Zé Ramalho (born José Ramalho Neto in Brejo do Cruz, Paraíba, Brazil, Octob… Read Full Bio ↴Zé Ramalho (born José Ramalho Neto in Brejo do Cruz, Paraíba, Brazil, October 03, 1949) is a Brazilian singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Zé Ramalho is also the first cousin of Elba Ramalho, a well known Brazilian singer and performer.

As with many musicians back in his younger days, he was first influenced by rock and roll; however, at the age of 20, his music took a more Northeastern Brazilian approach (forro, folk). Zé Ramalho's lyrics however, are very influenced by the socio-economic difficulties faced by the average Brazilian.

In 1975, he recorded his first album, Paêbirú along with Lula Côrtes through the label Rozenblit. Today the copies from this very rare vinyl are highly-priced in the international collector's market.

Prelúdio
Zé Ramalho Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sonho que se sonha só
É só um sonho que se sonha só
Mas sonho que se sonha junto
É realidade

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Zé Ramalho's song Prelúdio speak to the power of community and togetherness. The first line, "Sonho que se sonha só," translates to "A dream that is dreamed alone." This line emphasizes the loneliness and isolation that can come with pursuing an individual dream. The second line, "É só um sonho que se sonha só," translates to "Is just a dream that is dreamed alone." This line expresses the idea that a dream that is not shared with others is merely a fantasy, disconnected from reality.

However, the third and fourth lines offer a different perspective. "Mas sonho que se sonha junto / É realidade" translates to "But a dream that is dreamed together / Is reality." This highlights the transformative power of shared dreams and the importance of community in making those dreams a reality. When people come together to pursue a common dream, they have a better chance of achieving their goals and experiencing the tangible results of their efforts.

Overall, Zé Ramalho's lyrics in Prelúdio speak to the need for human connection and the potential for collective action to make dreams come true.

Line by Line Meaning

Sonho que se sonha só
Dreams that are dreamt alone are merely imagination.

É só um sonho que se sonha só
They are only a product of one's own thoughts, without any proof or validation.

Mas sonho que se sonha junto
Yet, when a dream is shared and experienced by many, it turns into something tangible.

É realidade
It transforms into a palpable entity that can be touched, felt, and lived in the actual world.

Contributed by Anthony Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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