O Mestre Sala Dos Mares Lyrics in English Elis Regina
Below, I translated the lyrics of the song O Mestre Sala Dos Mares by Elis Regina from Portuguese to English.
H muito tempo nas guas da Guanabara
Long ago in the waters of Guanabara
O drago do mar reapareceu
The sea dragon reappeared
Na figura de um bravo feiticeiro
In the figure of a brave sorcerer
A quem a histria nao esqueceu
Whom history didn't forget
Conhecido como o navegante negro
Known as the Black Navigator
Tinha a dignidade de um mestre-sala
He had the dignity of a mestre-sala
E ao acenar pelo mar na alegria das regatas
And waving across the sea in the joy of the regattas
Foi saudado no porto
He was greeted at the port
Pelas mocinhas francesas
By the French girls
Jovens polacas e por batalhoes de mulatas
Young Polish women and by battalions of mulatas
Rubras cascatas
Crimson cascades
Jorravam das costas dos santos
Gushed from the backs of the saints
Entre cantos e chibatas
Amidst songs and whips
Inundando o coracao do pessoal do porao
Flooding the hearts of the people in the hold
Que a exemplo do feiticeiro gritava entao
Who, like the sorcerer, then shouted
Glria aos piratas, s mulatas, s sereias
Glory to the pirates, to the mulatas, to the mermaids
Glria farofa, cachaca, s baleias
Glory to farofa, cachaça, to the whales
Glria a todas as lutas inglrias
Glory to all inglorious struggles
Que atravs da nossa histria
That throughout our history
Nao esquecemos jamais
We never forget
Salve o navegante negro
Hail the Black Navigator
Que tem por monumento as pedras pisadas do cais
Who has the trodden stones of the pier as a monument
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Aldir Blanc Mendes, Joao Bosco De Freitas Mucci
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mestre-sala — master of ceremonies / lead dancer
Mestre-sala literally translates to "master of ceremonies" or "lead dancer," specifically referring to the male dancer who leads the flag-bearer (porta-bandeira) in a samba school parade during Carnival.
In the song, it's used to describe João Cândido, the "Black Admiral," who led the Revolt of the Lash. The lyrics say he had "a dignidade de um mestre-sala" (the dignity of a mestre-sala), elevating his historical figure to a symbol of grace, leadership, and cultural significance, making it a unique and evocative word choice.
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