Carro de Boi

The song 'Carro de Boi' by Ronaldo Viola e João Carvalho is a poignant reflection on life, love, and the passage of time, using the metaphor of an ox cart to convey the artist's emotions. The lyrics draw a parallel between the singer's life and an old ox cart, suggesting a sense of weariness and the burden of heavy emotional cargo. The 'gemido de um cocão,' or the creaking of the cart's axle, symbolizes the artist's lament, a sound that echoes through the world, representing the pain of unappreciated efforts and unrequited love.

The song continues to explore the theme of nostalgia and the marks left by the past, much like the tracks of the cart's wheels on the ground. These imprints serve as reminders of a distant past that now only exists as memories. The artist feels like a wheel that continues to turn on the road of solitude, indicating a sense of ongoing struggle and loneliness. The repetition of the phrase 'Saudade da minha amada' emphasizes the deep longing for a beloved, which adds a layer of personal loss to the universal experience of aging and change.

In the final verses, the song confronts the inevitability of aging and the diminishing strength that comes with it. The broken and old wood of the cart that can no longer carry loads is a metaphor for the artist's own feelings of approaching the end of his journey. The 'tempo é o carreiro,' or time is the cart driver, suggests that time is in control and will eventually lead to the artist being 'encostar,' or set aside, much like the retired ox cart. This acceptance of life's cycle adds a bittersweet resignation to the song's overall tone.