From the recording Jatoba'
I had a farm in Brazil for 33 years, and it gradually became a natural reserve because I could not take care of it from afar, and without financial means. I always thought that the vocation of that land, in the heart of the Brazilian Cerrado, was to just go back to being a sea of trees and a haven for wildlife and become a legacy to future generations - and I wanted to preserve it. In the end, I had to let go of it, and the last thing I did while I was there, was to make this song in 2014, under the highest jatobazeiro on the land, and in it I sang the kind of love it inspires in me. The Jatobá tree is a marvel, it can grow 30 meters high, and indigenous people believe that its fruit has the power to heal and to bring wisdom, bringing balance to our desires, feelings and thoughts. When I was a little girl, I loved its strange fruit and always felt strengthened and stimulated in its presence - but I have been a tree-hugger as long I can remember. Arnaldo Freire transcribed the melody, while Dudu Sete-Cordas came up with the harmony used in this recording. Arrangement was done by Dudu Maia, who was also the sound engineer. Recorded in Brasilia, at Estudio Casa do Som - in 2015.
Lyrics
Eu vim só pra dizer que te amoDesde sempre, para sempre.Uma semente germinou e cresceuForte-forte, alto-alto, como JatobáE as raízes adentram a terraCavando da terra o gôzo da vidaQue alimenta o nosso amor.Ouvi o som da terra no rioDo barranco o canto mansoDa corredeira a nos levarCachoeira, palmeira à beiraDas águas onde o amor nasceu e voouAlto-alto, forte-forte, como Jatobá.Entre o azul do céu E o calor da terraEntre folha e raíz Corre a seiva do nosso amorDoce esquisitoFruta única
Translation:
Hear me say that I love youSince always, and forever.A seed sprouted and grewVery strong, very high, like JatobáIts roots dug into the earthBearing out the joy of lifeThat nurtures our loving.I heard the sound of the earthFrom the river bank. The mellow songOf the current took us Waterfall, palm-tree-lined pool From where love came and rose up Very high, very strong, like Jatobá.The lushness of our love flows Between the blue of the sky And the heat of the earthBetween leaf and root Strange sweetnessSingular fruit
Maguinha - vocals, Dudu Sete Cordas - 7-string-guitar, shaker, Bruno Patrício - flute, Valerinho Xavier – brushes. Arranged by Dudu Maia. Hong Kong, 2013