Asa Branca – Luiz Gonzaga

08 March 2019

Asa Branca – Luiz Gonzaga

Asa Branca – Luiz Gonzaga

Written in 1947, Asa Branca is one of the most well known songs in Brazil – I’d be surprised if there’s anyone there who hasn’t heard or doesn’t recognise the unmistakable introduction. By learning this song I also learned the baião strumming on the guitar.

This song describes the devastating effects of a draught in the very arid North East of Brazil (i.e. the Sertão). Draughts are regular occurrences and were a major cause of migration of Nordestinos(people originating from the NE of Brazil) to big cities further south.

Quando oiei a terra ardendo
When I saw the ember earth
Qual fogueira de São João
Like São João’s fire
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
I asked God in heaven
Por quê tamanha judiação
Why such imense cruelty

Que braseiro, que fornaia
What a brazier, what a furnace
Nem um pé de prantação
Not a single crop left
Por farta d’água perdi meu gado
For lack of water I lost my cattle
Morreu de sede, meu alazão
Died of thirst, my horse

Inté mesmo a asa branca
Even asa branca (picazuro pigeon, white-winged dove)
Bateu asas do sertão
Flapped his wings away from the Sertão
Então eu disse, adeus Rosinha
And so I said, good bye Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração
Keep my heart safe with you

Hoje longe, muitas légua
Today far, many miles
Numa triste solidão
In sad loneliness
Espero a chuva cair de novo
I wait for the rain to fall again
Pra mim voltar pro meu sertão
So I can return to my land

Quando o verde dos teus óio
When the green of your eyes
Se espaiar na prantação
Spreads over the plantation
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu?
I assure you, don’t cry ok?
Que eu voltarei, viu, meu coração
That I will return, my beloved

This guitar version was added by yours truly to Ultimate Guitar tabs.