Canto de Ossanha

Song Meaning

The lyrics introduce Ossanha as a powerful, mysterious deity of Candomblé, deeply connected to herbs and the "alchemy of love." This sets up a central tension: the allure of Ossanha's power, particularly in matters of love, versus a profound wariness of its consequences. The repeated calls of "Vai!" (Go!) are met with "Não Vou!" (I won't!), highlighting a struggle between succumbing to desire and resisting potential heartbreak. The song suggests that true power lies not in pronouncements like "I give," "I go," or "I am," but in actions that are unspoken and self-evident, contrasting the boastful with the genuinely potent. This dynamic is further emphasized by the dialogue, where one voice urges forward into the realm of Ossanha's influence, while the other resists, fearing manipulation and regret. The lyrics explicitly state that "the man who falls / Into the song of treacherous Ossanha! / The man who goes / After love magic" will "greatly regret it." This paints a picture of love magic as a dangerous trap, promising fulfillment but delivering sorrow. The core of the song's effectiveness lies in its rhythmic call-and-response and the stark contrasts it draws. The insistent "Vai!" is repeatedly countered by the firm "Não Vou!" and later by specific actions like "Amar!" (To love!), "Sofrer!" (To suffer!), and "Chorar!" (To cry!). This creates a palpable sense of internal conflict. The narrator ultimately declares they won't engage in "talk of forgetting / The sadness of a love / That passed," indicating a refusal to seek superficial remedies for past pain. Instead, the narrator expresses a desire only "to see / A star appear / In the morning of a new love." This hopeful, yet cautious, stance suggests that genuine new love, rather than magical intervention, is the true path forward. The final lines, particularly the assertion that "love is only good if it hurts," delivered as a message from Xangô, add a layer of fatalistic wisdom, implying that deep love inherently involves pain, a truth that Ossanha's "treacherous" magic might distort or exploit.