Deus Ihe Pague
I have added a new unit to what I have dubbed the “Total Dedication to Learning Portuguese so I Can Talk to Poor Girls” called “Canta!” I have been listening to my favorite Brazilian songs and trying to memorize them and sing along. I can have a basic conversation at the store and have a pretty good vocabulary for a guy whose been here for 7 weeks but this is unbelievably difficult.
Chico Buarque, a dreamy, swoony Brazilian musician, loved by all here, is probably my favorite.
His song, Deus Ihe Pague, is the first I’ve chosen in the unit. So, I say, try it for yourself. Here’s the song and the lyrics and try and sing along.
Por esse pão pra comer, por esse chão pra dormir
A certidão pra nascer e a concessão pra sorrir
Por me deixar respirar, por me deixar existir
Deus lhe pague
Pelo prazer de chorar e pelo “estamos aí”
Pela piada no bar e o futebol pra aplaudir
Um crime pra comentar e um samba pra distrair
Deus lhe pague
Por essa praia, essa saia, pelas mulheres daqui
O amor malfeito depressa, fazer a barba e partir
Pelo domingo que é lindo, novela, missa e gibi
Deus lhe pague
Pela cachaça de graça que a gente tem que engolir
Pela fumaça, desgraça, que a gente tem que tossir
Pelos andaimes, pingentes, que a gente tem que cair
Por mais um dia, agonia, pra suportar e assistir
Pelo rangido dos dentes, pela cidade a zunir
E pelo grito demente que nos ajuda a fugir
Pela mulher carpideira pra nos louvar e cuspir
E pelas moscas-bicheiras a nos beijar e cobrir
E pela paz derradeira que enfim vai nos redimir
Deus lhe pague
As far as I can tell, it’s just listing all kinds of awesome things (the skirts of women, the beach, gulping down cachaça) and thanking god for them. But then also listing some unpleasantness. I don’t understand it. But it’s fucking beautiful. (if you’re into it, send me an email and I’ll send you the record)
If you’re lucky, Matias will translate it properly in the comments.
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Caitlin
Are you listening to Os Mutantes? That’s pretty much the only Brazilian band I know…
Sep 4th, 2008
SaintCahier
Actually it’s a very bitter song.
Yes, “deus lhe pague” means “thank you” (litterally “may god pay you”). But it is used in a very ironic sense, since most the things he is thanking for are either very basic “the bread to eat, the floor to sleep on” or not good at all “the smoke, disgrace, that we have to cough”, “the gnashing of teeth, the city noise”.
Chico Buarque is perhaps the most intellectual contemporary Brazilian composer, so you shouldn’t be surprised to find the lyrics difficult to understand, or even to sing along (he like to use non-standard metrics and complicated alliterations).
Sep 4th, 2008
Matias
Exactly, SainCahier. The general idea of the song is that “Deus lhe pague”, the standard line from panhandlers who get a few coins tossed their way, is used in two different senses.
First, the “panhandler” (most likely any brazilian blue-collar worker - a recurring theme in Chico’s repertoire, despite his own affluent background) is thanking “Brazil” (and all that entails) for the basic necessities that one would think humans are entitled to, but many never get. Food, shelter and so on, suggesting that you shouldn’t have to “receive” that as alms, but enjoy it as a basic right.
Secondly, an angrier and less subtle voice thanks the powers that be for the horrific conditions life in industrialized third-world countries imposes upon less the fortunate. Disease, alcoholism, pollution, horrible working conditions and so on.
So, no, it’s not about happy beaches and mulatas! Sorry to rain on your carnaval! :p If you want songs about beaches and pussy, forget Chico and go for Tom Jobim and the Bossa Nova dudes.
Sep 4th, 2008
j
Obviously I like it more now. The bitterness appeals to me.
Sep 4th, 2008
Josh
whenever we gchat, i listen to Tom Zé. you know, to put me on the level with you. love the new feature. now how about PHOTOS of poor brasilian ladies?
Sep 5th, 2008
sara b curtis
i miss you j beaman. before i go to sleep i write a list of the top 10 awesome moments of the day and hearing this song on repeat for 10 minutes yesterday was number 1 on my top 10. thank you for injecting my days with new sounds and stories.
Sep 6th, 2008
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