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.
Boi
João Bosco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O rei do congado quem vai eleger
Eh! Boi
Marcado, arriado por meu canjerê
O boi foi todo enfeitado
E passado pra trás
Boi-bumbá
Exu, boitatá, curupira
Cobra jararaca na mata
Espreitando o boi
Que não sabe o que faz
O planalto quieto
Recorta uma loura assombração
Lançando a tocha rubra
Nos campos de algodão
O incêndio estala e cresce
Nas entranhas do sertão
Dispersa o gado morro abaixo
¾ cada um por si
Depois, o ouro baço
O boi de bruços no arraial
De beiço murcho, a junta mole
Corumbá!
E! E! boi
O canto do aboio é agouro ruim
E! boi
O gado se esquece com pouco capim
Um boi, barroso, retardo, não vai se fechar
E! E! boi
Rebenta o cercado
E guerreia por teu lugar
Ou tomba no fundo das águas de Guajará
Bumba-meu-boi-bumbá!
The song "Boi" by João Bosco is a celebration of the Brazilian cultural tradition of Boi-bumbá, a festival that takes place in parts of the country such as Parintins, Manaus, and São Luís. The lyrics describe the process of selecting the king of the congado, a cultural and religious expression of Congolese slaves in Brazil. The Boi, decorated and marked, is presented to the congado and then taken to the forest, where it is watched by supernatural creatures such as Exu, Boitatá, and Curupira, and threatened by the snake Jararaca. The presence of the supernatural in the song indicates the belief, widespread in Brazilian folk culture, in the interweaving of different worlds and the need to respect its power. The planalto, Brazilian plateau, during the night delivers a "loura assombração," a blonde haunting, that torches the cotton fields and sets fire to the countryside, spreading through the sertão, semi-arid region of northeast Brazil, and causing chaos for the Boi and the herders.
The song's main message, however, is one of resilience, courage, and a sense of pride in one's traditions. The chorus repeats the phrase "E! E! Boi" , urging the animal to break free of the boundaries and fight for its place. The boi in this context represents not only the cattle but also the people, who throughout Brazilian history were enslaved, exploited, and discriminated against, but who continued to hold on to their culture, traditions, and identity. The boi, then, becomes a symbol of resistance and rebellion, fighting against its captors, or against the forces of nature, or against the injustices of social and political life.
Line by Line Meaning
Boi-bumbá
The traditional Brazilian folklore festival of Boi-bumbá, where the king of congado is elected.
O rei do congado quem vai eleger
Who will elect the king of congado?
Eh! Boi
Hey, boi!
Marcado, arriado por meu canjerê
The boi is adorned and prepared by my canjerê (ritual group).
O boi foi todo enfeitado
E passado pra trás
The boi was fully adorned and then tricked/deceived by the people.
Exu, boitatá, curupira
Entregando o boi,
Cobra jararaca na mata
Espreitando o boi
Que não sabe o que faz
Supernatural beings like Exu, Boitatá, and Curupira are handing over the boi, while the poisonous snake Cobra Jararaca is lurking and the boi is unaware of what's happening.
O planalto quieto
Recorta uma loura assombração
Lançando a tocha rubra
Nos campos de algodão
O incêndio estala e cresce
Nas entranhas do sertão
The plateau is silent, and a blonde ghostly figure is visible, throwing a red torch into the cotton fields. The fire spreads and grows inside the sertão (Brazilian hinterland).
Dispersa o gado morro abaixo
¾ cada um por si
Depois, o ouro baço
O boi de bruços no arraial
De beiço murcho, a junta mole
Corumbá!
The cattle are scattered down the hill, each one for themselves. Later on, a pale gold appears, and the boi is found lying on its stomach in the arraial (temporary camp), with its lips drooping and its legs weak. The place is named Corumbá.
E! E! boi
O canto do aboio é agouro ruim
E! boi
Hey, hey, boi! The aboio's (cattleman's song) melody is a bad omen. Hey, boi!
O gado se esquece com pouco capim
Um boi, barroso, retardo, não vai se fechar
E! E! boi
Rebenta o cercado
E guerreia por teu lugar
Ou tomba no fundo das águas de Guajará
The cattle forget easily with little grass. A stubborn and slow boi will not go down without fighting. Hey, hey, boi! It breaks down the fences and fights for its place or falls to the bottom of the Guajará waters.
Bumba-meu-boi-bumbá!
A variation of Boi-bumbá festival chant.
Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.