Cravo e Canela
Lo Borges/Milton Nascimento Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?

A cor de canela
A lua morena
A dança do vento
O ventre da noite
E o sol da manhã

Chuva cigana
A dança dos rios
O mel do cacau
E o sol da manhã

Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela

A lua morena
A dança do vento
O ventre da noite
E o sol da manhã

Chuva cigana
A dança dos rios
O mel do cacau
E o sol da manhã

Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela
Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela
Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela
Morena quem temperou?
Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo
Cigana quem temperou?
Morena quem temperou?
A cor de canela
Morena quem temperou?




Cigana quem temperou?
O cheiro do cravo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Cravo e Canela" describe the beauty and mystique of nature, specifically through the lens of a combination of two women - the "Morena" and the "Cigana." The song opens with a question asking who spiced things up and provides the answer that it was the Cigana (gypsy woman) who added the scent of cloves to the air. The same is asked about the color of cinnamon, which is attributed to the Morena woman. The rest of the song then goes on to describe various natural phenomena such as the moon, wind, rivers, rain, and the sweetness of cacao.


The lyrics are rich in metaphors and symbolism, with the "ventre da noite" (belly of the night) representing darkness, and "o sol da manhã" (the morning sun) representing light and hope. The repetition of the question "Morena quem temperou? Cigana quem temperou?" serves to emphasize the mystery and magic of the natural world, as if the beauty and wonder of it all cannot be explained by anything other than the work of these two enchanting women.


Line by Line Meaning

Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


O cheiro do cravo
The scent of the clove


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


A cor de canela
The color of cinnamon


A lua morena
The brown moon


A dança do vento
The dance of the wind


O ventre da noite
The belly of the night


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


Chuva cigana
Gypsy rain


A dança dos rios
The dance of the rivers


O mel do cacau
The honey of the cocoa


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


O cheiro do cravo
The scent of the clove


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


A cor de canela
The color of cinnamon


A lua morena
The brown moon


A dança do vento
The dance of the wind


O ventre da noite
The belly of the night


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


Chuva cigana
Gypsy rain


A dança dos rios
The dance of the rivers


O mel do cacau
The honey of the cocoa


E o sol da manhã
And the morning sun


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


O cheiro do cravo
The scent of the clove


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


A cor de canela
The color of cinnamon


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


O cheiro do cravo
The scent of the clove


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


A cor de canela
The color of cinnamon


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


O cheiro do cravo
The scent of the clove


Cigana quem temperou?
Who seasoned the gypsy? (Questioning the origin of their culture and traditions)


Morena quem temperou?
Who seasoned the brown skin? (Questioning the origin of this beautiful color)


A cor de canela
The color of cinnamon




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ronaldo Bastos, Milton Silva Campos Nascimento

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions