Foi Boto, Sinhá!

It Was Boto, Ma’am!

1) Tajápanema chorou no terreiro

Tajápanema cried in the backyard

2) E a virgem morena fugiu no costeiro.

and the virgin brunette fled in the coastal boat.

3) Foi Boto, Sinhá! Foi Boto, Sinhô!

T´was Boto, ma´am! T´was Boto, Sir!

4) Que vêio tentá e a moça levou

that has come to tempt and the girl has took

5) No tar dansará aquele dotô.

to that ball, that gentleman,

6) Foi Boto, Sinhá! Foi Boto, Sinhô!

t´was Boto, ma´am! T´was Boto, Sir!

Literal translation: Tajapanema cried in the yard, and the virgin brunette fled in a coastal boat. It was
the Boto, ma’am! It was the Boto, sir! He seduced her, and carried her to that ball, that fine
gentleman. It was the Boto, Ma’am! It was the Boto,Sir!

7) Tajápanema se pôs a chorar.

Tajapanema began to cry.

8) Quem tem filha moça é bom vigiar!

Who has daughter virgin is good to watch!

9) O Boto não dorme no fundo do rio!

The Boto doesn’t sleep at the bottom of the river!

10) Seu dom é enorme. Quem quer que o viu

His gifts are enormous. Whoever that him saw

11) Que diga, que informe se lhe resistiu.

may say it, may inform if him resisted.

Literal translation: Tajapanema began to cry. Whoever has a virgin daughter must watch over her!
The Boto never sleeps on the riverbed. His power is tremendous! Whoever has seen him, please
say, please inform if is possible to resist.

Boto is a Portuguese name given to several types of dolphin and river dolphin native to the Amazon
and the Atlantic coastlines of South America. People living in the interior of the state of Amazonas,
throughout the Amazon River Basin, believe that their daughters get pregnant as a result of the
irresistible enchantment of the botos, who have the power to transform into human form and ascend
onto dry land. (Tufano, 1993)

Source of translation, text and phonetics:

Music Doctorate Thesis by Lenine Alves dos Santos
Universidade Estadual Paulista (São Paulo State University)
Web link: http://base.repositorio.unesp.br/handle/11449/104019
Tamba-tajá Tamba-Tajá
Text: Waldemar Henrique (1905 – 1995) Translation: Lenine Santos

Tamba-tajá me faz feliz Tamba-tajá1, make me happy!

Que meu amor me queira bem May my beloved love me back.
Que seu amor seja só meu de mais ninguém May her love be only mine, and nobody else’s.
Que seja meu, todinho meu, de mais ninguém

Tamba-tajá me faz feliz Tamba-tajá, make me happy!

Assim o índio carregou sua macuxi
Para o roçado, para a guerra, para a morte
Assim carregue o nosso amor a boa sorte
Tamba-tajá me faz feliz
Que mais ninguém possa beijar o que beijei
Que mais ninguém escute aquilo que escutei
Nem possa olhar dentro dos olhos que olhei
That’s how the Indian has carried his dead
loved one
To the plantation, to war and to death.
That’s how I want you to carry my good
fortune.
Tamba-tajá, make me happy!
May nobody else kiss who I have kissed!
May nobody else hear what I have heard,
Or look into the eyes into which I have looked.

1
Plant from the Amazon region which people believe has
magical powers.
Uirapuru
Text: Waldemar Henrique
Certa vez de montaria
Eu descia um "paraná"
O caboclo que remava
Não parava de falar, ah, ah
Que caboclo falador!
Me contou do "lobisomen"
Da mãe-d'água, do tajá
Disse do juratahy
Que se ri pro luar, ah, ah
Que caboclo falador!
Que mangava de visagem
Que matou surucurú
E jurou com pavulagem
Que pegou uirapuru, ah, ah
Que caboclo tentadô
Caboclinho, meu amor
Arranja um pra mim
Ando roxa pra pegar
Unzinho assim...
O diabo foi-se embora
Não quis me dar
Vou juntar meu dinheirinho
Pra poder comprar
Mas no dia que eu comprar
O caboclo vai sofrer
Eu vou desassossegar
O seu bem querer, ah, ah
Ora deixa ele pra lá...
Well,
Uirapuru
Translation: Marcos Krieger
Once I was travelling in a dugout canoe
down a river
The man who was rowing
Did not stop talking, oh, oh
What a talker he was...
He told me about the werewolf,
About the Mother of Waters (mermaid), and the
magic-plant Tajá
He spoke about the bird Juratahy
That laughs to the moon, oh, oh
What a talker he was...
He made fun of visions
He said he killed the surucurú snake
And he swore with bravado
That he caught the elusive bird Uirapuru, oh, oh
What a temptation he was...
-- Rowing-man, my dear,
-- please find such a wren for me
-- I am dying to catch one
-- just like that...
The poor devil went away
without giving the Uirapuru to me
I will save my money
to buy one.
But, whenever I buy one,
This man will suffer,
because I shall disturb
his beloved one.
Well, let's put him aside for now…