Chico Buarque
Roda-Viva lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Portuguese
- Level
- Intermediate
- Genre
- MPB, Samba
- Length
- 3:54
Tem dias que a gente se sente
There are days we feel
Como quem partiu ou morreu
Like someone who left or died
A gente estancou de repente
We suddenly came to a halt
Ou foi o mundo então que cresceu
Or was it the world that grew instead
A gente quer ter voz ativa
We want to have a say
No nosso destino mandar
In commanding our fate
Mas eis que chega a roda-viva
But here comes the merry-go-round
E carrega o destino pra lá
And takes our destiny away
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, Ferris wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirlwind, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the turns of my heart
A gente vai contra a corrente
We swim against the current
Até não poder resistir
Until we can't resist anymore
Na volta do barco é que sente
It's on the way back that you feel
O quanto deixou de cumprir
How much you've left unfulfilled
Faz tempo que a gente cultiva
It's been a while since we cultivated
A mais linda roseira que há
The most beautiful rosebush there is
Mas eis que chega a roda-viva
But here comes the wheel of life
E carrega a roseira pra lá
And carries the rosebush away
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, giant wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirling wheel, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the turns of my heart
A roda da saia, a mulata
The wheel of the skirt, the mulatto girl
Não quer mais rodar, não senhor
Doesn't want to spin anymore, no sir
Não posso fazer serenata
I can't serenade
A roda de samba acabou
The samba circle has ended
A gente toma a iniciativa
We take the initiative
Viola na rua, a cantar
Guitar in the street, singing
Mas eis que chega a roda-viva
But behold, the wheel of life arrives
E carrega a viola pra lá
And takes the guitar away
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round world, giant wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirlwind, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the turns of my heart
O samba, a viola, a roseira
The samba, the guitar, the rosebush
Um dia a fogueira queimou
One day the fire burned
Foi tudo ilusão passageira
It was all a fleeting illusion
Que a brisa primeira levou
That the first breeze carried away
No peito a saudade cativa
In my heart, nostalgia captivates
Faz força pro tempo parar
Straining to make time stand still
Mas eis que chega a roda-viva
But here comes the spinning wheel of life
E carrega a saudade pra lá
And carries nostalgia away
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, giant wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirlwind, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the turns of my heart
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, giant wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirlwind, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the twists of my heart
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, Ferris wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirling winds, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the twists of my heart
Roda mundo, roda-gigante
Round the world, Ferris wheel
Rodamoinho, roda pião
Whirling winds, spinning top
O tempo rodou num instante
Time spun in an instant
Nas voltas do meu coração
In the twists of my heart
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- quanto
- how muchA1
- rua
- streetA1
- saia
- skirtA1
- senhor
- sirA1
- tempo
- timeA1
- tudo
- everythingA1
- brisa
- breezeB2
- fazer
- doB2
- ilusão
- illusionB2
- dias
- daysA2
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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.