Happy Birthday, Daniela Mercury!
Below is my translation of the title track to Daniela Mercury’s 1992 album “O canto da cidade” (“The song of the city”). The second word of the title (“canto”) can mean “corner” (as in the edge of a room, not where streets meet) in addition to “song.” That and the fact that it sounds so much like “encanto” (“charm”) bring very pleasant subtexts and undertones to this song from the Queen of Axé.
“The song of the city”
The color of this city is me
The song of this city is mine
The color of this city is me
The song of this city is mine
The ghetto, the street, the faith
I move on foot through the beautiful city
The beat of afoxé and the strength it comes from
Nobody can explain it, it’s pretty
O true love
O you go where I go
O true love
O you go where I go
Don’t say you don’t want me
Don’t say you don’t want more
I’m the silence of the night
The morning sun
The world has a thousand twists
But there’s an end point
I’m the first one who sings
I’m carnaval
The color of this city is me
The song of this city is mine
The color of this city is me
The song of this city is mine