“Aquarela Brasileira” (Martinho da Vila, 1975)
Carnaval 2026 is in full swing, culminating on Fat Tuesday tomorrow when Leandro at Brazuca Sounds will release an episode about this song. This samba celebrating all of Brazil is consistently ranked as one of the best Brazilian songs of all time. The title is a nod to the seminal classic “Aquarela do Brasil” by Ary Barroso and in the lyrics deep-dive references to local culture and geography abound. Enjoy!
“Aquarela Brasileira”
Vejam esta maravilha de cenário
É um episódio relicário
Que o artista, num sonho genial
Escolheu para este carnaval
E o asfalto como passarela será a tela
Do Brasil em forma de aquarela
Passeando pelas cercanias do Amazonas
Conheci vastos seringais
No Pará, a Ilha de Marajó
E a velha cabana do Timbó
Caminhando ainda um pouco mais
Deparei com lindos coqueirais
Estava no Ceará, terra de Irapuã
De Iracema e Tupã
Fiquei radiante de alegria
Quando cheguei na Bahia
Bahia de Castro Alves, do acarajé
Das noites de magia, do Candomblé
Depois de atravessar as matas do Ipu
Assisti, em Pernambuco, à festa do frevo e do maracatu
Brasília tem o seu destaque
Na arte, na beleza e arquitetura
Feitiço de garoa pela serra
São Paulo engrandece a nossa terra
Do Leste, por todo Centro-Oeste
Tudo é belo e tem lindo matiz
E o Rio dos sambas e batucadas
Dos malandros e mulatas
De requebros febris
Brasil, estas nossas verdes matas
Cachoeiras e cascatas de colorido sutil
E este lindo céu azul de anil
Emolduram, aquarelam meu Brasil
“Brazilian Watercolor”
Look at this wonderful scenery
It’s a living shrine
That the artist, in a fabulous dream
Chose for this carnaval
And the asphalt like a runway will be the canvas
For Brazil as a watercolor
Wandering through the outskirts of Amazonas
I saw vast rubber plantations
In Pará, the island of Marajó
And Timbó’s old hut (1)
Walking still a little further
I came upon beautiful coconut groves
I was in Ceará, land of Irapuã (2)
Of Iracema and Tupã (3)
I became radiant with happiness
When I arrived in Bahia
The Bahia of Castro Alves, of acarajé
Of magic nights, of Candomblé
After crossing the woods of Ipu
In Pernambuco I joined festivals for frevo and maracatu
Brasília has its distinctions
In art, in beauty and architecture
Charm of the drizzle in the mountains
São Paulo ennobles our land
From the East, throughout the Center-West
Everything is beautiful with lovely hue
And the Rio of sambas and batucadas
Of malandros and brown skin
Of feverish swaying
Brazil, these green forests of ours
Cascades and waterfalls of subtle color
And this beautiful indigo blue sky
Frame, watercolor my Brazil
(1) The “cabana do Timbó” is a legend from the state of Pará about an old sorcerer on Marajó island.
(2) Irapuã (or Irapuá) is a tiny village in the interior of the state of Ceará
(3) Tupã represents thunder in Tupi-Guarani mythology.