Uma Vida
José Augusto Lyrics


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Ele um dia chegou de Belém
Com a pureza nos olhos de quem
Pensa um dia talvez encontrar uma vida melhor

Desde cedo ele se governou
Em criança ele não encontrou
O carinho de um lar onde a gente
Costuma aprender

Esse homem que o tempo marcou
Cicatrizes que a vida deixou
Aprendeu de menino que nada é fácil demais

Sapateiro chanfrando os seus dias
Pespontando nas horas vazias
De segunda a domingo
Ele não tinha tempo pra nada

Eu me lembro quando ele chegava
Do trabalho e me via brincar
Tinha sempre um abraço apertado
E um sorriso no olhar

Eu corria e pedia um presente
Disfarçando ele ria contente
E sem graça inventava uma história
Pra me consolar

Esse homem que o tempo marcou
De uma infância que a vida negou
Era hoje o meu pai
Tinha calos na mão e sofria

Esse homem que o tempo marcou
Cicatrizes que a vida deixou
Aprendeu de menino que nada é fácil demais

Sapateiro chanfrando os seus dias
Pespontando nas horas vazias
Ele não tinha tempo pra nada

E agora que os anos passaram
Ficou pra lembrar, pensar
Os dias e nas ferramentas
Que a vida ensinou usar

As marcas gravadas no peito
Melhor nem falar, calar




Super-homem cansado da vida
Só resta esperar

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of José Augusto's song Uma Vida talk about a man who arrived from Belém, a city in the north of Brazil, with the hope of finding a better life. However, he came to realize that life is not easy and that he had to work hard every day to survive. The man's childhood was marked by a lack of affection, and he had to learn to take care of himself at a young age. As he grew older, the man became a shoemaker, spending his days making shoes and working tirelessly from Monday to Sunday.


The lyrics describe the singer's relationship with his father, who was the man described in the story. The singer remembers his father's arrival from work, and how he would always hug him and make him smile. The father worked hard to support the family and would always try to make his son happy, even if he couldn't afford to buy him presents. The man's hands were rough from working constantly, but he still managed to find love in his heart for his family.


The lyrics of Uma Vida are emotional and powerful, telling a story of perseverance, hard work, and love. The song highlights the struggles of working-class people in Brazil and their undying spirit to keep going despite the difficulties they face.


Line by Line Meaning

Ele um dia chegou de Belém
He arrived one day from Belém


Com a pureza nos olhos de quem
With the purity in his eyes of someone


Pensa um dia talvez encontrar uma vida melhor
Who thinks that one day he might find a better life


Desde cedo ele se governou
Since early on, he took care of himself


Em criança ele não encontrou
As a child, he didn't find


O carinho de um lar onde a gente
The affection of a home where one


Costuma aprender
Usually learns


Esse homem que o tempo marcou
This man whom time marked


Cicatrizes que a vida deixou
Scars that life left


Aprendeu de menino que nada é fácil demais
Learned as a boy that nothing is too easy


Sapateiro chanfrando os seus dias
Shoemaker slanting his days


Pespontando nas horas vazias
Sewing in his empty hours


De segunda a domingo
From Monday to Sunday


Ele não tinha tempo pra nada
He didn't have time for anything


Eu me lembro quando ele chegava
I remember when he arrived


Do trabalho e me via brincar
From work and saw me playing


Tinha sempre um abraço apertado
He always had a tight hug


E um sorriso no olhar
And a smile in his eyes


Eu corria e pedia um presente
I ran and asked for a present


Disfarçando ele ria contente
He disguised it and laughed happily


E sem graça inventava uma história
And awkwardly invented a story


Pra me consolar
To comfort me


Esse homem que o tempo marcou
This man whom time marked


De uma infância que a vida negou
From a childhood that life denied


Era hoje o meu pai
He was my father today


Tinha calos na mão e sofria
Had calluses on his hand and suffered


E agora que os anos passaram
And now that the years have passed


Ficou pra lembrar, pensar
He stayed to remember, to think


Os dias e nas ferramentas
Of the days and the tools


Que a vida ensinou usar
That life taught him how to use


As marcas gravadas no peito
The marks engraved on his chest


Melhor nem falar, calar
Better not to speak, to be silent


Super-homem cansado da vida
Superman tired of life


Só resta esperar
Only thing left is to wait




Writer(s): Jose Augusto Cougil

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