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.
Roendo Unha / No Som Da Sanfona / Morena De Angola
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Corri pra ver você
Atrás da serra, o sol estava pra se esconder
Quando você partiu, eu não esqueço mais
Meu coração, amor, partiu atrás
Vivo com os olhos na ladeira
Quando vejo uma poeira
Vivo de orelha levantada
Para o lado da estrada
Que atravessa o mucambê
Ora, já estou roendo unha
A saudade é testemunha
Do que agora vou dizer
Quando na janela eu me debruço
O meu cantar é um soluço
A galopar no maçapê
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Um sanfoneiro bem maneiro
Puxa o fole
Folia a noite inteira
Até o dia clarear
O cabra vem se aconchegando
Se relando
Quando o pagode esquenta
Ninguém quer sair de lá
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Êta pagode que tá bom
Que tá danado
Morena aqui do lado
Faz o boneco chorar
Chora num chora
Morena disse que chora
No som de uma viola
Faz o corpo balançar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Quem é sambeiro, batuqueiro, forrozeiro
Tem privilégio agora
Socity particular
Agora toda classe alta
Quer xaxá
Forró de brasileiro
Chegou em todo lugar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Será que ela mexe o chocalho ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Será que ela mexe o chocalho ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela
Será que a morena cochila escutando o cochicho do chocalho
Será que desperta gingando e já sai chocalhando pro trabalho
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Será que ela mexe o chocalho ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela
Será que tá na cozinha guisando a galinha à cabidela
Será que esqueceu da galinha e ficou batucando na panela
Será que no meio da mata, na moita, a morena inda chocalha
Será que ela não fica afoita pra dançar na chama da batalha
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Passando pelo regimento ela faz requebrar a sentinela
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Será que ela mexe o chocalho ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela
Será que ela tá caprichando no peixe que eu trouxe de Benguela
Será que tá no remelexo e abandonou meu peixe na tigela
Será que quando fica choca põe de quarentena o seu chocalho
Será que depois ela bota a canela no nicho do pirralho
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Eu acho que deixei um cacho do meu coração na catumbela
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Morena, bichinha danada, minha camarada do MPLA
The song Roendo Unha / No Som Da Sanfona / Morena De Angola by Elba Ramalho is a mix of different rhythms and themes, typical of Brazilian music. The first part talks about someone who is missing their lover, who left and took their heart with them. The singer lives with their eyes and ears looking for signs of their lover's return, and they are constantly consumed with longing and heartache. The second part of the song talks about a party where a great accordion player is playing and people are having a great time dancing and enjoying the music. Finally, there is a tribute to a woman from Angola who wears a chocalho, a type of anklet with bells, and who is a skilled dancer.
The lyrics of the first part convey a sense of longing, pain, and nostalgia. The singer's focus is on the absence of their lover, who has disappeared over the hills. They are consumed by melancholy and are constantly searching for signs of their love's return. The lyrics create a vivid image of someone who is living in a state of suspended animation, waiting for their world to be restored.
The second part of the song is dedicated to the joy of partying and dancing to the sound of a great accordion player. The lyrics capture the lively and upbeat atmosphere of a Brazilian party, where people dance and sing, and the music goes on until the sun comes up. The final part pays tribute to an Angolan woman who wears a chocalho, creating a sense of mystery and exoticism around her. The lyrics suggest that she is both alluring and talented, able to distinguish herself as a dancer and to create a captivating experience for whoever is lucky enough to witness her.
Line by Line Meaning
Quando o Vinvin cantou
When Vinvin sang
Corri pra ver você
I ran to see you
Atrás da serra, o sol estava pra se esconder
Behind the mountain, the sun was about to set
Quando você partiu, eu não esqueço mais
When you left, I couldn't forget
Meu coração, amor, partiu atrás
My heart, my love, left with you
Vivo com os olhos na ladeira
I live with my eyes on the hill
Quando vejo uma poeira
When I see some dust
Eu penso logo que é você
I immediately think it's you
Vivo de orelha levantada
I live with my ears perked
Para o lado da estrada
Towards the roadside
Que atravessa o mucambê
That crosses the settlement
Ora, já estou roendo unha
Now, I'm biting my nails
A saudade é testemunha
Nostalgia is a witness
Do que agora vou dizer
Of what I'm about to say now
Quando na janela eu me debruço
When I lean out the window
O meu cantar é um soluço
My singing turns into a sob
A galopar no maçapê
Galloping through the maçapê
Ouvi o toque da sanfona me chamar
I heard the sound of the accordion calling me
Um sanfoneiro bem maneiro
A very skillful accordion player
Puxa o fole
Plays the accordion
Folia a noite inteira
Celebrate all night long
Até o dia clarear
Until the day breaks
O cabra vem se aconchegando
The guy comes cuddling
Se relando
Rubbing against
Quando o pagode esquenta
When the party heats up
Ninguém quer sair de lá
No one wants to leave there
Êta pagode que tá bom
Wow, this party is great
Que tá danado
That is wild
Morena aqui do lado
A brunette by my side
Faz o boneco chorar
Makes the puppet cry
Chora num chora
Crying and not crying
Morena disse que chora
The brunette said she cries
No som de uma viola
To the sound of a guitar
Faz o corpo balançar
Makes the body sway
Quem é sambeiro, batuqueiro, forrozeiro
Whoever is a samba, batucada, and forró lover
Tem privilégio agora
Has a privilege now
Socity particular
Exclusive society
Agora toda classe alta
Now all the upper class
Quer xaxá
Wants to dance xaxado
Forró de brasileiro
Brazilian forró
Chegou em todo lugar
Has reached everywhere
Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela
Angolan brunette who ties the rattle to her ankle
Será que ela mexe o chocalho ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela
Does she move the rattle, or does the rattle move her?
Será que a morena cochila escutando o cochicho do chocalho
Does the brunette nap listening to the whisper of the rattle
Será que desperta gingando e já sai chocalhando pro trabalho
Does she wake up wiggling and already start working with the rattle
Será que tá na cozinha guisando a galinha à cabidela
Is she cooking chicken with rice and spices in the kitchen
Será que esqueceu da galinha e ficou batucando na panela
Did she forget the chicken and keep playing percussion on the pot
Será que no meio da mata, na moita, a morena inda chocalha
Is the brunette still rattling in the middle of the jungle, in the bushes
Será que ela não fica afoita pra dançar na chama da batalha
Doesn't she get agitated to dance in the heat of the battle
Passando pelo regimento ela faz requebrar a sentinela
Passing by the regiment she makes the guard shake
Será que ela tá caprichando no peixe que eu trouxe de Benguela
Is she making the best of the fish I brought from Benguela
Será que tá no remelexo e abandonou meu peixe na tigela
Is she dancing and leaving my fish in the bowl
Será que quando fica choca põe de quarentena o seu chocalho
Does she consider the rattle contagious and put it in quarantine when angry
Será que depois ela bota a canela no nicho do pirralho
Does she then put the ankle in the baby's cradle
Eu acho que deixei um cacho do meu coração na catumbela
I think I left a cluster of my heart in Catumbela
Morena, bichinha danada, minha camarada do MPLA
Brown, naughty girl, my comrade from MPLA
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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