Leva-me De Mim Lyrics in English by António Zambujo, Miguel Araújo
Estilhaços literally translates to "shrapnel" or "splinters". It's a powerful and dramatic word you don't hear every day, especially in a beautiful, calm ballad like this one.
In the song, António Zambujo sings about walking "entre balas e estilhaços" (between bullets and shrapnel). He uses this intense imagery as a metaphor for the chaotic and painful inner state he is desperate to escape. This striking contrast between the gentle melody and the violent lyrics makes estilhaços a truly unforgettable word.
This song is a desperate and beautiful plea for escape, not from a place, but from oneself. The singer begs someone to take them away, now, because that other person is everything they are not: "Afoito e leve como eu não sou" [Bold and light like I am not]. The destination is completely unimportant; what matters is leaving behind the person they currently are. It's a fantasy of transformation through another person.
I love the dramatic imagery he uses. He imagines being led through "balas e estilhaços" [bullets and shrapnel] as if it's a romantic adventure. The goal is to get so far away that he can finally be safe from his own self. The most powerful line for me is the final twist on the main request: "Leva-me contigo / Leva-me de mim" [Take me with you / Take me from myself]. It's a wish to be so completely absorbed by someone else's life that you forget your own.
