Canarinha da Alemanha
This traditional capoeira song uses rich bird metaphors to tell a story of rivalry, loss, and coastal capoeira tradition spanning from Bahia to Maceió.
Key Terms in the Song
Before diving into the lyrics, it helps to understand a few key terms and metaphors used throughout the song:
Canarinho da Alemanha: Refers to the "German Canary" (or Atlantic Canary), known for its bright yellow feathers and sharp, distinct song. In capoeira, birds are traditional metaphors for capoeiristas, singers, or players.
Curió: A native Brazilian songbird highly prized for its sweet, rapid, and complex melodic song. The question "Quem matou meu curió?" ("Who killed my curió?") mourns the loss of a great singer or player in the community.
Maceió: The capital city of Alagoas state on Brazil's northeastern coast. Mentioning "Da Bahia a Maceió" highlights the spread and shared culture of capoeira along the coastline.
Clarão de Sol: Refers to a burst of sunlight or intense brightness, symbolizing clarity, truth, or enlightenment revealed in the roda.
There is one main chorus to this song:
Canarinho da Alemanha, quem matou meu curió?
This translates to the following:
Little canary from Germany, who killed my curió?
Song Variations
In many rodas, there are popular call-and-response variations where the solo singer introduces specific call lines, followed by the chorus responding. Some common variation lines you will hear sung in the roda include:
"Ó canário, quem matou, quem matou meu curió?" ("Oh canary, who killed, who killed my curió?")
"Quem matou, quem matou meu curió?" ("Who killed, who killed my curió?")
| Letras | Lyrics |
|---|---|
| Canarinho da Alemanha | Little canary from Germany |
| Quem matou meu curió? | Who killed my curió? |
| Canarinho da Alemanha | Little canary from Germany |
| Quem matou meu curió? | Who killed my curió? |
| (Coro) | (Chorus) |
| Eu jogo capoeira | I play capoeira |
| Da Bahia a Maceió | From Bahia to Maceió |
| (Coro) | (Chorus) |
| O segredo da lua | The secret of the moon |
| Quem sabe é o clarão do sol | The one who knows is the sunlight |
| (Coro) | (Chorus) |
Interested in learning more about capoeira? Check out our other blog posts here.
