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Kavita Shah – Cape Verdean Blues

Artist

Kavita Shah

Lyrics

Es vida sab k nhos ta vivê Parodia dia y not manxê Sen maka ma ku sabura

Angola, Angola Oi k pov sab Ami nhos ka ta matá-m N ben ku ora pa N ba nha kaminh

Es konvivensia d’es nhos vivensia Pasiensia d’un konsequensia Resistensia d’un estravagansia

Angola, Angola…

–

This joyous life that you live Partying all day and night Without worries but full of delight

Angola, Angola Oh, such a fun-loving people Friends, please don’t kill me I came with my return time set

This experience of your lifestyle Requires patience with a consequence Resistance of an extravagance

Angola, Angola…

CREDITS Music and Lyrics by Ramiro da Rosa Mendes, © Lusafrica|Africa Nostra / Editions Bertholene / Sony Music Entertainment France (SACEM)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice, vocal percussion), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars, cavaquinho), Miroca Paris (percussion), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Se N sabia K jent nov ta morrê N ka táva amá Ningen n’es mund

Es morna E sonh d'nha esperança Ki ja konfesá-m Kma bo amor Era fals, o flor

Na dispidida Bo txorá txeu N magoa N txorá tanben

–

If I had known That young people could die I would never have loved Anybody in this world

This morna Is the dream of my hope That has already confessed to me That your love Was false, oh flower

At our farewell, You cried so much I was heartbroken I cried too

CREDITS Traditional Cape Verdean Folk Song

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

E bolaxinha e dos e sukrinha K po N ba konxê nha terra Cabo Verde Joia, kriola, strela E bo k po N ta subí na séu

E bronz na pele Kabel d’lor d’sol na Cabo Verde E noit de luar k’un moreninha kretxeu

Joia, kriola, strela E bo k po N ta subí na séu

Bo jentileza ten dusura Kria melodia y fantazia na nha spiritu Do-m bo amor fazê-m nha mund feliz Leva-m ma bo k’e pa N sinti bo kalor

Joia, kriola, strela E bo k po N ta subí na séu

–

It’s a cookie, it’s a candy, it’s a sweet That introduced me to my land of Cape Verde

Jewel, kriola, star It’s you who puts me high up in the sky

She’s got tan skin Blonde hair from the Cape Verdean sun It’s a moonlit night With a beloved moreninha

Jewel, kriola, star… It’s you who puts me high up in the sky

Your kindness is like honey It creates melody and fantasy in my spirit Give me your love, make my world a happy place Take me with you so I can feel your warmth

Jewel, kriola, star… It’s you who puts me high up in the sky

CREDITS Music and Lyrics by Gerard Charles Mendes Sequeira (Boy Gé Mendes), ©Lusafrica|Africa Nostra (SACEM)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars, ukelele), Zé Paris (bass), Miroca Paris (percussion), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Bô bem conchê nôs terra Bô bem preciá nôs morabeza Terra d’morna, se riqueza Terra d’sabura, terra d'B.Leza

Bô bem conchê nôs terra Bô bem preciá sê cultura Bô ben dsfrutá nôs amizade Terra d’Cesária, terra d'sodade

Kavita, seja bem-vindo Na nôs tirrinha Prendê vivê Moda un criolinha Cantá nôs morna Cantá-l kom amôr, Oh, moreninha!

– You came to know our land You came to appreciate our morabeza The land of morna and all its richnessThe land of delight, land of B. Leza You came to know our land

You came to appreciate our culture You greatly enjoyed our friendship Land of Cesária, land of sodade

Welcome, Kavita, To our little land Learn how to live Like a criolinha Sing our morna, Sing it with love Oh, moreninha!

