aganjú: 'cause I like to know what I'm singing all the time.

March 10, 2008 1:24 AM

Portuguese Song translation! "Aganjú" Google translate is failing me, I suppose I could try Babelfish, but I'd much rather have a native speaker translate it, as translation (particularly with respect to music and poetry) is an art, rather than a cut-and-dried process.

(Written by Carlinhos Brown)

Te esperei na lua crescer
Ví cadeira boa sentei
Espirrei na tua gripei
Por ficar ao léo resfriei

Você me agradou me acertou
Me miseravou, me aqueceu
Me rasgou a roupa e valeu
E jurou conversas de deus

Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú

Quem sabe a labuta quitar
Sabe o trabalho que dá
Batalhar o pão e trazer
Para a casa o sobreviver

Encontrei na rua a questão
Cem por cento a falta de chão
Vou rezar prá nunca perder
Essa estrutura que é você

Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú
Aganjú

posted by exlotuseater to Writing & Language (8 answers total)

I do not speak Portuguese fluently, so I cannot offer a direct translation. However, what I can offer you is this: according to the Gilberto (the songwriter), Aganjú refers to "magic and protection from Brazil."
posted by numinous at 1:41 AM on March 10, 2008

I don't know about the rest of the lyrics, but Aganju is the Portuguese word for shango (chango).
posted by milarepa at 2:53 AM on March 10, 2008

Sorry, I was wrong; usually aganju is shango's father or brother. In some stories I think the two are collapsed. At any rate, he's an orisha and I was always under the impression the song had strong devotional overtones because of this. Hopefully someone can come through with a great translation. Can't wait.
posted by milarepa at 3:04 AM on March 10, 2008

Best answer: Te esperei na lua crescer
Ví cadeira boa sentei
Espirrei na tua gripei
Por ficar ao léo resfriei

I waited for you in the growing moonlight,
Saw a good chair and sat down
I sneezed in your presence,
Getting sick from contemplation

Você me agradou me acertou
Me miseravou, me aqueceu
Me rasgou a roupa e valeu
E jurou conversas de deus

You pleased me, corrected me
Made me miserable, warmed me
Ripped off my clothes and protected me
And swore our conversations to God

This was extremely difficult to translate and, admitedly, I've not done a good job but I hope it gives you a vague idea. It's a beautiful song but sounds so crummy when I try to put it in English...
posted by Zé Pequeno at 4:11 AM on March 10, 2008

By the way, interestingly the verb 'miseravar' (meaning to finish, destroy, make miserable) was an invention of Carlinhos Brown. Google registers just ONE hit for the verb in its infinitive form.
posted by Zé Pequeno at 4:14 AM on March 10, 2008

Best answer: Hey Zé Pequeno, you forgot the rest!

Quem sabe a labuta quitar
Sabe o trabalho que dá
Batalhar o pão e trazer
Para a casa o sobreviver

He who knows how much labor pays off
Knows how much work it takes
to struggle for bread and bring
home survival

Encontrei na rua a questão
Cem por cento a falta de chão
Vou rezar prá nunca perder
Essa estrutura que é você

I found in the street the question
100% the missing ground
I'm gonna pray to never lose
this structure in my life that you are

Something like that. Tried not to translate literally but rather what its supposed to mean...I guess it doesnt sound very musical now!
posted by lucia__is__dada at 5:26 AM on March 10, 2008

So, basically it's a song about how (what I suppose is) his orixá has helped him in his life.
posted by lucia__is__dada at 5:34 AM on March 10, 2008

Yeah, sorry. Was hoping someone like you, Lucia, would come along and do the rest because I was in a class. As it happens, I think your translation far more poetic than mine! Good job ;)
posted by Zé Pequeno at 8:18 AM on March 10, 2008