It struck midnight
It was nearly midday
Xica Manicongo loosens your tongue1
My skirt whirled and your mouth moved
May the contradiction bathe us in its enchantment
Love, love
Love, love
Is a word for those who know how to appreciate it
Love, love
Love, love
Was what I felt when Exu blessed me2
She's Maria
She's Maria, Maria3
She's Maria, Maria
She's Maria, Maria
Save your body from the grief and pain4
She's Maria, Maria
Your tongue is a knife
From it, I make my perfume
I make a sacrifice of my own blood
I transition in pure blackness
Your tongue is a knife
From it, I make my perfume
I sacrifice my own blood
And transition in the dark
She's Maria
She's Maria, Maria
She's Maria, Maria
She's Maria, Maria
Save your body from the grief and pain
She's Maria, Maria
Love, love
Love, love
Don't trust just anyone
As any one could be full of hot air5
Love, love
Love, love
I loved, I wasn't loved back
Now I know my worth
1. Xica Manicongo is the name of the first travesti or transfeminine person in Brazil whose name is known to historical records. She lived in Salvador during the 16th century and is noted for having maintained her identity in defiance of the orders of local officials. Also, the verb 'destravar', translated here as 'loosen', is a kind of pun. Another way of saying what it means is 'soltar as travas'-- which can mean 'free (remove) the blockages' or something like 'free/unleash the trans-femininity'. That translate is really clunky but it's hard to translate 'trava', an abbreviation of 'travesti', straight to English. Hopefully that all makes sense.2. Exu is one of the principal spirits or deities in Afro-Brazilian religions. I don't know much first-hand, but according to what I've read, he is the messenger between gods and humans, and is a spirit of order and balance.3. I don't know if this is obvious or not, but considering the other references to female figures in Christianity that pop up in Linn's works, here she is most likely making a reference to Maria Madalena/Mary Magdalene. (Brings to mind lines from her movie 'Bixa Travesty', in which she introduces herself and says "Nice to meet you, I'm the new Eve".)4. 'Banzo', here translated as 'grief and pain', has no direct translation to English. According to online dictionaries, it refers to a state of depression/emotional and mental suffering experienced by enslaved people in colonies like Brazil, separated from their family and their homeland. Banzo is only used in reference to people who are/were enslaved, and is also often brought up in reference to hunger strikes, suicide, and abortion on plantations.5. Not entirely satisfied with how I had to translate this line... 'Falador', here translated as 'full of hot air', can mean 'talks too much, gossipy, runs their mouth and doesn't necessarily know the facts'. 'Qualquer um é falador' can mean both 'Any random person might not be trustworthy' or 'People in general talk more than they should'.