Gilberto Gil
Ilê ayê lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Portuguese
- Level
- Beginner
- Released
- 1977
- Genre
- Bossa Nova
- Length
- 3:11
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemos cantar pra você
That we came to sing for you
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemo mostrar pra você
That we came to show you
Somo crioulo doido, somo bem legal
We are crazy black folks, we are pretty cool
Temos cabelo duro, somo black power
We have tough hair, we are black power
Somo crioulo doido, somo bem legal
We're crazy Creoles, we're really cool
Temos cabelo duro, somo black power
We've got tough hair, we're black power
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
Because I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemos cantar pra você
That we came to sing for you
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
Because I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemos mostrar pra você
That we came to show you
Branco, se você soubesse o valor que o preto tem
White, if you only knew the worth that black has
Tu tomava banho de piche, ficava preto também
You'd bathe in tar, you'd turn black too
Ainda não te ensino a minha malandragem
I still won't teach you my cunning ways
Nem tão pouco minha filosofia
Nor my philosophy, not at all
Quem dá luz a cego, é bengala branca em Santa Luzia, ai, ai meu Deus
Who gives sight to the blind, it's a white cane in Santa Luzia, oh, oh my God
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemo mostrar pra você
That we came to show you
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
What I want to know
É o mundo negro
Is the black world
Que viemo bota pra você
That we're bringing for you
Somo crioulo doido somo bem legal
We’re crazy black folks, we’re so cool
Temo cabelo duro somo black power
We have tough hair, we’re black power
Somo crioulo doido somo bem legal
We’re crazy black folks, we’re so cool
Temo cabelo duro somo black power
We have tough hair, we’re black power
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
What I want to know
É o mundo negro
Is the black world
Que viemos cantar pra você
That we came to sing for you
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemos dançar pra você
That we came to dance for you
Branco, se você soubesse o valor que o preto tem
White, if you only knew the value that black holds
Tu tomava banho de piche, branco, ficava preto também
You took baths of tar, white, and turned black too
Eu não te ensino minha malandragem
I won't teach you my cunning ways
Nem tão pouco minha filosofia
Nor my philosophy either
Quem dá luz a cego, é bengala branca em Santa Luzia, ai, ai meu Deus
Who gives light to the blind is a white cane in Santa Luzia, oh, oh my God
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemo mostrar pra você
That we've come to show you
Que bloco é esse?
What block is this?
Que eu quero saber
That I want to know
É o mundo negro
It's the black world
Que viemo mostrar pra você
That we've come to show you
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- bloco
- blockA2
- quero
- want
- saber
- knowA1
- mundo
- worldA2
- negro
- blackA2
- viemos
- we came
- cantar
- singA1
- viemo
- we came
- mostrar
- showA2
- somo
- we are
Test yourself
How much of Ilê ayê did you catch?
A quick quiz on the key words from this song.
About this song
Gilberto Gil was a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter associated with Tropicália and other innovative trends in Brazilian music. He is known for expanding Brazilian musical language through late-1960s and 1970s recordings and for combining an active political career, including serving as Brazil’s minister of culture, with ongoing work as a recording artist.