Nara Lofego Leão (January 19, 1942, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil — June … Read Full Bio ↴Nara Lofego Leão (January 19, 1942, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil — June 7, 1989, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), best known as Nara Leão, was a diverse MPB singer, acoustic guitarist and occasional actress and songwriter, associated with many genres and movements, such as bossa nova, samba de morro, protest song, Tropicália, música nordestina and others, quickly gaining the title of "Musa da Bossa Nova" (Muse of Bossa Nova) ever since the beginning of her career.

When she was twelve, her father gave her a guitar since he was worried about her being shy. Popular musician and composer Patricio Teixeira and classical guitarist Solon Ayala were her teachers. While still a teenager, she met a number of singers and composers who took part of Bossa Nova's musical revolution, in late 50s and early 60s, including Roberto Menescal, Carlos Lyra, Ronaldo Bôscoli, João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim.

By 1963, after singing as an amateur for a few years, she became a professional and toured with Sergio Mendes. In the mid-1960s, the institution of military dictatorship in Brazil led her to sing increasingly political lyrics. Her show "Opinião" reflected her political beliefs and she had largely switched to political music by this point. In 1964, she even spoke against bossa nova as a movement, calling it "alienating". In 1968, being part of the Tropicália movement, she appeared on the album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses, performing "Lindonéia."

She later left Brazil for Paris and in the 1970s abandoned music to focus on her family. She returned to music later and when she discovered, in 1979, that she had an inoperable brain tumor she increased her productivity as much as possible. She died in 1989, leaving a great legacy behind her succesful years of career.

Sina de caboclo
Nara Leão Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mas plantar prá dividir
Não faço mais isso, não.
Eu sou um pobre caboclo,
Ganho a vida na enxada.
O que eu colho é dividido
Com quem não plantou nada.
Se assim continuar
vou deixar o meu sertão,

mesmos os olhos cheios d'água
e com dor no coração.
Vou pro Rio carregar massas
pros pedreiros em construção.
Deus até tá ajudando
tá chovendo no sertão
Mas plantar prá dividir
Não faço mais isso, não.

Quer ver eu bater enxada no chão,
com força, coragem , com satisfação ?
e só me dar terra prá ver como é
eu planto feijão, arroz e café
vai ser bom prá mim e bom pró doutor
eu mando feijão, ele manda tractor.
vocês vai ver o que é produção
modéstia á parte, eu bato no peito
eu sou bom lavrador !

Mas plantar prá dividir
Não faço mais isso, não.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nara Leão's song "Sina de Caboclo" is a bittersweet reflection of a poor caboclo's struggles in life. The caboclo talks about the hardships of his life, depictive of someone who knows the land intimately and how it can be punishing. He laments about his experiences of plantation and division of labour, highlighting how he feels used and taken advantage of. He shares how his harvest is not his own as he has to share it with those who did not put in the work. The caboclo then fears he may have to leave his beloved land and move to the city, where he can work as a laborer, amidst much sadness.

It is a poignant commentary on the socio-economic divide that exists in Brazil, with the gap between the rich and the poor being a prevalent issue. The burden the poorest members of society must bear due to an unequal distribution of wealth is undeniable. The caboclo's desire to leave his home and search for ‘greener pastures’ is a testament to how the lack of opportunities and resources can push individuals to leave their roots behind to seek a better life.

Line by Line Meaning

Mas plantar prá dividir
But planting to divide the crops

Não faço mais isso, não.
I don't do that anymore.

Eu sou um pobre caboclo,
I am a poor farmer,

Ganho a vida na enxada.
I make a living by farming with a hoe.

O que eu colho é dividido
What I harvest is shared

Com quem não plantou nada.
With those who didn't plant anything.

Se assim continuar
If this continues

vou deixar o meu sertão,
I'll leave my homeland,

mesmos os olhos cheios d'água
Even with tears in my eyes

e com dor no coração.
And with a heavy heart.

Vou pro Rio carregar massas
I'll go to Rio to work as a laborer