Berimbau Viola

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
Porque será
Que a viola chora

Será saudade
Da Cabinda de Luanda
Que o navio deixou pra tras
Nas águas da velha Kianda

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
Porque será
Que a viola chora

Chora lembrando
Dos tempos do cativeiro
Dos negros acorrentados
Dentro do navio negreiro

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
Porque será
Que a viola chora

Gunga tá velho
Mas ainda conta história
Viola chora
Lembrando dos tempos de outrora

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
Porque será
Que a viola chora

Chora por Bimba, Pastinha e Valdemar
Grande mestres de verdade
Que de saudade
Viola põe-se a chorar | Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
I wonder why
That viola cries

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
I wonder why
That viola cries

Is it because of longing
For the Cabinda in Luanda
That the ship left behind
In the waters of old Kianda

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
I wonder why
That viola cries

It cries remembering
The times of captivity
Of blacks in chains
Inside the slave ship

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
I wonder why
That viola cries

Gunga is old
But it still tells the story
Viola cries
Remembering the days of yore

Berimbau viola
Berimbau viola
I wonder why
That viola cries

It cries for Bimba, Pastinha and Valdemar
Great true masters
That because of the longing
Viola starts to cry |