido" and "Beatriz" (with Chico Buarque), "Arrastão" (with Vinícius de Moraes), "Canto Triste" and "Ponteio" (with Capinam).
He has worked with, and his songs have been covered by artists like Toots Thielemans, Marcos Valle, Elis Regina, Sylvia Telles, Sérgio Mendes, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Maria Bethânia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Mônica Salmaso, and others.
Ode Aos Ratos
Edu Lobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Irrequieta criatura
Tribo em frenética proliferação
Lúbrico, libidinoso transeunte
Boca de estômago
Atrás do seu quinhão
Vão aos magotes
Levando o terror
Do parking ao living
Do shopping center ao léu
Do cano de esgoto
Pro topo do arranha-céu
Rato de rua
Aborígene do lodo
Fuça gelada
Couraça de sabão
Quase risonho
Profanador de tumba
Sobrevivente
À chacina e à lei do cão
Saqueador da metrópole
Tenaz roedor
De toda esperança
Estuporador da ilusão
Ó meu semelhante
Filho de Deus, meu irmão
Rato
Rato que rói a roupa
Que rói a rapa do rei do morro
Que rói a roda do carro
Que rói o carro, que rói o ferro
Que rói o barro, rói o morro
Rato que rói o rato
Ra-rato, ra-rato
Roto que ri do roto
Que rói o farrapo
Do esfarra-rapado
Que mete a ripa, arranca rabo
Rato ruim
Rato que rói a rosa
Rói o riso da moça
E ruma rua arriba
Em sua rota de rato
Saqueador da metrópole
Tenaz roedor
De toda esperança
Estuporador da ilusão
Ó meu semelhante
Filho de Deus, meu irmão
The lyrics of Edu Lobo's song "Ode Aos Ratos," which translates to "Ode to the Rats," depict the lives of street rats in a metropolis. The song speaks to the bustling and prolific nature of these creatures, referring to them as restless and libidinous passersby. The rats are depicted as constantly seeking their share of food, going from one place to another, spreading terror from parking lots to living spaces, from shopping centers to open streets, and even from sewage pipes to the tops of skyscrapers.
The lyrics also highlight the resilience and survival instincts of these rats. They are described as inhabitants of the sludge, with frozen brows and a soap-like armor. They are almost portrayed with a humorous touch, seen as profaners of tombs and survivors of massacres and the law of the jungle. The song emphasizes their role as plunderers of the metropolis, tenaciously gnawing away at any hope and dismantling illusions.
In the final verse, the song takes a more poetic turn, addressing the rats as fellow beings, children of God, and brothers. It references the rats' ability to chew through anything - clothes, makings of the king of the hill, car wheels, iron, clay, and hills themselves. The song describes the rats as a constant presence, climbing the streets on their rat route.
Overall, "Ode Aos Ratos" provides a reflection on the overlooked inhabitants of a city and their resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Rato de rua
Street rat
Irrequieta criatura
Restless creature
Tribo em frenética proliferação
Tribe in frenetic proliferation
Lúbrico, libidinoso transeunte
Lubricious, libidinous passerby
Boca de estômago
Mouth of a stomach
Atrás do seu quinhão
After its share
Vão aos magotes
Go in droves
A dar com um pau
Causing trouble
Levando o terror
Spreading terror
Do parking ao living
From the parking lot to the living room
Do shopping center ao léu
From the shopping center to the streets
Do cano de esgoto
From the sewer pipe
Pro topo do arranha-céu
To the top of the skyscraper
Aborígene do lodo
Aborigine of the sludge
Fuça gelada
Frozen snout
Couraça de sabão
Soap armor
Quase risonho
Almost laughing
Profanador de tumba
Tomb desecrator
Sobrevivente à chacina e à lei do cão
Survivor of the massacre and the law of the dog
Saqueador da metrópole
Pillager of the metropolis
Tenaz roedor
Tenacious rodent
De toda esperança
Of all hope
Estuporador da ilusão
Stupefier of illusion
Ó meu semelhante
Oh my fellow
Filho de Deus, meu irmão
Child of God, my brother
Rato
Rat
Rato que rói a roupa
Rat that gnaws the clothes
Que rói a rapa do rei do morro
That gnaws the leftovers of the king of the hill
Que rói a roda do carro
That gnaws on the car wheel
Que rói o carro, que rói o ferro
That gnaws the car, that gnaws the iron
Que rói o barro, rói o morro
That gnaws the clay, gnaws the hill
Rato que rói o rato
Rat that gnaws the rat
Ra-rato, ra-rato
Ra-rat, ra-rat
Roto que ri do roto
Tattered one who laughs at the tattered
Que rói o farrapo
That gnaws the rag
Do esfarra-rapado
From the ragged
Que mete a ripa, arranca rabo
That hits hard, pulls the tail
Rato ruim
Bad rat
Rato que rói a rosa
Rat that gnaws the rose
Rói o riso da moça
Gnaws the laughter of the girl
E ruma rua arriba
And goes up the street
Em sua rota de rato
In its rat route
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AKA CHICO BUARQUE, AKA EDU LOBO, EDUARDO LOBO, FRANCISCO BUARQUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind