Eu quis cantar uma canção iluminada de sol
Soltei os panos sobre os mastros no are
Soltei os tigres e os leões nos quintais
Mas as pessoas na sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Mandei fazer de puro aço luminoso um punhal
Para matar o meu amor e matei
Às cinco horas na avenida central
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Mandei plantar folhas de sonhos no jardim do solar
As folhas sabem procurar pelo sol
E as raízes procurar, procurar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Essas pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer



Lyrics submitted by girlboyrevolt

Track duration: 03:40

"Panis et Circenses" as written by Caetano Emmanuel Viana Teles/moreira Veloso

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., PRETA MUSIC

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Panis Et Circenses song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:This is, clearly, about people who don't care to think.
    The title is about the roman empire story, which relates to the rest of the song as the 'people in the dining room' are satisfyied with borning and dying. They don't think. They think, but about futile things like sex, money, etc. Actually they don't care to think, they are alienated.

    the strophe which says-
    Eu quis cantar
    Minha canção iluminada de sol
    Soltei os panos sobre os mastros no ar
    Soltei os tigres e os leões nos quintais
    Mas as pessoas na sala de jantar
    São ocupadas em nascer e morrer

    and

    Mandei fazer
    De puro aço luminoso um punhal
    Para matar o meu amor e matei
    Às cinco horas na Avenida Central
    Mas as pessoas na sala de jantar
    São ocupadas em nascer e morrer

    The writter, although trying to write a intelligent song, although singing his 'canção iluminada de sol' and although 'killing his love at 5:00 in the central avenue', can't get any merit, because the people on the dining room won't think about it.
    They are all occupied in borning and dying.
    Flag cacachanelon February 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Great song.I think it's about someone looking for more interesting things in life,freedom,somethinhg out of ordinary,these kinds of things,but the government(pessoas da sala de jantar) does everything they can to make you an ordinary person,with ordinary,stupid and foolish thoughts."nascer e morrer" = "be born and die" = in my understanding,it is to be ordinary,be the kind of human being,they show in Science books.
    Flag ziggystardust93on August 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's all about searching for freedom and dreams.

    "the people in the dinning room" are conservative people, focused on family values. they don't care about living their dreams, just care about reproducing.
    Flag pablostingeron July 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:If you buy their cd Technicolor they sing most of their songs in English. It's really good. The English "translation" they sing is not a literal translation.
    Flag xogonnalovetodayxoon September 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hi,

    You can hear Os Mutante's singer their own English translation on

    "Os Mutantes (Live) - Barbican Theater, London 2006"

    social.zune.net/…
    Flag ROPon January 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:thanks Junin,
    along with the google translation, your translation was very helpful.

    Here's how google translated:

    I wanted to sing a song of sunshine illuminated
    Soltei the panels on the masts in the air
    Soltei the tigers and lions in backyards
    But people in the dining room
    They are employed in birth and death
    Mandei make a bright pure steel dagger
    To kill my love and killed
    At five o'clock in the central avenue
    But people in the dining room
    They are employed in birth and death
    Mandei plant leaves in the garden of dreams of solar
    Leaves know for by the sun
    And the roots look, look
    But people in the dining room
    These people in the dining room
    But people in the dining room
    They are employed in birth and death

    I guess "Mandei" meand "I ordered" which google missed.

    A very interesting band- I wish I could understand more portuguese, because they definitely seem to deliver some interesting lyrics from translations and the english "baby." This stuff remains relevant- "Tigers and Lions in the backyard while people are busy in the dining room getting born and dying" "Bread and Circuses" "WalMart and WWF"
    Flag foggeron January 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah jantar is the dinner verb in Portuguese.
    Flag bjorton October 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is SO fantastic
    Flag welcometothemachineon October 10, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Bread and circuses. The people don't care what nasty stuff their leaders are doing because they have their cheap entertainment or whatever.

    Look out for old clips of Os Mutantes on Brazilian TV shows and remember the military junta of the time. Then go forth and be subversive!
    Flag light vesselon August 02, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:this song is far too gorgeous for its own good.
    Flag brycec3on June 17, 2007   Link

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