Caetano Veloso is one of the founders of the Tropicália movement in 70s Brazil, a great songwriter, an amazing voice, a remarkable and unique spirit. This early song shares traces of the rural roots of that country, and for me at least reflects the generational and geographic distances between the small-town “campo” families and their urban and world-hungry children.
Elis Regina was the most-loved Brazilian singer prior to her death by unnatural and self-induced causes. Check out her cover of Aguas de março by Tom Jobim, available on YouTube.
No dia em que vim-me embora
por Caetano Veloso, cantada por Elis Regina
No dia em que eu vim-me embora
Minha mãe chorava em ai
Minha irmã chorava em ui
E eu nem olhava prá trás
No dia que eu vim-me embora
Não teve nada de mais
Mala de couro forrada com pano forte e brim cáqui
Minha vó já quase morta
Minha mãe até a porta
Minha irmã até a rua
E até o porto meu pai
O qual não disse palavra durante todo o caminho
E quando eu me vi sozinha
Vi que não entendia nada
Nem de pro que eu ia indo
Nem dos sonhos que eu levava
Senti apenas que a mala de couro que eu carregava
Embora estando forrada
Fedia, cheirava mal
Afora isto ia indo, atravessando, seguindo
Nem chorando nem sorrindo
Sozinha pra Capital
Nem chorando nem sorrindo
Sozinha pra Capital
Sozinha pra Capital
Sozinha pra Capital
Sozinha pra Capital…
No Dia em que Eu Vim Embora – Elis Regina
“Look a Bird” by Lynden Weimerskirch @ DeviantArt.com
On the Day I Came Away
by Caetano Veloso, covered by Elis Regina
On the day I came away
My mother was crying: oh
My sister was crying: ay
And I never looked behind
On the day I came away
There wasn’t much to see
A leather suitcase, lined
With heavy denim and khaki
My grandmother almost passing
My mother stopped at the door
My sister hesitated at the gate
As far as the port, my father came
Who spoke not a single word
The length of my departure
And finding myself alone
I saw that he knew nothing
Of the reasons I had for going
Or the dreams I carried with me
I felt only the leather case
That I was taking with me
Although it was lined with khaki
Was moldy and foul-smelling…
Other than that I went along
Crossing over, following after
I wasn’t crying, I wasn’t smiling
Alone to the capitol
I wasn’t crying, and wasn’t smiling
Alone to the capitol
Alone to the capitol
Alone to the capitol
Alone to the capitol…
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