Songs
LEARN, PRACTICE, SING, PLAY
Songs
A NAVALHA
THE RAZOR
A RODA VAI COMEÇAR
THE RODA WILL START
AI AI AIDÊ
AI AI AIDÊ
This song is frequently directed at players who are making mistakes or generally playing sloppily in the roda.
It can also be sung as a celebration of a great game in progress.
BEIRA MAR
SEASIDE
The term beira-mar means sea-shore and the terms Ioio and Iaia are how slaves would usually refer to their masters and their masters’ children. This song gives reference to the sea-shores that often held such beauty in the northern states of Brazil and the fact that they would often belong to the slave-masters and mistresses.
BOA VIAGEM
BON VOYAGE
CAJUÊ
CASHEW TREE
Cajuê is the shortened reference to a “cajueiro”, which is the word used for a cashew tree.
CANARINHO DA ALEMANHA
GERMAN CANARY
CAPOEIRA DE SÃO SALVADOR
CAPOEIRA OF SAINT SALVADOR
DOÑA ALICE
DOÑA ALICE
This song makes reference to Doña Alice, who was one of Mestre Bimba’s wives. It is said that she happened to be one of the more jealous ones and would often be really clingy to Bimba. In relation to the roda, this song is sung when a capoeirista starts to get too grabby and maybe even a little violent, to try and hint that they need to calm they’re game down.
DOÑA MARIA COMO VAI VOCÊ
DOÑA MARIA, HOW ARE YOU?
É DA NOSSA COR
IS OF OUR COLOUR
This particular corrido was originally written by Mestre Matias from the group Brasil Capoeira and is often used by many groups when a particular regional roda becomes a bit more fast paced. The song itself expresses how the art of capoeira has its roots well tied to the Brazilians and the lyrics demonstrate initially the instruments used during the roda but the original song also gives homage to legends and grand mestres of capoeira like Mestre Bimba and Pastinha. During the roda you can also give homage to the mestres, contra-mestres or instructors that are present in your roda or even your camaradas, your friends who are sharing the axé, the positive energy with you. This is also a good opportunity to learn any capoeira vocabulary during the roda by calling out movements or particular key-words during the roda so that non-portuguese speaking students may be exposed to more of the language.
EU PISEI NA FOLHA SECA
I STEPPED ON THE DRY LEAVES
FAMÍLIA DE OURO
FAMILY OF GOLD
LA LAUÊ (RODA MARAVILHOSA)
LA LAUÊ (MARVELLOUS RODA)
“Bem-te-vi” is known as the great kiskadee, a type of passerine (perching) bird found in Northern Brazil. It literally means “good to see” as it is a beautiful bird.
LEVA MORENA, ME LEVA
TAKE ME MORENA, TAKE ME
“Morena” refers to any female who has tanned to dark skin or can be used for a girl with dark hair.
LUANDA É MEU BOI
LUANDA IS MY OX
MARINHEIRO SÓ
LONE SAILOR
OI SIM SIM SIM
OI YES YES YES
“Lampião” was the most famous bandit leader of the Cangaço, which was a form of banditry endemic to the Brazilian Northeast in the 1920s and 1930s.
PARANÁ Ê
PARANÁ Ê
POR FAVOR NÃO MALTRATE ESSE NEGO
PLEASE DON’T MISTREAT THIS NEGRO
Nego/Nega is a different form of Negro/Negra which refers to a black person. Even though it is a racial slur, in Brazilian society it is not considered offensive when used among close friends. It is an English counterpart of “dude” , “mate” or “pal”.
QUEM NÃO CONHECE O GRUPO CORDÃO DE OURO
WHO DOES NOT KNOW THE GROUP CORDÃO DE OURO
QUEM VEM LÁ SOU EU
WHO GOES THERE, IS ME
SAI SAI CATARINA
COME OUT, COME OUT, CATARINA
SOU CAPOEIRA
I’M CAPOEIRA
TEM QUE TER AXÉ
YOU MUST HAVE AXÉ
Axé means life force, aura or energy.