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.
eu só quero um xodó
Elba Ramalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que falta me faz um xodó
Mas como eu não tenho ninguém
Eu levo a vida assim tão só
Eu só quero um amor
Que acabe o meu sofrer
Um xodó pra mim
Que alegre o meu viver
Que falta eu sinto de um bem
Que falta me faz um xodó
Mas como eu não tenho ninguém
Eu levo a vida assim tão só
Eu só quero um amor
Que acabe o meu sofrer
Um xodó pra mim
Do meu jeitinho assim
Que alegre o meu viver
Fagulhas, pontas de agulhas
Brilham estrelas de São João
Babados, xotes e xaxados
Segura as pontas meu coração
Bombas na guerra magia
Ninguém matava, ninguém morria
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
Fagulhas, pontas de agulhas
Brilham estrelas de São João
Babados, xotes e xaxados
Segura as pontas meu coração
Bombas na guerra magia
Ninguém matava, ninguém morria
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
E ardia aquela fogueira que me esquenta a vida inteira
Eterna noite sempre a primeira
Festa do Interior
E ardia aquela fogueira que me esquenta a vida inteira
Eterna noite sempre a primeira
Festa do Interior
Fagulhas, pontas de agulhas
Brilham estrelas de São João
Babados, xotes e xaxados
Segura as pontas meu coração
Bombas na guerra magia
Ninguém matava, ninguém morria
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
Nas trincheiras da alegria
O que explodia era o amor
E ardia aquela fogueira que me esquenta a vida inteira
Eterna noite sempre a primeira
Festa do Interior
E ardia aquela fogueira que me esquenta a vida inteira
Eterna noite sempre a primeira
Festa do Interior
The lyrics of Elba Ramalho's song "Eu Só Quero um Xodó" convey a sense of longing and yearning for love and connection. The singer expresses the deep absence they feel from someone who can provide them with affection and care - a "bem" or "xodó." However, as they don't have anyone in their life, they live a solitary existence. The lyrics emphasize the desire for love and a companion who can alleviate their suffering and bring joy to their life. The repetition of the line "Eu só quero um amor" and the subsequent plea for a "xodó" highlight this longing.
The second part of the song introduces imagery related to the festivities of São João, a popular celebration in Brazil. The lyrics describe sparks and needles shining, symbolizing the excitement and joy of the occasion. The references to "babad os, xotes, and xaxados" evoke traditional dance styles associated with the festivities. The verse also alludes to a metaphorical war, with bombs exploding, but instead of death and destruction, it is love that detonates in the trenches of happiness. Overall, the lyrics beautifully blend the themes of longing for love and the joyous celebrations of traditional cultural festivals.
Line by Line Meaning
Que falta eu sinto de um bem
I feel such a longing for something good
Que falta me faz um xodó
How I miss having a beloved
Mas como eu não tenho ninguém
But since I have no one
Eu levo a vida assim tão só
I live my life all alone like this
Eu só quero um amor
I just want a love
Que acabe o meu sofrer
To end my suffering
Um xodó pra mim
A beloved for me
Do meu jeito assim
In my own way like this
Que alegre o meu viver
To bring joy to my life
Fagulhas, pontas de agulhas
Sparks, needle tips
Brilham estrelas de São João
Stars of São João shine
Babados, xotes e xaxados
Frills, xotes, and xaxados
Segura as pontas meu coração
Hold on tight my heart
Bombas na guerra magia
Bombs in the magic war
Ninguém matava, ninguém morria
No one killed, no one died
Nas trincheiras da alegria
In the trenches of joy
O que explodia era o amor
What exploded was love
E ardia aquela fogueira que me esquenta a vida inteira
And that bonfire burned, warming my whole life
Eterna noite sempre a primeira
Eternal night, always the first
Festa do Interior
Festival of the Interior
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lucinete Ferreira, Jose Domingos De Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind