“Reconvexo” (Maria Bethânia, 1989)
Source: Sebástian Freire from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Maria Bethânia is another MPB great turning 80 this year (today in fact). Not only is she not the only one of those, but amazingly, this isn’t the first song I’ve translated here whose title is “re” plus a regular word that results in a word that sounds like a real Portuguese word but isn’t! In this case, Bethânia’s brother Caetano Veloso, who wrote this song for her while he was on a trip to Rome, made up the word to parallel the Portuguese word “recôncavo” that is used to refer to the land around a bay or inlet. The word is obviously based on the word “côncavo” (which is “concave”) but is for that specific geographic usage. There is no “reconvexo” in Portuguese, but it sure seems like there should be. The real word “recôncavo” causes problems in English because we don’t have a single word for the concept. We tend to keep the Portuguese term, especially when referring to famous areas like the Recôncavo Baiano. That’s one reason I’ve opted not to translate either “recôncavo” or “reconvexo” here.
But there’s another reason that has to do with the “you” to whom this song is addressed. That refers specifically to Paulo Francis, an elitist, leftist-turned-conservative, racist, misogynist journalist who wrote about Brazil from New York, usually in a negative light and with whom Caetano had a longstanding feud. In general, this song uses cultural (mainly musical) references to counter the closed-minded view people like Francis have of the world and show the richness of Brazilian culture. “Black Rome” refers to Salvador, as does Pelô, short for Pelourinho, the center of Salvador and also the word for “pillory” because that’s where enslaved Africans were punished. Joãozinho Beija-Flor, better known as Joãosinho Trinta, was one of the greatest carnvalescos of all time. Bobô was a famous Brazilian soccer player. All of these references culminate in the last line of the song, which letras.mus.br says (my translation) is about looking at your own culture and not being able to see yourself and, therefore, being incapable of recognizing and praising the richness of others.
Check out today’s Brazuca Sounds episode for more about the wonderful Maria Bethânia!
“Reconvexo”
Eu sou a chuva que lança a areia do Saara
Sobre os automóveis de Roma
Eu sou a sereia que dança, a destemida Iara
Água e folha da Amazônia
Sou a sombra da voz da matriarca da Roma Negra
Você não me pega, você nem chega a me ver
Meu som te cega, careta, quem é você?
Que não sentiu o suingue de Henri Salvador
Que não seguiu o Olodum balançando o Pelô
E que não riu com a risada de Andy Warhol
Que não, que não, e nem disse que não
Eu sou o preto norte-americano forte
Com um brinco de ouro na orelha
Eu sou a flor da primeira música a mais velha
Mais nova espada e seu corte
Eu sou o cheiro dos livros desesperados, sou Gita Gogoya
Seu olho me olha, mas não me pode alcançar
Não tenho escolha, careta, vou descartar
Quem não rezou a novena de Dona Canô
Quem não seguiu o mendigo Joãozinho Beija-Flor
Quem não amou elegância sutil de Bobô
Quem não é recôncavo e nem pode ser reconvexo
“Reconvexo”
I am the rain that launches the Sahara sand
Onto the automobiles of Rome
I am the siren who dances, the fearless Iara
Water and leaf of the Amazon
I am the shadow of the voice of the matriarch of Black Rome
You can’t catch me, you don’t even manage to see me
My sound blinds you, old man, who are you?
Who hasn’t felt the swing of Henri Salvador
Who hasn’t followed Olodum shaking the Pelô
And who hasn’t laughed with Andy Warhol’s laughter
Who hasn’t, who hasn’t, and hasn’t even said he hasn’t
I am the strong North American Black man
With a gold earring in his ear
I am the flower of the first music the oldest
A newer sword and their court
I am the smell of desperate books, I’m Gita Gogoya
Your eye looks at me, but can’t reach me
I have no choice, old man, I’m gonna throw out
Anyone who hasn’t prayed the novena of Dona Canô
Anyone who hasn’t followed the tramp Joãozinho Beija-Flor
Anyone who hasn’t loved the subtle elegance of Bobô
Anyone who isn’t recôncavo and can’t be reconvexo either