CREDITS Music by Kavita Shah and Lyrics by Morgadinho, ©Kavita Shah Music (ASCAP)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Fantcha Mendes (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars, 12-string guitar), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Nh'amor e dos Nh'amor e sertu Nh'amor ta lonj Nh'amor ta pertu El ta na mim N ka ta sozinh N’es mund

Nh'amor ka so di kretxeu El e un amor d’un Kriston Ki ka kre vivê Na mei di breu Nh'amor e tudu k N ten El e amor d’un irmon K'até inda ka perdê fe

Txa-m kantá-bo nh'amor O mundo! Txa-m kanta-bo nh'amor Pa no amá

–

My love is sweet My love is certain My love is far My love is near My love is within me So I am not alone in this world

My love is not only a romantic one My love is also the love of a good soul Who doesn’t want to live In the midst of darkness My love is all that I have My love is the love of a brother Who has not yet lost his faith

Let me sing to you, my love Oh world Let me sing to you, my love So we can love each other x 2

CREDITS Music and Lyrics by Teofilo Chantre, ©Lusafrica|Africa Nostra (SACEM)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars, cavaquinho), Miroca Paris (percussion), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

(Instrumental)

CREDITS Music by Vasco Martins, © Lusafrica|Africa Nostra (SACEM)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars, cavaquinho), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Valei-me, Deus É o fim do nosso amor Perdoa, por favor Eu sei que o erro aconteceu

Mas não sei o que fez Tudo mudar de vez Onde foi que eu errei? Eu só sei que amei Que amei, que amei, que amei

Será, talvez Que minha ilusão Foi dar meu coração Com toda força Pra essa moça me fazer feliz

E o destino não quis Me ver como raiz de uma flor de lis E foi assim que eu vi Nosso amor na poeira, poeira Morto na beleza fria de Maria

E o meu jardim da vida Ressecou, morreu Do pé que brotou Maria Nem margarida nasceu x2

–

Help me, God Our love is over Forgive me, please I know I made mistakes

But I don't know what exactly made everything change all at once Where did I go wrong? I just know that I loved, and I loved, and I loved, and I loved

Could it be, perhaps That my mistake Was to give my heart to this girl with all my soul So she could make me happy

But destiny didn't want me to end up like the root of a fleur de lis So this is how I came to witness Our love turn to dust, to dust Dead in the face of Maria’s cold beauty

And the garden of my life wilted, it died And from the same root that sprouted Maria Not even a daisy flower was born x2

CREDITS Music and Lyrics by Djavan Caetano Viana (Djavan), ©Universal Music MGB Brasil Ltda. (BMI)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars), Fernando Saci (percussion), Rogério Boccato (cuica), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Un rai de luz, sentá na bo rost El lumia-m kaminh, kaminh de nha destino Amim, já N konxê flisidad O Deus, mas k pura verdad !...

Es bo odjinh, di luz sim kma prata Es bo rostinh, ta parse-m k'un santa O Cize, bo k e lus di nha vida Já N krê morrê, Si bo nega-m, querida

N dormí not, N sonhá k nha kretxeu Un sonho fliz, mas k realidad N pdi Deus, pa bo ben ser di meu Sen bo amôr, N ka ten flisidad

Es bo odjinh, di luz sim kma prata Es bo rostinh, ta parse-m k'un santa O Cize, bo k e lus di nha vida Já N krê morrê, Si bo nega-m, querida

–

A ray of light sitting upon your face It lights my way, the way to my destiny Me, I already know what happiness is Oh God, what a pure truth!

Those eyes of yours, of a silver light That face of yours, it seems to me like a saint’s Oh Cize, you are the light of my life I want to die already

If you deny me, dear I slept all night, I dreamed of my love A happy dream, happier than reality I asked God for you to be mine Without your love, I cannot have happiness

Those eyes of yours, of a silver light That face of yours, it seems to me like that of a saint Oh Cize, you are the light of my life I want to die already If you deny me, my dear

CREDITS Music by Morgadinho, © Lusafrica|Africa Nostra / Musique et Communication / Sony Music Publishing (SACEM)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitar), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Jeremy Loucas (mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Chaki ben, chaki ben Mare sathe ramawa Aavasho ki ne, aavasho ki ne

Besavane patalo, suvane khatalo Besavane patalo, suvane khatalo Odhavane pinncha apish thane, apish thane

Chaki ben…

Pehravani sari, mor pinncha vadi Pehravani sari, mor pinncha vadiGhammariyo ghagaro apish thane, apish thane

