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.
Riso Cristalino
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quando vê o teu sorriso derramar
Esse riso cristalino de alegria
Como o beijo que a praia deu no mar
É melhor ser triste assim como eu estou
Do que ser feliz na vida como estais
Pois felicidade em mim é teu amor
Que é mais claro que uma noite de luar
Quando a brisa dessa noite te abraçar
Vai sentir o frio forte da paixão
O meu braço abraça o corpo de outro amor
Como o beijo que essa praia deu no mar
The lyrics of Elba Ramalho's song "Riso Cristalino" expresses a sense of conflicting emotions between happiness and sadness. The singer describes how their eyes do not have the tendency to cry when they see the person they love smiling with joy. However, the happiness they feel from their love is overshadowed by the sadness of not being able to fully experience it. The singer believes that it is better to be sad like they are than to experience a life of superficial fleeting happiness. They believe that their happiness lies in the love they share with the person they love, which is clearer than the brightest night with a full moon. The final verse talks about how the singer envelopes themselves in the arms of another love, which is extremely painful and bitter but it is a decision they have to make. They make the comparison to the kiss the beach gave the sea, which is a way of exhibiting how similarly pained and bitter that kiss was.
The song talks about the internal pain someone feels when they cannot be with the person they love. It expresses how happiness is not just about experiencing the thrill of positive emotions but also the ability to feel and acknowledge the pain and sadness that comes with love. The singer is willing to endure the pain, as it is a part of their journey to find happiness. This is a very relatable song as most people have experienced the bittersweet nature of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Meu olhar não leva jeito de chorar
My gaze doesn't show signs of crying
Quando vê o teu sorriso derramar
When it sees your smile spilling out
Esse riso cristalino de alegria
This crystal clear laughter of joy
Como o beijo que a praia deu no mar
Like the kiss the beach gave to the sea
É melhor ser triste assim como eu estou
It's better to be sad like I am
Do que ser feliz na vida como estais
Than to be happy in life like you are
Pois felicidade em mim é teu amor
Because happiness for me is your love
Que é mais claro que uma noite de luar
Which is brighter than a moonlit night
Quando a brisa dessa noite te abraçar
When the breeze of this night embraces you
Vai sentir o frio forte da paixão
You will feel the strong chill of passion
O meu braço abraça o corpo de outro amor
My arm embraces the body of another love
Como o beijo que essa praia deu no mar
Like the kiss that beach gave to the sea
Contributed by Joshua D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.