Elba Ramalho was born in the rural area of Conceição, in Vale do Piancó. In 1962, the family moved to the city of Campina Grande, also in Paraíba. Her father became the owner of the local theater. Daughter of a musician, she became interested in music still as a teenager.
In 1966, she participated, for the first time, in a performance on stage, in the Choir of the Fundação Artística e Cultural Manuel Bandeira, of which she was a member, with "Evocação do Recife". The Manuel Bandeira and Cecília Meireles Talking Choirs gained fame and started to be seen all over the Northeast, and Elba, who made her first presentation on stage together with them, soon became the highlight in the presentations. She starred in the poetic montages of Castro Alves, Thiago de Mello, Lindolfo Bell, Carlos Pena Filho and Figueiredo Agra. He participated in the montages of the plays "Ministro do Supremo" and "Diálogo das Carmelitas."
In 1968, while attending college of Economics and Sociology at the Federal University of Paraíba, she formed the ensemble As Brasas, in which she acted as drummer, which later became a theater group. However, Elba never stopped singing, and performed in several festivals throughout the Northeast.
In 1979, she released her first album, "Ave de Prata", and since then she has consolidated her position as one of the main Brazilian singers in activity. On her father's side, she is a cousin of fellow singer Zé Ramalho.
She has two Latin Grammys for her albums: Qual o Assunto Que Mais Lhe importa?, released in 2008, and Balaio de Amor, 2009, in the category Best Brazilian Roots Album: Regional and Tropical. In over 35 years of career, Elba Ramalho has sold more than 10 million albums. She received from the Art Critics Association of São Paulo the award "Best Show of the Year" on two occasions: in 1989 for the show Popular Brasileira and in 1996 for the show Leão do Norte.
Rio de Sonho
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
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Nesse rio de sonho
Para te seguir
Onde quer que passe
O fio do teu caminho
Também quero ir
Nessa estrada juntos
Tanta coisa boa pode acontecer
Para eu viver
Sempre que te vejo
Meus olhos giram tontos de emoção
Dentro aqui no peito bate disparado o meu coração
Deixo que teus braços levem os meus passos
E o que for será
Você é meu anjo
Meu raio de lua
E canto de sabiá
"Rio de Sonho" is a romantic Brazilian song by Elba Ramalho. The lyrics convey the message of following someone special to the end of the earth, and the metaphorical image of a river of dreams. The opening line, "Vou soltar meu barco/Nesse rio de sonho" translates to "I'll release my boat/on this river of dreams." The singer is expressing her willingness to go wherever her lover goes by following his journey's thread. She emphasizes her devotion by stating that she doesn't need anything besides the person she loves near her to live. The verses display a sense of trust and commitment, and the chorus encourages the listener to let their feelings lead them down an unknown path with passion and hope for a bright future.
In the second verse, Ramalho talks about how seeing her lover makes her feel overwhelmed with emotions. She explains that her heart beats so fast it feels like it's going to burst out of her chest. She then surrenders herself to her lover and follows him everywhere, letting their destiny guide them. At the end of the verse, she expresses her trust by saying that "o que for será," meaning "whatever happens will be."
Line by Line Meaning
Vou soltar meu barco
I will set free my boat
Nesse rio de sonho
In this dreamy river
Para te seguir
To follow you
Onde quer que passe
Wherever you may go
O fio do teu caminho
The thread of your path
Também quero ir
I also want to go
Nessa estrada juntos
On this road together
Tanta coisa boa pode acontecer
So many good things can happen
Não preciso nada só vc por perto
I need nothing else, just you around
Para eu viver
For me to live
Sempre que te vejo
Whenever I see you
Meus olhos giram tontos de emoção
My eyes spin with emotion
Dentro aqui no peito bate disparado o meu coração
My heart beats recklessly inside
Deixo que teus braços levem os meus passos
I let your arms guide my steps
E o que for será
And whatever happens, will be
Você é meu anjo
You are my angel
Meu raio de lua
My moonbeam
E canto de sabiá
And the song of the sabiá bird
Contributed by Eli J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.