top of page
Elida Almeida

LYRICS

KEBRADA (2017)

LYRics Of the album "Ora Doci Ora Margos" here

DJAM ODJA (I Saw)

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Ka nhos purguntam modi ki ntxiga li

Nka sabi flau pa undi ki npasa 

Nsodadu nkorda spantadu li

Nkre volta pa kaza kaminhu sta lonji

 

Nba ta toma prendi tra um fumu

Es inxinam fazi um rolu 

N mostradu undi ta bendedu

Ma mi so ki fika pa perdedu

 

Nhos dam mo nu bai 

Nkre ba odja nha mai 

Pe dam si bensom 

Djam odja mera iluzom

 

Nhos dam mo nu bai

Nkre ba odja nha mai 

Pe dam si perdom

Djam odja mera iluzom

 

Djam odja

Djam odja

Djam odja mera iluzom 

 

Djam odja 

Djam odja

E lebam so pa perdisom

Don’t ask me how I got here

I couldn’t tell you which way I came

I fell asleep and woke with a start

I’m such a long way from home

 

I began to smoke

They taught me to roll tobacco

And showed me where to find it

But I had everything to lose

Give me your hand and let’s leave

 

I want to see my mother again

To ask for her blessing

 

It was all just an illusion

I saw

I saw

 

It was all just an illusion

I saw

I saw

It was all just perdition

DJAM ODJA

KONTAM (Tell Me)

KONTAM

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Nlibra Di Bo (I Escaped from You )

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Kruz riba nha kosta 

Es fla ntem ki karega 

Cedu pa noti dia pa manxi 

Tudu so riba mi 

 

Dios ki mandam forsa

Pam ntrau di nha kontu 

Mos ami nka pur si nau 

Nem nka kapri di pe di po

 

Nka perdeu, nau 

Nlibra di bo 

I’m told that I must carry my cross

On my back

Day and night

With all its weight

 

God gave me the strength

To remove you from my life

I can resist you

My feet are firmly on the ground

 

I didn’t lose you, no

I escaped from you

Kontam 

Mo ku ta xinti 

Tudu bes ku odjam

Ku lagua ta disprinda 

 

Nkre po flam 

Si ta pobu sabi 

Tudu bes ku odjam 

Na kantu ta salusa

 

E pa keli ku ba kasa nha mai

E pa keli ku papia ku nha pai

E pa keli ku ta brindu muntu interu 

Mo sa ta kasa 

 

E pa keli ku po bu porku na sodji 

E pa keli ku manda fola bu bodi 

E pa keli ki bu djunta mundu 

Pa fazi festa 

 

Bem bu bem flam 

Txiga li kontam 

Bem bu bem flam

Txiga li kontam

Tell me

How you feel

When you see me

In tears

 

I want to know

If it makes you happy

To see me

Crying alone

 

It was hardly worth

Going to my mother’s

Talking to my father

And announcing our wedding to the whole world

 

It was hardly worth

Slaughtering the goat

And inviting all those people

To celebrate

 

Tell me

Come and let me know

Come and tell me

All those things

Nibra di Bo

Sapatinha (Nha Mininensa) (My chilhood)

Sapatinha

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Ntem sodadi 

Kantar di galu ta kordam

Na kompasu di serenata

Di txota ku pasarinhu

 

Nta lembra kantu

Kebra djudjum tinha sustentu

Di pegam boka stangu

Pa guentam tudu jornada

 

Na kambar di sol

Ora ki galu dja deta

Ki grilu dja ronka

Sapu ta komesa pupa

 

Vizinhansa rumadu 

Di mas grandi ti pikinoti

Tobi storia dondonu

Di ti lobu ku xibinhu

 

Refrão:

Sapatinha rubera riba

Sapatinha rubera baxu

I miss the days

When I awoke at cock’s crow

To the dawn serenade

Of the little birds

 

I remember

Solid breakfasts

That filled your stomach

And set you up for the day

 

At sunset

When the cocks went to sleep

The crickets stopped chirping

And the toads began to croak

 

All the neighbors

Young and old, came together

For tales

Telling the story of the wolf and the little fox

 

Chorus:

There’s sapatinha *

All over the valley

 

* A variety of bean

Ki Ta Manda E Mi (I Make the Rules)

KI TAN E MI

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Ndexabu da um skapulu ti la

Bespa kasamentu la na kaza Ana

Npodu djuda na bolsa oleba

Po txigam kasa djuntu ku vizinhansa

 

