“Bate Coração” (Elba Ramalho, 1982)

Source: Prefeitura de Olinda, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Sometimes called the Queen of Forrô, Elba Ramalho got her start in 1968 playing drums in the all-female band “As Brasas” (“The Coals”). “Bate Coração” (“Beat Heart”) is the last track on her 4th album (of dozens), “Alegria” (“Happiness”).

Listen to the song.

“Beat, Heart”
Beat, beat, beat, heart
Inside this old chest
You’re already used to being mistreated,
To not having rights

Beat, beat, beat, heart
Don’t pay attention, let whoever wants to talk, ha!
Because what you take from this life, heart
Is the love that we have to give

Oi, tum, tum, beat, heart
Oi, tum, heart, you can beat
Oi, tum, tum, tum, beat, heart
Because I’ll die of love with great pleasure
You can beat

Water only drains into the sea
My eyes live full of water
Crying, wetting my face
From so much grief causing me heartaches
But my heart has only love, love
Release it for real to count, hey!
That’s why we struggle, suffer and cry, heart
And die every day without knowing

Oi, tum, tum, tum, beat, heart
Oi, tum, heart, you can beat
Oi, tum, tum, tum, tum beat, heart
Cuz I’ll die of love with great pleasure