Capoeira Song of the Week: Moendo Cana (Um Dia na Senzala)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 1:52PM You submit the songs. We show you the lyrics, translation, and give some phonetic spelling to help your pronunciation.
The format works like this:
The lyrics in Portuguese are in bold
The phonetic spelling for pronunciation is in italics with the STRESSED SYLLABLES IN ALL CAPITALS with syllables se-pa-ra-ted by dash-es
The English translation is in regular text
From Carolina Soares album "Música de Capoeira"...
UM DIA NA SENZALA
Quem já foi na Senzala um dia
Cane zhah foy nah sen-ZAH-lah oonh DEE-ah
Who already went to the senzala for a day
Sabe me dizer como é
SAH-bee mee dee-ZERH KOH-moo eh
Knows to tell me how it is
Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
coro: Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
Negro era escravizado
NEH-groo EH-rah es-krah-vee-SAH-dooh
The black man was enslaved
Sobre o olho do capitão
SOH-bree ooh OH-lyooh dooh kah-pii-TOWNH
On the eye of the captain (this is literal... we would say,"Under the watchful eye of the master/slavemaster")
De dia trabalhava
Deeh DEEH-ah trah-bah-LYAH-vah
By day he worked
Descalco com os pés no chão
dehs-KOW-sooh conh oos pehs noo shauwnh
Barefoot with their feet on the floor/ground
Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
coro: Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
Negro sofría na senzala
NEH-groo soh-FREE-ah nah sen-ZAH-lah
The black man suffered on the senzala
Na vista do coronel
nah VEES-tah dooh koh-roh-NEhOOH
In sight of the coronel
Onde olhava da sacada
OHN-dee oh-LYAH-vah dah sah-KAH-dah
Where he watched from the balcony/porch
Como um raio vem do ceu
KOH-mooh oonh HI-ooh vein dooh sehoo
Like a ray coming from the sky
Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
coro: Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
Mas que vida era aquela
Mighz key VEE-dah EH-rah ah-KEH-lah
But what life was that
Hoje já não existe mais
OH-zheeh zhah nowhn eh-ZIHS-tee mighz
That no longer exists today
Como era ruim ficar
KOH-mooh EH-rah hoo-EENH
How awful it was to stay
Na mira de um capataz
Nah MEE-rah dee oonh kah-pah-TIES
on the watch of the foreman/overseer
Moendo cana ê - Socando pilão
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)
Moendo cana ê - Socando pilao
Moo-EHN-dooh KAH-nah eh - soh-CAHN-dooh pii-LOWNH
Crushing sugar cane - pounding the pestle (as in mortar and pestle)