Acauã
Quinteto Violado Lyrics


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Acauã vive cantando
Durante o tempo de verão
No silêncio das tardes agourando
Chamando a seca pro sertão
Ai, acauã, teu canto é penoso e faz medo
Te cala, acauã
Que é pra chuva voltar cedo
Toda noite no sertão
Canta o joão corta pau
A coruja mão da lua
A peitica e o Bacurau
Canta sapo, gia e rã
Mas na tristeza da seca




Só se ouve o acauã
Acauã, acauã..

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Quinteto Violado's song Acauã describe a bird that sings during the summer, but in doing so, heralds the arrival of a dry spell in the countryside. The bird's singing is described as mournful and frightening, and the singer pleads with the Acauã to be silent so that the rain may come back soon. The lyrics speak of other animals that call out at night in the countryside, including the João Corta Pau, Coruja Mão da Lua, Peitica, Bacurau, Sapo, Gia, and Rã, but in times of drought, only the sound of the Acauã can be heard.


This song is a lament for the state of drought that plagues the countryside, where only the call of the Acauã, which is usually considered a bad omen, can be heard. The song speaks of a landscape of vast emptiness and isolation, where nature seems to be conspiring against the people who live there.


Line by Line Meaning

Acauã vive cantando
The Acauã bird sings constantly


Durante o tempo de verão
During the summer season


No silêncio das tardes agourando
Forecasting in the silence of the afternoons


Chamando a seca pro sertão
Calling for drought in the backlands


Ai, acauã, teu canto é penoso e faz medo
Oh, Acauã, your song is painful and scary


Te cala, acauã
Be quiet, Acauã


Que é pra chuva voltar cedo
So that the rain may come back soon


Toda noite no sertão
Every night in the backlands


Canta o joão corta pau
The woodpecker sings


A coruja mão da lua
The owl, moon's hand


A peitica e o Bacurau
The nightjar and the nacunda nighthawk


Canta sapo, gia e rã
The toad, the tree-frog, and the bullfrog sing


Mas na tristeza da seca
But in the sadness of the drought


Só se ouve o acauã
Only the Acauã can be heard


Acauã, acauã..
Acauã, Acauã..




Contributed by Molly H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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