Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver – Capoeira Song Lyrics and English Translation

‘Tava lá no alto da ribeira, Na Bahia que e terra de muito axé, Minha mãe é uma grande lavadeira, O meu pai usa peneira, Na colheita do cafe. Eu de jangada vim pro Rio de janeiro, Vim pra ver o verão de São Tropez, Mas eu sou vim porque sou bom jangadeiro, Gosto de capoeira, Vim aqui so pra lhe ver. Fiquei de frente para o Cristo Redentor, Fiquei com fome e comi o pão de açúcar , Fui na Barra da Tijuca, só pra ver o meu amor Eu vim	I was there at the top of the shore, In Bahia, which is a land of a lot of axé, My mom is a great laundress, My father uses the sieve, In the coffee harvest. I came by raft to Rio de Janeiro, I came to see the summer of Saint Tropez, But I’m here because I’m a good raftman, I like capoeira, I came here just to see her. I faced Christ the Redeemer, I was hungry and ate the sugar loaf, I went to Barra da Tijuca, just to see my love I came
Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver	I came from Bahia to see her I came from Bahia to see her I came from Bahia to see her To see her, to see her, to see her, to see her
Pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver	To see her, to see her, to see her to see her, to see her
Pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver	To see her, to see her, to see her to see her, to see her
Se você ainda não conhece, ai meu deus tu precisa conhecer Ai Bahia terra nossa, ai de acarajé e de dendê Onde nasceu Mestre Bimba, Pastinha e Aberre Da igreja do Bonfim, do mercado modelo abaité Terra de mãe menininha, olha terra de Candomblé Mas eu vim	If you still don’t know, Oh my god you need to know Oh Bahia our land, oh of acarajé and palm oil Where Mestre Bimba, Pastinha e Aberre were born From the Bonfim church, from the Abaité Model Market Land of a little mother, look at the land of Candomblé But I came
Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Vim da Bahia pra lhe ver Pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver, pra lhe ver	I came from Bahia to see her I came from Bahia to see her I came from Bahia to see her To see her, to see her, to see her, to see her

“Her” of course refers to Capoeira. The version below sings “Vim la da Bahia”, which would be “I came there from Bahia”. Enjoy!