As the composer of over 400 songs, including the classics "Samba, Agoniza M… Read Full Bio ↴As the composer of over 400 songs, including the classics "Samba, Agoniza Mas Não Morre" (recorded by Beth Carvalho in 1978) and "Cântico à Natureza/Quatro Estações do Ano" ("Primavera"), Nelson Sargento is associated with the history of samba beginning in 1934 when he was parading at the Azul e Branco samba school at the age of ten. He was a member of A Voz do Morro, recording albums with Paulinho da Viola, Zé Kéti, Elton Medeiros, Jair da Costa, Anescarzinho, and José da Cruz. He also wrote anthological sambas with Cartola, Carlos Cachaça, Daniel Gonzaga, and Darcy da Mangueira, having had success with "Nas Asas da Canção" (with Ivone Lara), "Falso Amor Sincero," "Vai Dizer a Ela" (with Carlos Marreta), and "Idioma Esquisito." His first samba-enredo was "Rio São Francisco" (with Alfredo Português in 1948), for Mangueira. His "Cântico à Natureza" (samba-enredo considered one of the ten best-ever presented by Mangueira; was co-written with his stepfather Alfredo Português and Jamelão) was presented by Mangueira at the Carnival of 1955 and received second place in the competition; the song was recorded by Jamelão and earned success. Sargento participated in historic shows with Rosa de Ouro (1965) and was also a part of the Os Cinco Crioulos, recording albums with both groups. The international career of this wallpainter began in 1990 when he went to Japan for the first time, having also recorded and released albums in that country. Sargento, a primitivist painter who has realized several individual exhibitions, also wrote books (Prisioneiro do Mundo and Um certo Geraldo Pereira) and acted in movies (O Primeiro Dia, by Walter Salles/Daniela Thomas; the awarded documentary Nelson Sargento da Mangueira, by Estevão Pantoja; and Orfeu do Carnaval, by Cacá Diegues, among others). ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide

Encanto Da Paisagem
Nelson Sargento Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Morro, és o encanto da paisagem
Suntuoso personagem de rudimentar beleza
Morro, progresso lento e primário
És imponente no cenário
Inspiração da natureza
Na topografia da cidade
Com toda simplicidade, és chamado de elevação
Vielas, becos e buracos

Choupanas, tendinhas, barracos
Sem discriminação

Morro, pés descalços na ladeira
Lata d'água na cabeça
Vida rude alvissareira
Crianças sem futuro e sem escola
Se não der sorte na bola
Vai sofrer a vida inteira
Morro, o teu samba foi minado
Ficou tão sofisticado, já não é tradicional

Morro, és lindo quando o sol desponta
E as mazelas vão por conta do desajuste social

Overall Meaning

In Nelson Sargento's song "Encanto Da Paisagem," the singer sings about the beauty and complexity of a hill in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He describes the hill as a character of "rudimentary beauty" that inspires nature and is an important feature of the city's topography, despite being called a mere "elevation." The hill is home to a diverse group of people, including those who live in shacks and small shops, all coexisting without discrimination.

However, the song also touches on the harsh realities for those living on the hill. The impoverished residents struggle to provide for themselves and their children, and without luck or skill, they may struggle their entire lives. Despite these struggles, the hill is described as "lindo" or beautiful when the sun shines, and the singer attributes the hardships to "desajuste social" or social inequality.

Line by Line Meaning

Morro, és o encanto da paisagem
The hill, you are the charm of the scenery.

Suntuoso personagem de rudimentar beleza
Sumptuous character of rudimentary beauty.

Morro, progresso lento e primário
Hill, slow and primary progress.

És imponente no cenário
You are imposing in the scenery.

Inspiração da natureza
Inspiration from nature.

Na topografia da cidade
In the topography of the city.

Com toda simplicidade, és chamado de elevação
With all simplicity, you are called elevation.

Vielas, becos e buracos
Alleys, alleys, and holes.

Choupanas, tendinhas, barracos
Huts, small shops, and shacks.

Sem discriminação
Without discrimination.

Morro, pés descalços na ladeira
Hill, bare feet on the slope.