João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, better known as João Bosco is a noted Brazilia… Read Full Bio ↴João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, better known as João Bosco is a noted Brazilian singer with a distinctive style as a guitarist. In the 1970s he established his reputation in MPB alongside collaborator lyricist Aldir Blanc.

Born on July 13, 1946, in Ponte Nova, Minas Gerais, João Bosco's profession was engineering when he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where his songs were also recorded by Elis Regina and were a success. He soon became admired as a versatile vocalist and a dynamic performer. João Bosco has been noted for "his singular fusion of Arab culture, Afro-American music and Brazilian styles bossa nova," influenced by American jazz.

Angra
João Bosco Lyrics

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Angra desolada, dia que não raia
Barcos submersos, rochas de atalaia
Redes agonizam pelo chão da praia
Lemes submissos, dia que não raia azul
Nuvens de ameaça, lua prisioneira
Águas assassinas, chuva carpideira
Volta ao porto o corpo morto

De outro moço:
Cruz de carne e osso que tentou fugir no mar
Asas invisíveis sobre o meu silêncio
Facas dirigidas contra o que eu não tento

E hoje o mar de Angra sangra dos meus olhos
Precipício aberto de onde me arrebento

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of João Bosco's song Angra paint a picture of a devastated, desolate island. The day doesn't seem to be dawning and the boats nearby are submerged, washed up against the rocky shore. The fishing nets are scattered on the beach, and the ships' rudders lie downcast. The color of the sky is not blue, instead, it is overshadowed by dark, ominous clouds. The moon is a prisoner, darkening the sky, foreboding more catastrophe. The rain that falls is not a blessing and seems to be mourning with the devastated island. In this lonely emptiness, the body of a young man is brought back into port, lifeless.

The lyrics of the second verse seem to continue the story from another point of view, that of someone who has witnessed a loved one's death. They describe a "cross of flesh and bone" - perhaps a reference to the young man's body - who attempted to escape into the sea. The singer is surrounded by invisible wings, trapped by their own silence. Enemies are threatening them with knives without any provocation, it seems. The island of Angra is bleeding from the singer’s eyes, but they seem to have reached a point of no return, a dangerous precipice where they stand on the brink of utter destruction.

Line by Line Meaning

Angra desolada, dia que não raia
A deserted Angra that awaits a dawn that never comes

Barcos submersos, rochas de atalaia
Sunken boats and watchful rocks

Redes agonizam pelo chão da praia
Fishing nets lay dying on the shore

Lemes submissos, dia que não raia azul
Obedient rudders await a blue dawn that never comes

Nuvens de ameaça, lua prisioneira
Threatening clouds and a captive moon

Águas assassinas, chuva carpideira
Murderous waters and tearful rain

Volta ao porto o corpo morto
The lifeless body returns to the port

Cruz de carne e osso que tentou fugir no mar
A physical body that attempted to flee into the sea

Asas invisíveis sobre o meu silêncio
Invisible wings over my silence

Facas dirigidas contra o que eu não tento
Knives aimed at what I do not attempt

E hoje o mar de Angra sangra dos meus olhos
And today, the sea of Angra bleeds from my eyes