Cartola – O mundo é um moinho (1976)

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Cartola
O mundo é um moinho
1976 Discos Marcus Pereira

1. O Mundo É Um Moinho
2. Minha
3. Sala De Recepção
4. Não Posso Viver Sem Ela
5. Preciso Me Encontrar
6. Peito Vazio
7. Aconteceu
8. As Rosas Não Falam
9. Sei Chorar
10. Ensaboa Mulata
11. Senhora Tentação
12. Cordas De Aço

The opening title track was written for Cartola’s daughter who left their home in Mangueira at 16 and (in the story I’ve heard, anyway) ended up working as a prostitute. It’s a classic, as is all of this record and especially ‘Sala de recepção’, ‘Aconteceu’, ‘Preciso me encontrar’, ‘As rosas não falam’… So many great songs!! Although Cartola had been instrumental to the development of samba during the 1930s and ran the most famous samba club in Rio with his wife Zica beginning in the early 60s, he did not record any material until the age of 66. This is his second album. You can read more about Cartola in a brief article at Wikipedia here, which is also where I grabbed the lyrics and a decent translation of the above mentioned track. I don’t think I really understood samba until I heard Cartola’s first two records. Ever since then, I’ve been in love with the art form. This is samba at it’s best, period.

O mundo é um moinho

Ainda é cedo, amor.
Mal começaste a conhecer a vida,
Já anuncias a hora de partida
Sem saber mesmo o rumo que irás tomar.

Preste atenção, querida,
Embora eu saiba que estás resolvida.
Em cada esquina cai um pouco tua vida.
Em pouco tempo não serás mais o que és.

Ouça-me bem, amor.
Preste atenção, o mundo é um moinho.
Vai triturar teus sonhos tão mesquinhos,
Vai reduzir as ilusões a pó.

Preste atenção, querida.
De cada amor tu herdarás só o cinismo.
Quando notares estás à beira do abismo.
Abismo que cavaste com teus pés.

Translation:

It’s still early, love.
You’ve barely started to know life,
You already announce the hour of departure
Without even knowing the direction you’ll take.

Pay attention, dear,
Although I know that you made up your mind
In each corner falls a little your life
Soon you’ll no longer be what you are.

Listen carefully, love.
Pay attention, the world is a mill.
It will grind your paltry dreams,
It will reduce your illusions to dust.

Pay attention, dear.
From each love, you’ll inherit only cynicism.
When you notice, you’re at the edge of the abyss.
Abyss you dug with your own feet.

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12 Comments

  1. just found this blog, INCREDIBLE! so many things ive been wanting to get hold of for ages…. THANK YOU!

    when i try to grab this one it says its in a private folder, can you help?

    thanks brother

  2. password:

    vibes

  3. Can this record be reupped? I can not download it.

  4. JT, all of my Cartola shares got takedown notices to I left them dead, but for you I might make an exception 😉 I'll keep you posted

  5. Beautiful, man. Had this one, loved it, lived with it, lost it, and am very happy to have it again. Thank you for the repost!

  6. Thanks for the re-up — I don't remember seeing this the first time around. Ive come to trust your tastes so much that when you say samba at its best i know i need to grab it.

  7. Thanks for the re-up — I don't remember seeing this the first time around. Ive come to trust your tastes so much that when you say samba at its best i know i need to grab it.

  8. Thank you Flabbergast. This was indeed a wonderful album. Thanks also for the translation of "O mundo é um moinho". What a heartbreaking and touching song that is.

  9. Thanks man, links still working!!! 😀

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