Chico Buarque
A permuta dos Santos lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Portuguese
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1990
- Genre
- Bossa Nova, Samba
- Length
- 4:01
São José de porcelana vai morar
Saint Joseph of porcelain is going to dwell
Na matriz da Imaculada Conceição
In the matrix of the Immaculate Conception
O bom José desalojado
Good Joseph, now displaced
Pode agora despertar
Can now awaken
E acudir os seus fiéis sem terra, sem trabalho e pão
And help his faithful, landless, workless, and without bread
Vai a Virgem de alabastro Conceição
Here comes the Virgin of alabaster, Conception
Na charola para a igreja do Bonfim
On the platform to the church of Bonfim
A Conceição incomodada
The Conception, troubled
Vai ouvir nossa oração
Will hear our prayer
Nos livrar da seca, da enxurrada e da estação ruim
To free us from drought, from floods, and from the bad season
Bom Jesus de luz neon sai do Bonfim
Good Jesus of neon light comes from Bonfim
Pra capela de São Carlos Barromeu
To the chapel of Saint Charles Borromeo
O bom Jesus contrariado
The good Jesus, perplexed
Deve se lembrar enfim
Must finally remember
De mandar o tempo de fartura que nos prometeu
To send the time of abundance that He promised us
Barromeu pedra-sabão vai pro altar
Borromeo, soapstone, goes to the altar
Pertencente à estrela-mãe de Nazaré
Belonging to the mother star of Nazareth
A Nazaré vai de jumento
To Nazareth, riding on a donkey
Pro mosteiro de São João
To the monastery of Saint John
E o Evangelista pra basílica de São José
And the Evangelist to the basilica of Saint Joseph
Mas se a vida mesmo assim não melhorar
But if life still doesn’t get better
Os beatos vão largar a boa fé
The saints will let go of their good faith
E as paróquias com seus santos
And the parishes with their saints
Tudo fora de lugar
Everything out of place
Santo que quiser voltar pra casa
A saint that wants to go back home
Só se for a pé
Only if it's on foot
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- fora
- outsideA1
- lugar
- placeA1
- luz
- lightA1
- ouvir
- hearA1
- pão
- breadA1
- tempo
- timeA1
- trabalho
- workA1
- tudo
- everythingA1
- prometeu
- promisedA2
- ruim
- badA2
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About this song
Chico Buarque is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, poet, novelist, and playwright associated with samba, bossa nova, and MPB. He is known for intricate harmonic work and lyrics that often engage politics and culture, including foundational recordings such as Construção and Calabar.