Es dam konta di bo na sala badju

Ta trokola pe ta bai ta bem na fazi tiatu 

Homis na fila

Ta spera bes txiga 

Pa tra um pesa, da pasada trau pa ladu

 

Djo mo ta bem odju ragaladu mo xibinhu 

Pasu kentadu, sima ku debedu

Txigam pa li, ku kenha ku staba

Si di li 3 mes ntem ki si porta

 

Bu kre sigui moda

Sima na Europa

Dibaxu nha tetu

Kem ki ta manda e mi

 

Refrão:

Mi ki ta manda li

Kem ki ta manda e mi 

Mi ki ta manda li

Kem ki ta manda

 

Bu kre subi na mi

Disautorizam 

Xam nba ta lembrau ma

 

Kem ki ta manda e mi

Mi ki ta manda li

Kem ki ta manda e mi 

Mi ki ta manda li 

Kem ki ta manda

I let you run off to Anna’s

On the eve of the wedding

To help out

But I heard about what happened

 

I was told how you danced

With steps as if you were on stage

Men stood in line

Waiting their turn

To dance with you

 

Later, the wise guys will come

Demanding what’s owed them

Tell me who you were with

And what I should I expect in three months

 

You want to follow the fashion

Like in Europe

But under my roof

I make the rules

 

You want to be the boss

And defy my authority

But remember

I make the rules

Here, I make the rules

Nha Rainha (My Queen)

Nha Rainha

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Vida sacrifikadu 

Ta djobi midjor pa nos 

Juventudi perdedu 

Ma ku speransa na dios 

 

Ma manham tudu ta midjora 

Ma manham nada ka podi piora 

Bu ta vivi dretu diskansadu 

Pa bus fidju toma kontal bo 

Ma goci u tem ki odjas ta bai

 

Ma spera go n flabu um kusa 

 

Pa tudu tempu me bu mininu 

Nka ta trokau ku ninguem 

Mama dam asa dexam bua 

Ke pam podi da mudjer 

 

Pa tudu tempu bo e nha rainha 

Mudjer di nha vida 

Mama dam asa dexam bua 

Ke pam ser forti moda bo 

A life sacrificed

To give us the best

Youth lost

But with hope in God

 

But tomorrow, everything will be alright

Tomorrow, nothing will get worse

You’ll have a good, peaceful life

Your children will look after you

But for now, they have to leave

 

But let me tell you something

 

I’ll be your child forever

I’ll never change you for anyone

Mom, give me wings to fly away

So I can become a woman

 

You’ll be my queen forever

The woman of my life

Let me fly away, mom

So I can be strong like you

Forti DOR

Forti dor (Bitter Pain)

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Ar, Hernani Almeida

E komesa na mau atxegu

Npega na dal konsedju

Korasom di mai ka ta ngana

Kel amizadi la e problema

 

E atxa ma dje da omi 

Pa mas ki npapia kual ka t'obi

Nta deta noti nka tem sonu

So katxor uba korasom ba pe

 

Tudu dia ki dios po na crus

Nrecebi um kexa di nha vizinhus

Bu rapasinhu sta kabesa rixu 

Nka tem undi pega mi ke mai ke pai

 

Tudu dia ki dios po na krus

Nrecebi um kexa di nha vizinhus

Natalinu sta kabesa rixu 

Nka tem undi pega mi ke mai ke pai

 

Refrão:

Ui… forti dor

Djam nkre baba Som Martinhu tudu dia 

Ah… si ki dor ta due

Nha rapasinhu pikinoti baxu txom 

 

E debi teni fomi

E sta ku friu

E teni sedi

He began to behave badly

I gave him some advice

A mother’s heart is never wrong

That friendship will cause him problems

 

He thought he’d become a man

I could talk all I wanted, he didn’t listen to me

I couldn’t sleep at night

At the least bark, my heart raced

 

Every day that God made

The neighbors complained to me

My boy did just what he wanted

I was helpless, I was his mother and father

 

Every day that God made

The neighbors complained to me

Natalinu did just what he wanted

I was helpless, I was his mother and father

 

(chorus)

It’s a bitter pain

I’d like to go to São Martinho every day

Yes, it hurts me, this pain

My little boy is under the ground

 

He must be hungry

He’s cold

He’s thirsty

Bersu d'Oru (golden craddle)

BERSU DORU

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Ar, Hernani Almeida

Nkori traz di Manuzinhu

Ku si korneta ta bai ta pupa

Ndjuga oru ku Sema Lopi

O ki nganha el ku gaita mi ku ferinhu

 

