Ilê Ayê
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Gilberto Gil's song Ilê Ayê is a powerful celebration of blackness and Afro-Brazilian culture. The song opens with the repeated question "Que bloco é esse? Que eu quero saber" ("What block is this? I want to know"), signaling a desire to understand the significance of the black community and the culture they bring with them. The singer then declares that the block is the "mundo negro" ("black world") that they have come to sing and show to others.

Throughout the song, the lyrics highlight the pride and strength of black identity. The chorus declares "Somo crioulo doido somo bem legal" ("We are crazy black people, we are very cool"), emphasizing a sense of joy and freedom that comes with embracing blackness. The line "Temos cabelo duro somo black power" ("We have tough hair, we are black power") speaks directly to the importance of hair as a symbol of black identity and resistance against European beauty standards.

The song also challenges white listeners to recognize the value of blackness and the limitations of their own worldview. The line "Branco, se você soubesse o valor que o preto tem, tu tomava um banho de piche, branco e ficava preto também" ("White person, if you knew the value that black people have, you would take a bath in tar and become black too") suggests that whiteness is limiting and that embracing blackness can lead to greater understanding and appreciation of the world. The singer also critiques the idea that white people could learn from black culture without acknowledging the structural inequality that keeps black people marginalized, saying "Quem dá luz a cego é bengala branca em Santa Luzia" ("A white cane is what gives light to blind people").