Joyce Silveira Moreno (born January 31, 1948 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), be… Read Full Bio ↴Joyce Silveira Moreno (born January 31, 1948 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), best known as Joyce or Joyce Moreno, is a Brazilian singer, composer, acoustic guitarist, arranger and producer. Her trademark was, since the beginning of her career, the feminine language in the first person, in which she was a pioneer: she was the first female Brazilian composer to express herself this way in the history of MPB, paving the way for countless other female composers who would follow.

Joyce has in her baggage an extensive discography and about 400 recordings of her songs by some of the biggest names in Brazilian popular music, such as Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, Elis Regina, Milton Nascimento, Ney Matogrosso, Edu Lobo, Emílio Santiago, Boca Livre, Mônica Salmaso, Leny Andrade, Nana Caymmi, Zizi Possi, Elizeth Cardoso, Simone and many others. Internationally, she has been recorded by big names like Annie Lennox, Wallace Roney, Omara Portuondo, Black Eyed Peas, David Sanchez, Jon Lucien, Claus Ogerman, Gerry Mulligan, Till Brönner, Flora Purim and others. Her compositions have been used in soundtracks for films (such as Robert Altman's "The Player" and "Legally Blonde"), animations (she participated in the soundtrack of the Japanese anime "Wolf's Rain" in partnership with Japanese composer Yoko Kanno), TV shows and theater performances.

She received 4 Latin Grammy nominations and has so far 34 individual CDs and 2 DVDs, besides compilations and participations. Currently, her work also follows an international path, with world tours every year and recordings of new albums in different countries, without ever losing her Brazilian-feminine identity. She performs annually on the Blue Note circuit in Japan, and in jazz festivals and tours in Europe, the United States, and Canada.

Oásis
Joyce Lyrics

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Pra quem passa, é uma paisagem
Nada a acrescentar
Mas pra quem vem de viagem
É porto de chegar.
Pra quem olha, é uma parede
Construção vulgar
Mas quem lá põe sua rede
Chama de "meu lar".

Pra quem não conhece
Os segredos do meu bem
Pode parecer estranho o jeito que ele tem
Se ele é muito louco
Seja como for
Muito é muito pouco pra explicar o nosso amor.

Pra quem olha desatento
É um rio a correr
Mas pra quem chegou sedento
É água de beber.
Pra quem passa, é uma miragem
Feita pra enganar
Mas quem entra na estalagem
Fica pro jantar.
Pra quem não conhece
Os segredos do meu bem
Pode parecer estranho o jeito que ele tem
Dizem que é loucura
Que é pura ilusão

Mas quem vem da selva escura
Jura que é paixão.

Overall Meaning

In "Oásis," Joyce explores the way different perspectives can shape how we see the same thing. The song's lyrics describe an oasis, which may seem like an ordinary landscape at first glance, but to someone on a journey, it's a welcoming port of arrival. Similarly, what some see as a plain wall, those who rest a hammock on it call it "home". The idea that our perception of things depend largely on where we are in our journey or experience is a recurring one.

The song continues to explore this theme, suggesting that what may seem like a river to an unobservant passerby could be a refreshing source of water to someone who's been traveling for miles in the hot sun. The oasis is described as something that might look like a mirage on the surface, but when you stop to investigate, it becomes apparent that it's real, and a welcoming place full of secrets that only those who chose to stop can appreciate. All of these metaphors illustrate that things are not always what they appear to be and that it's essential to take a closer look before forming an opinion.

Line by Line Meaning

Pra quem passa, é uma paisagem
For those who pass by, it's just a landscape and there's nothing to add.

Nada a acrescentar
There's nothing to add.

Mas pra quem vem de viagem
But for those who arrive after a journey,

É porto de chegar.
It's a port to arrive.

Pra quem olha, é uma parede
For those who look, it's a wall,

Construção vulgar
A common build.

Mas quem lá põe sua rede
But for those who set their net there,

Chama de "meu lar".
They call it home.

Pra quem não conhece
For those who don't know,

Os segredos do meu bem
The secrets of my love,

Pode parecer estranho o jeito que ele tem
It may seem strange the way it is.