Nxinta na ragaz di Nha Nácia 

Ki fuliam bensu ki dam konsedju

“Rapasis nobu ka sta di fiansa 

Libras bu flas odju na mar kosta pa terá”

 

(refrain:)

Ole le le

Ami n nanci na bersu d'oru 

Olelelelele

N nada na mar di faluxu

 

Nkori traz di manuzinhu

Ku si korneta ta bai ta pupa

Ndjuga oru ku Sema Lopi

O ki nganha el ku gaita mi ku ferinhu

 

Nxinta na ragaz di Nha Nácia 

Ki fuliam bensu ki dam konsedju

“Rapasis nobu ka sta di fiansa 

Libras bu flas odju na mar kosta pa terá”

 

(refrain)

 

Katxás botam rabada dodju 

E flam mininu hu ka nocenti 

Nobertu ka ta da kunfundiu

Me ta kasau ku si minin

 

Ole le le

Era so um sonhu 

Ole le le

Npensa npensa n nanci na bersu d'oru

I ran after Little Manuel

Who was heading off, blowing his trumpet

I played for gold with Sema Lopi

And I won, him with his accordion and me on the ferrinho

 

I sat in the lap of Madam Nácia

She blessed me and told me

“Don’t trust boys, speak to them

With your eyes to the sea and your back to the land”

 

Ole le le

I was born into a golden cradle

Olelelelele

I swam in a calm sea

 

Katxás gave me a strange look

Telling me I wasn’t naive

Norbertu assured me

That I would marry his son

 

Ole le le

But it was just a dream

Ole le le

I thought I’d been born into a golden cradle

GROGU KABA

GROGU KABA (The Disappearance of Rum )

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Pamo ki grogu ki ka ta kaba

Pamo taberna keta ka ta fitxa 

Pamo ki txuba ka ta kai na txom kram

Homis ta mondu bua ta kai la lugar

 

Si txuba bem Giliom korpu ta kansal

Si padja nanci kasa Djom eh lugal

Si strubom uam Txiku eh baxu si limaria

Si alambra uatxi tudu omi eh tras di si mudjer

 

Oh grogu kaba

Pa txuba bem 

 

Jacinta kexam 

Ma korpu sa ta duel 

Palu sa ta sotal

Tres bes pur dia

 

Ma kasa dja intristisi

Saku daros dja seka

Fim di mes dja pasa 

Dinheru ba so na taberna

 

Oh grogu kaba

Pa txuba bem

Why do rivers of rum flow?

Why don’t the taverns close?

Why doesn’t the rain pour down

So the men can work in the fields?

 

But if the rain falls, Giliom will be tired

If the grass grows, Djom will rent his house

If thunder rumbles, Txiku will hide away under his animals

And all the men behind their women

 

Oh rum, disappear

So the rain will fall

 

Jacinta complained to me

About her body, black and blue

From the beatings Palu gives her

Three times a day

 

The house is gloomy

The rice sack is empty

The end of the month has come and gone

All the money remains in the tavern

 

Oh rum, disappear

So the rain will fall

nkreu

N'KREU (I Want You )

Paroles & musique Carlos Moreira dos Reis – aka Manu Reis

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Eiii ebo minina dexan flabu un kuza, na modi!

Ebo minina n´gosta di bo na txada

Ebo la ebo minina dexan flabu un kuza, na modi

Ebo minina n´gosta di bo na txada

 

Hnnn… esten gana odjan dodu

Ma mi ke pilan di xareta

N´sta frontadu na mundo

Ma mi ke pilan di xareta

 

Makaku fazi quarta clasi sem bai s´kola ma kafila

Pamod e prendi so kopia moda kabra ta golopia

Mi xintadu na nka kabu es bem ku konbersu txeu Pes fazen disgosta di bo

 

Bo kin kre, bo kin kre, Bo kin kre, Bo kin kre na mundo

Bo kin kre po kaza ku mi, Bo kin kre po to konta mi

Bo kin kre, bo kin kre, Bo kin kre iaia iaia

 

N´teni fijon na tanboru

N´te kabesa di limaria Minina dja bu dan ku stangu

Dexan ba papia ku bu gentis

 

Ebo la ebo minina dexan flabu un kuza, na modi

Ebo minina n´gosta di bo na txada

Ebo la ebo minina dexan flabu un kuza, na modi

Ebo minina n´gosta di bo na txada

Hey kid, let me talk to you

Let me tell you how much I like you

Hey kid, let me tell you something

I really like you

 

