Aguas de Março , (les eaux de Mars) Antonio Carlos Jobim

[Jean Pierre]

Águas de Março is a Brazilian song written in 1972 by Antônio Carlos Jobim. It has been covered many times in Brazil and around the world.
The lyrics are originally in Brazilian Portuguese, and several adaptations have been made, notably in English (by Jobim himself), or in French (by Georges Moustaki, with the help of Jobim).
It's a difficult song in terms of samba chords but also in terms of the text, which in both Brazilian and French does not contain a narrative, but an enumeration of images, by means of an anaphora (repetition of the verbal group "É", which means "it's").

la version est en français (Georges Moustaki) , I put in lyrics screen the lyrics in french and english

FRENCH LYRICS:Un pas, une pierre, un chemin qui chemine
Un reste de racine, c'est un peu solitaire
C'est un éclat de verre, c'est la vie, le soleil
C'est la mort, le sommeil, c'est un piège entrouvert
Un arbre millénaire, un nœud dans le bois
C'est un chien qui aboie, c'est un oiseau dans l'air
C'est un tronc qui pourrit, c'est la neige qui fond
Le mystère profond, la promesse de vie
C'est le souffle du vent au sommet des collines
C'est une vieille ruine, le vide, le néant
C'est la pie qui jacasse, c'est l'averse qui verse
Des torrents d'allégresse, ce sont les eaux de Mars
C'est le pied qui avance à pas sûr, à pas lent
C'est la main qui se tend, c'est la pierre qu'on lance
C'est un trou dans la terre, un chemin qui chemine
Un reste de racine, c'est un peu solitaire
C'est un oiseau dans l'air, un oiseau qui se pose
Le jardin qu'on arrose, une source d'eau claire
Une écharde, un clou, c'est la fièvre qui monte
C'est un compte à bon compte, c'est un peu rien du tout
Un poisson, un geste, c'est comme du vif argent
C'est tout ce qu'on attend, c'est tout ce qui nous reste
C'est du bois, c'est un jour le bout du quai
Un alcool trafiqué, le chemin le plus court
C'est le cri d'un hibou, un corps ensommeillé
La voiture rouillée, c'est la boue, c'est la boue
Un pas, un pont, un crapaud qui croasse
C'est un chaland qui passe, c'est un bel horizon
C'est la saison des pluies, c'est la fonte des glaces
Ce sont les eaux de Mars, la promesse de vie
Une pierre, un bâton, c'est Joseph et c'est Jacques
Un serpent qui attaque, une entaille au talon
Un pas, une pierre, un chemin qui chemine
Un reste de racine, c'est un peu solitaire
C'est l'hiver qui s'efface, la fin d'une saison
C'est la neige qui fond, ce sont les eaux de Mars
La promesse de vie, le mystère profond
Ce sont les eaux de Mars dans ton cœur tout au fond
Un pas, une... pedra é o fim do caminho
E um resto de toco, é um pouco sozinho ...
Un pas, une pierre, un chemin qui chemine
Un reste de racine, c'est un peu solitaire..
ENGLISH LYRICS
Waters of March
Art Garfunkel
A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun
The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
The nod of the wood, the song of a thrush
The wood of the wing, a cliff, a fall
A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all
It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of a slope
It's a bean, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope
And the riverbank talks of the Waters of March
It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart
The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The beat of the road, a sling-shot stone
In a truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The shot of a gun in the dead of the night
A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump
It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps
The plan of the house, the body in bed
And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
A cock, a quail, the promise of spring
And the riverbank talks of the Waters of March
It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart
A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night
A pin, a needle, a sting, a pain
A snail, a riddle, a wasp, a stain
A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
And the riverbank talks of the Waters of March
It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart
A stick, a stone, the end of the load
The rest of a stump, a lonesome road
A sliver of glass, a life, the sun
A night, a death, the end of the run
And the riverbank talks of the Waters of March
It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart

NEW VERSE WITH THIS VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp4lju_KOvI

[Ferryman]

This is an intriguing song JP, I've never heard anything like it. It sounds quite hard to play, you did an admirable job here and it made for an interesting listen for me. The combination of your vocals and guitar works really well.

You always bring some interesting and different music to this site for me which takes me outside my usual listening zone.

[Flash Harry]

It's great to hear you singing in French, and what a lovely song, the guitar chord progression sounds quite a handful, I'm sure that's a bit of slap bass in there too.

Fantastic, I think we need more of this!

[Jean Pierre]

Thank you Nigel,and Mike c'est très gentil

which in both Brazilian and French does not contain a narrative, but an enumeration of images, by means of an anaphora (repetition of the verbal group "É", which means "it's").

I'm going back to the explanation of the anaphora.
"E" is in the original Portuguese/Brazilian version.

but the structure is the same in the French version with "C'est" instead of "E".
It should be noted that the form of the anaphora has also been kept in the English version of Paul Simon with an enumeration that begins each sentence with "It's".

Here are the brasilain lyrics

É o pau, é a pedra, é o fim do caminho
É um resto de toco, é um pouco sozinho
É um caco de vidro, é a vida, é o sol
É a noite, é a morte, é um laço, é o anzol
É peroba no campo, é o nó da madeira
Caingá candeia, é o matita-pereira
É madeira de vento, tombo da ribanceira
É o mistério profundo, é o queira ou não queira
É o vento vetando, é o fim da ladeira
É a viga, é o vão, festa da ciumeira
É a chuva chovendo, é conversa ribeira
Das águas de março, é o fim da canseira
É o pé, é o chão, é a marcha estradeira
Passarinho na mão, pedra de a tiradeira
É uma ave no céu, é uma ave no chão
É um regato, é uma fonte, é um pedaço de pão
É o fundo do poço, é o fim do caminho
No rosto um desgosto, é um pouco sozinho
É um estepe, é um prego, é uma conta, é um conto
É um...

Technical note
the best tutorial I've found to learn and play this bossa is done HERE on youtube
in 4 lessons with tablature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsMXwpCUE_s&list=RDXsMXwpCUE_s&start_radio=1&t=1

I had a lot of trouble with the rhythm and the chords...
I wanted to add a bass in tapping but there are some inaccuracies in the rhythm (the bass notes are played on the off-beat or low tempo but basta! I was lazy enough to correct it! 

[alfstone]

Great cover of a great classic! 

Alfredo

[Jean Pierre]

Code Select Expand

I'm sure that's a bit of slap bass in there too.
Yes Mike
I tried to make a bass line in taping/slap with my Precision Bass HB , not easy as it is a note on the opposite time of times 2 and 4, there are some "pains" (French "breads" to say in music wrong note or rhythm error)  but basta! ( Italian interjection to say that's enough!, ... isn't that Alfredo

[danthecoat]

This is lovely. I would never have got to hear this song if not for your beautiful cover so thank you for this and the music 

[Greeny]

Beautiful and blissful. I really like this kind of music, and you perform it wonderfully.

[chapperz66]

Brilliant rendition JP.  Love a bit of bossa.

Paul Chapman

[Hook]

Marvelous.
Bossa on!