Xangai is gifted with a great voice and often teams with Elomar in song-writing and performance as in the
Xangai Canta Cantigas, Incelenças, Puluxias e Tiranas de Elomar album.
Many Xangai records have been released by the Kuarup label (in Brazil).
Meu Cariri
Xangai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quando a chuva não vem
Não fica lá ninguém
Somente Deus ajuda
Se não vier do céu
Chuva que nos acuda
Macambira morre
Xiquexique seca
Jiriti se muda
Se meu Deus der um jeito
De chover todo ano
Se acaba o desengano
A meu viver lá é certo
No meu cariri
Pode se ver de perto
Quanta boniteza
Pois a natureza
É um paraíso aberto
The lyrics of Xangai's Meu Cariri talk about the hardships faced by people living in Cariri, a region in Brazil, during times of drought. The first few lines talk about how during times when it doesn't rain, there is no one left in Cariri except for God who helps them. The lines "Se não vier do céu, Chuva que nos acuda" mean that if rain doesn't come from heaven, they are doomed.
The lyrics then highlight how the lack of rain adversely affects the vegetation in Cariri. The lines "Macambira morre, Xiquexique seca, Jiriti se muda" showcase how a lack of water leads to the death of these plants.
However, the lyrics also suggest hope and faith in God. Xangai sings that if God finds a way for it to rain every year, all their despair will end. The lines "Se meu Deus der um jeito, De chover todo ano, Se acaba o desengano, A meu viver lá é certo" mean that if God shows a way for it to rain every year, life in Cariri will become certain and their despair will end.
The song then speaks of the beauty of Cariri's nature. The region is abundant with natural beauty that is akin to paradise. The lyrics "Pode-se ver de perto, Quanta boniteza, Pois a natureza, É um paraíso aberto" reinforces this sentiment.
Line by Line Meaning
No meu cariri
In my Cariri
Quando a chuva não vem
When the rain doesn't come
Não fica lá ninguém
No one stays there
Somente Deus ajuda
Only God helps
Se não vier do céu
If it doesn't come from the sky
Chuva que nos acuda
Rain that can help us
Macambira morre
Macambira dies
Xiquexique seca
Xiquexique dries up
Jiriti se muda
Jiriti moves away
Se meu Deus der um jeito
If my God finds a way
De chover todo ano
To rain every year
Se acaba o desengano
The disillusionment will end
A meu viver lá é certo
To my life, it is certain there
No meu cariri
In my Cariri
Pode se ver de perto
One can see up close
Quanta boniteza
How much beauty
Pois a natureza
For nature
É um paraíso aberto
Is an open paradise
Contributed by Peyton T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.