Serei A [English translation]

Mermaid of the asphalt1

Queen of the moonlight

Entrust your body only to one who truly knows how to take care of it2

And wherever there is ocean, wherever you love3

Let it overflow

Bathe in the saltwater

And take me along

Freely, love me, fight me

But don't forget,

Lift up your head

No matter what happens

You have to happen

Keep navigating4

Keep navigating

Keep transporting yourself5

Keep crossing through

1. The title and first words of the song, "Serei A", are a play on words. "Sereia" means 'mermaid', and "serei a" means, more or less, "I will be her" (literally: 'serei', I will be, 'a', feminine definite object). So that first line means both "Mermaid of the asphalt" and "I will be her, the one of the asphalt".2. The phrasing in Portuguese has a little more depth... "Entrega" means 'entrust, give over, devote/give all of', and "quem possa carregar" means something like 'someone who can handle it', someone who is up to the task. So it means only share your love and body with someone who will treat you the right way, don't settle for less.3. Another play on words. "Onde há mar" means "Wherever there is ocean", and sounds exactly like "Onde amar", meaning "Wherever/whenever you love".4. "Navegar", translated here as "navigate", more often means 'to sail' or 'to pilot'. In reading this line, think of making your way through a wide-open, seemingly boundless place, like the ocean or sky.5. Not the literal translation, I had to get a little more creative here-- I couldn't find 'travecar' in a dictionary and I'm pretty sure it's an invented word using the term "tr*vec*", which is a very offensive and pejorative way of referring to travestis/transfeminine people. But here Linn is trying to turn it into a term for empowerment, being yourself in the world (or at least that's how I interpret it!).

• Artist:Linn da Quebrada
• Album:Pajubá