Chaki ben…

Ba nahi vadeshe, bapu nahi boleshe Ba nahi vadeshe, bapu nahi bolesheNano babo to ungi gayo, ungi gayo

Sister sparrow, sister sparrow Come and play with me Will you come or not, will you come or not Sit on the patalo, sleep on the khatalo

Sit on the patalo, sleep on the khatalo Sit on the patalo, sleep on the khatalo

And I will wrap you in feathers (if you stay)Chaki ben…

You can wear an elaborate sari made of peacock feathers And a beautiful frilly petticoat (if you stay)

Chaki ben…

Little brother has gone to sleep, Mother won’t scold us, and Father won’t bother us (if you stay)

CREDITS Traditional Indian (Gujarati) Folk Song

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice, vocal percussion, production), Maalem Hassan Benjaafar (guembri, qraqeb, voice), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars), Alune Wade (bass), Miroca Paris (percussion), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Cond bo partí um quis fcá na sossegue ma’gora nha vontád e conchê mund perdê sodad é cum crê fcá livr d’ess palavra reptid encontrob libert d’tud lembrança um ca crê sintí más parti é nha camin prendê q’tem ôtes pensar

Voltá um ta voltá un dia na nha visão tont cosa prindid um porta aberte ta fcá na nha casa ta morá sabedoria

–

When you left I wanted to remain in quietude But now my desire is to see the world To lose sodade for the one I love To be free from that much repeated word To find you free of all memories I don’t want to feel anything anymore Parting is now my path forward To learn that there are other ways of thinking

Return, I will return someday And I will behold in my sight So many things learned A door will remain open And in my house will live wisdom

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice, vocal percussion), Rufino Almeida a.k.a. Bau (acoustic guitars), Jorge Nunes (recording engineer, Le Studio Mindelo, Mindelo), Pedro Serraninho (recording engineer, Atlântico Blue Studios, Lisbon), Jeremy Loucas (mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

Ken mostra-bo es kaminh lonj? Ken mostra-bo es kaminh lonj? Es kaminh pa São Tomé

Sodade, sodade Sodade d’es nha terra, São Nicolau Se bo skrevê-m N tá skrevê-b Se bo skesê-m N tá skesê-b

Até dia ki bo voltá Sodade, sodade Sodade d’es nha terra, São Nicolau

–

Who showed you that long path Who showed you that long path That path to São Tomé?

Sodade, sodade Sodade of my land, São Nicolau

If you write me, I will write you If you forget me, I will forget you Until the day you return

Sodade, sodade Sodade of my land, São Nicolau

CREDITS Music and Lyrics by Armando Zeferino Soares/Amândo Cabral/Luis Morais, ©Lusafrica|Africa Nostra/ Editions de Bertholene / Sony Music Entertainment France (SACEM)

(Instrumental)

PERSONNEL Kavita Shah (voice), Miroca Paris (vocal percussion, percussion), Jeremy Loucas (recording, mixing & mastering engineer, Sear Sound Studios, New York)

B. LEZA was one of the greatest composers of Cape Verdean music. The use here is also a pun, because “beleza” means beauty in Kriol and Portuguese.

PATALO (Gujarati) is a tradtional stool.

KHATALO (Gujarati) is a kind of mattress that is placed on the floor to sleep. In traditional houses, the khatalos are moved around during the day, so they can be used as a couch, a napping perch, etc.

KRIOLINHA (Kriol) is a term of endearment for a Kriol woman.

MORABEZA (Kriol) describes the hospitality and welcoming nature of Cape Verdean.

MORENINHA (Kriol) is a term of endearment for a brown-skinned woman.

MORNA (Kriol) is a traditional, often melancholy ballad form inscribed by UNESCO in 2019 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

SODADE (Kriol) in Kriol or “saudade” in Portuguese conveys nostalgia but has no direct translation in English. It particularly connotes something that you cannot get back, so is especially poignant for migration stories such as this one.

English Translations by Kavita Shah

Kriol Transcriptions by Kavita Shah and Dominika Swolkien (University of Cabo Verde)

Note that “Um abraço di morabeza” and “Um porta aberte” follow a different Kriol spelling in conconcordance with the preferences of their respective authors, Morgadinho and Vasco Martins.