Jesualda
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Jesualda
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De: Jorge Ben Jor
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By: Jorge Ben Jor
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Português |
English |
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Jesualda parou com o morro |
Jesualda left the hills |
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Pois ela estava no alto |
Since she was up high |
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Mas não estava por cima |
But, didn’t want to be up there |
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Moça simpática prendada ano ginasial completo |
A nice girl, gifted at a completely virginal
age. |
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Toda certinha ainda donzela |
All too certain, yet a donzela (a
kind of back hills princess) |
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Prá ninguém botar defeito |
That no one can put a fault |
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Cheia de afeto |
Full of affection |
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Desceu pra ver de perto o asfalto quente |
Came down to see up close the hot asphalt |
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Sentir a brisa e a água salgada do mar |
To feel the breeze and the salt water of the
sea |
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Molhando seu corpo delgado |
Wetting her delicate body |
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Procurou um emprego e achou |
Looked for a job and thought |
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Foi trabalhar num duplex na zona sul |
I’m going to work in a duplex in the southern
zone (an area of matchbox housing developments in 1970’s Brazil) |
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De cozinheira de forno e fogão |
Became a cook over an oven and fire |
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La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la |
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la |
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La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la |
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la |
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Na flor da idade |
In the flower of her age |
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Tão pura tão linda tão meiga |
So pure, so beautiful so sweet |
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No ponto do ônibus |
At a bus stop |
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Num domingo à tarde |
On a Sunday afternoon |
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Sua felicidade pintou |
Her happiness was painted |
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Pois um moço simpatico |
Since a nice boy |
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Que ia no seu carro meio apressado |
That came up in his car in the middle of the
street |
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Com bandeira e tudo |
With the flag and everything |
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Com bandeira e tudo ao Maracanã |
With the flag and everything to the Maracanã (a
soccer stadium) |
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No que olhou pro lado, parou |
Upon seeing her on the other side, he stopped |
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Saltou levou um papo |
Jumped out, raised the hood |
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E a linda simpática donzela ele amarrou |
And the nice, pretty donzela, he
married. |
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Hoje Jesualda é feliz |
Today Jesualda is happy |
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Casou de véu e grinalda |
Cloaked in veil and garland |
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E agora espera baby |
And now has hope baby |
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Espera baby no exterior |
Has hope baby out there |
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Espera baby no exterior |
Has hope baby out there |
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Salve simpatia |
Keep on with it (literally save the
sympathy) |
Commentary:
Notice the similarities in
Brazilian culture and that of America, revealed in this song. Jesualda is a
country girl that meets and marries a ‘hip’ city man. This song might seem kinda corny upon reading the
translation, still to me, it expresses things about Brazilian culture that are quite close to our own. The guy is an advent
soccer fan and flies the soccer stadium flag. What American can’t identify with sports mania? Jesualda is confident she can
find a better life down below in the city.
Don’t Americans travel for the same reasons. And finally she has hope, he uses the English word 'baby', as is characteristic of him. He often mixes English words in his Portuguese verse to my great annoyance. His use of English is usually out of context and difficult to effect an accurate translation, but if he likes English, and he does as many of his songs show, then let him do it.
Salve
Simpatia Jorge!