Jere
“Jere” is a thought-provoking song about generational poverty, inherited hardship, parenthood, and the courage to break cycles of suffering. Using a brightly painted carousel as its central metaphor, the song portrays generations of people who continue riding the same wheel, believing each new turn will lead them somewhere better, even though the carousel never moves forward.
The lyrics question the responsibility of bringing children into a world where parents struggle to provide for themselves. The song distinguishes between love and material readiness, suggesting that affection alone cannot overcome the economic and social conditions that perpetuate hardship.
The carousel represents inherited patterns that continue because each generation follows the one before it without questioning whether the journey leads anywhere. The song challenges listeners to examine these patterns before passing them on to their children.
Drawing on the Guarani concept of Yvy marã e'ỹ, the Land Without Evil, the song introduces the possibility of finding a different path through conscious action rather than passively waiting for circumstances to change.
At its heart, “Jere” is a call to question inherited expectations, take responsibility for the future, and recognize that genuine progress sometimes requires abandoning familiar traditions.
The song's message: Love may give us a reason to keep going, but love alone cannot change the direction of a wheel that never moves. To give the next generation a different future, we must first find the courage to step off the carousel and choose a new path.
ZSORAYII's song cover "Jere" of ZSORAYII wearing a flowing ivory dress and gold jewelry, steps away from a brightly illuminated carousel filled with families and children. The carousel displays the words “JERE JERE JERE” and “SAME BELL SAME HORSE SAME PAIN.” A sign beside a winding path reads “NO MORE JERE GUATA A NEW TOMORROW.” Under a starry sky and full moon, ZSORAYII walks toward the sunrise, symbolizing a choice to break inherited cycles and create a different future.
Round and round the painted horse dey go,
bright light dey shine but the ground no dey move,
bell dey ring like say e dey call you home,
but home na the same seat wey you never leave.
Dem give you name before dem give you plate,
dem give you cradle before dem check the weight,
every generation dey climb for the ride,
dey think say this time the wheel go finally decide
to let dem comot for somewhere new.
A roda lembra de toda mão,
antes de subir, entenda,
o que você não pode carregar,
você não pode passar pra mãos menores.
Jere, jere, jere,
round we go and round again,
jere, jere, jere,
same bell, same painted horse, same pain,
before you build another rider,
ask if the ground beneath you's real,
jere, jere, jere.
O carrossel não pergunta se você está pronto,
só precisa de mais um par de mãos,
o pai vende as próprias mãos antes do sol nascer,
e volta pra casa com uma boca que não pode encher.
O amor nunca foi a peça que faltava,
o amor era só o bilhete que te fez subir,
a roda nunca perguntou se você tava pronto,
só precisava de outro corpo pra seguir.
Jere, jere, jere,
round we go and round again,
jere, jere, jere,
same bell, same painted horse, same pain,
before you build another rider,
ask if the ground beneath you's real,
jere, jere, jere.
Jere, jere,
guata, guata,
jere, jere,
guata, guata.
Yvy marã e'ỹ,
na land wey no get evil inside,
dem no reach am through dying,
na waka dem waka reach am, dem no fit ride.
Somebody must comot from the ride,
somebody must stop the bell,
no be say the music sweet no reach,
na say sweet no mean say the road well.
No more jere, jere, jere,
we choose the ground we're standing on,
no more jere, jere, jere,
before we build, we ask what's strong,
Yvy marã e'ỹ,
guata, guata,
we're walking now, we're walking on.
The bell still rings behind us,
mas não vamos voltar,
Yvy marã e'ỹ.