“Take me back to Piauí” (Juca Chaves, 1972)
Source: TV Brasil, CC BY 3.0 BR <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/br/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons
Another song from the “Ainda estou aqui” (“I’m still here”) soundtrack, perhaps the one that most stood out to viewers, especially those not familiar with Brazilian music of the movie’s time period. That’s because not only does this song have an incredibly catchy rhythm and tune, but many of the words are in English in the original. Juca Chaves was as much a comedian and satirist as a musician, as seen in the cleverness of this song, which nevertheless is also a critique of the dictatorship. Juca Chaves wrote it while in exile in Paris, and the nostalgic longing for a return to (pre-dictatorship) Brazil are obvious.
There are lots of references in this song, some of which I’ve hyperlinked. Couple of other notes: “Paris tropical” is a reference to another song by Juca Chaves, written in something of a feud with Jorge Ben, in response to the latter’s “País tropical” (which will post here on Saturday, Jorge Ben’s birthday). “Simonal” and “patropi” are references to the Wilson Simonal recording of that same song.
The line about mangos in this song refers to a myth in Brazil that if you eat mangos with milk you’ll get really sick. It’s not true, but also why would you eat a mango and drink milk at the same time? (It is true that if you eat too many mangos in one sitting, it can cause stomach distress.)
“Take me back to Piauí”
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Adeus Paris tropical, adeus Brigite Bardot
O champanhe me fez mal, caviar já me enjoou
Simonal que estava certo, na razão do patropi
Eu também que sou esperto vou viver no Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Na minha terra tem Chacrinha
Que é louco como ninguém
Tem Juca, tem Teixeirinha
Tem dona Hebe também
Tem maçã, laranja e figo
Banana quem não comeu
Manga não, manga é um perigo
Quem provou quase morreu
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Mudo meu ponto de vista
Mudando de profissão
Pois a moda agora é artista
Ser júri em televisão
Tomar banho só de cuia
Comer jaca todo mês
Aleluia, aleluia vou morrer na BR-3
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (Everybody)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (Meu Deus, meu Deus)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (Take me back to Piauí)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
“Take me back to Piauí”
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Adieu Paris tropical, adieu Brigite Bardot
The champagne made me sick, I’ve had it with caviar
Simonal was right, in his patropi reasoning
Since I’m also smart, I’m going to live in Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
My land has Chacrinha
Who is crazy like nobody else
It has Juca, it has Teixeirinha
It also has dona Hebe
It has apples, oranges, and figs
Who hasn’t eaten a banana
Not mangos, mangos are dangerous
Anyone who has tried them has almost died
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
I change my point of view
Changing professions
Since the style now is artist
Being on a television jury
Taking a bath in just a gourd
Eating jackfruit every month
Hallelujah, hallelujah I’m gonna die on the BR-3
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (Everybody)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (My God, my God)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí (Take me back to Piauí)
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí
Hey hey, dee dee, take me back to Piauí