I heard somewhere that this song is about a slave on the run, hiding in the forest, fearful knowing every step might be heard by the slave hunter, called Capitão do Mato (“Captain of the Jungle”).
Eu pisei na folha seca,
Ouvi fazer chuê, chuá.
Chuê, chuê, chuê, chuá,
Chorus: Ouvi fazer chuê, chuá.
Na volta que o mundo deu
Na volta que o mundo dá
Chorus: Ouvi fazer chuê, chuá.
Chuê, chuê, chuê, chuà
I stepped on a dry leaf,
I heard it go ‘chuê, chuà’
Chuê, chuê, chuê, chuà
I heard it go ‘chuê, chuà’