They’re trying to drive me crazy

But I won’t let them

They want to push me to the limit

But I won’t break

 

You can’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs

Or a goat to leap

They came telling lies to put me off you

 

But it’s you that I want, it’s you that I want in this world

I want to marry you, I want you to take care of me

It’s you that I want

 

I have tons of beans

I have livestock, ah kid, you really caught my eye

Let me talk to your parents

 

Hey kid, let me talk to you

Let me tell you how much I like you

Hey kid, let me tell you something

I really like you

Ilia Mundu (World Island)

Lyrics & Music: Fernanda Fernandes

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Pa ka pergunta-m m’é di ki ilia

Di ki rubera, di ki kutelu mi é

 

Pa ka pergunta-m di ki kratera, di ki planaltu, di ki duna mi é

Ka pergunta-m kal é nha ilia i nha rubera, di ki baía

Pa ka pergunta-m dundi ki N ben, pa undi N anda,

(Pa ka pergunta-m…)

 

Si N kanta Brava i m’é di Maiu,

Ô Sanvisenti, ô Santanton

Si mi é di Santiagu ki N kanta Bubista,

Saninklau ô Djadi Sal, ô Djarfogu

Pa ka pergunta-m dundi ki N ben, pa undi N anda

(Pa ka pergunta-m…)

 

Si N obi fadu, si N kanta morna,

Si N badja senba, si N dansa sanba

Si N gosta di rabolu, di Kodé di Dona,

Manel di Nova ô di Anu Nobu, 

(Pa ka pergunta-m…)

 

Pa ka pergunta-m nomi di Nha Santu

Ô nomi di Nha kretxeu

(Pa ka pergunta-m…)

 

Refrão:

Nha ilia é mundu, nha tera é mar,

Sê verdi é azul

 

Nha inu é morna,

Nha bandera é pas, nha bandera é pas,

(Nha bandera é pás)

I nomi di nha Santu é Nhor Dés

Nomi di nha kretxeu é Cabo Verde!

I nomi di nha Santu é Nhor Dés

Nomi di nha Kretxeu é Cabo Verde!

Don’t ask me what island

What valley, what hillside I’m from

 

Don’t ask me what crater, plateau or dune

Don’t ask me which is my island, my basin, my bay

Don’t ask me where I come from, where I was

(No, don’t ask me)

 

If I sing of the island of Brava, I’m from Maio,

São Vicente or Santo Antão

If I’m from Santiago and I sing of Boavista,

São Nicolau, the island of Sal or Fogo

Don’t ask me where I’m from, where I was

(No, don’t ask me)

 

If I listen to fado, if I sing morna

If I dance the semba or samba

If I like rabolo, Codé Di Dona,

Manuel De Novas or Ano Nobo

(No, don’t ask me)

 

Don’t ask me the name of my saint

Or love

(No, don’t ask me)

 

My island is the world, my land is the sea,

Its green is blue

 

My anthem is morna,

My flag is peace, peace

(My flag is peace)

The name of my saint is God

The name of my love is Cabo Verde

The name of my saint is God

The name of my love is Cabo Verde

ilia mundu

Nta Fasi Kusa (I’ll Do So Many Things)

Lyrics: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida

Music: Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida - Arr. Hernani Almeida

© 2017 Africa Nostra

Nhos bai dam guentis mantenha

Nhos flas ma nhos dexam ku bida

So saudi ki ka sta mutu korenti

Ma fe na Dios otanu nta ba pa nha tera

 

Djam imbarka bidom

Djam nkumpra nha maleta

Djam manda raboka nha kasa

Es dam noba ma nha starleti dja txiga

Es otanu nha guenti 

E dentu nha tera

 

Oh nta fasi kusa

Oh nta fasi kusa

Oh nta fasi kusa

Vinti anu e ka vinti dia 

 

Oh nta fasi kusa

Ah nta pila mundu 

Oh nta fasi kusa 

Ka ninguem tadjam

Say hello to my people

Tell them I’m alive

Despite my poor health

But with the grace of God, I’ll come back

 

I’ve already loaded my container

I’ve bought my suitcases

I’ve had my house repaired

I heard my car arrived safely

Next year

I’ll be back

 

I’ll do so many things

I’ll do so many things

I’ll do so many things

Twenty years aren’t twenty days

 

I’ll do so many things

I’ll travel the world

I’ll do so many things

There’ll be nothing to find fault with

NTA FASI
  • Grey Facebook Icon
  • Grey Twitter Icon
  • Grey YouTube Icon
  • Grey Instagram Icon
bottom of page