Brazilian band Banda Calypso hit track Príncipe Encantado has gone viral online 24 years after its release over a mysterious lyric line. Internet users began questioning the meaning of the unfamiliar expression mesa de quijá, prompting one of the song's writers to explain the origin of the phrase.
Songwriter Beto Caju revealed on social media on Tuesday, September 8, that the phrase resulted from a simple misreading. He explained that he had watched a movie featuring a Ouija board, a flat board bearing letters and symbols used to communicate with spirits, but misread the word before incorporating it into the lyrics.
Caju said he was staying at a friend's home in Porto de Galinhas in around 2002 when the idea took shape. Prior to the trip, he had seen the film O Jogos dos Espíritos, in which characters used a Ouija board to attempt contact with spirits and ask about future predictions. He said the concept remained stuck in his head.
Porto de Galinhas is a popular beach resort located in Pernambuco state in northeastern Brazil, famous for its natural tide pools. A Ouija board is a flat surface marked with letters and numbers, traditionally used in spiritualism and popular culture during séances or spirit games to communicate with the dead.
Composition and release
Working with a creative partner who helped construct the melody, Caju created lyrics telling the story of a woman desperate for news of her beloved who turns to the spiritual world for answers. The writers subsequently presented Príncipe Encantado to Banda Calypso, which featured lead singer Joelma and guitarist Chimbinha.
Banda Calypso was formed in Belém, Pará, in 1999 and grew to become one of the most successful musical acts in Brazil during the 2000s. Fronted by Joelma and Chimbinha, the group popularized the brega pop genre across Latin America, selling millions of albums and performing to packed crowds.
The track quickly became a massive hit upon its initial launch and established itself as one of the group's classic anthems. Caju admitted that he had never imagined the song would achieve such nationwide commercial success when it was originally written.
Resurgence and new cover
Now, 24 years after its debut, the track has resurfaced online as fans revisit its unusual lyric line. The renewed interest coincides with a brand new version recorded by popular singer Rei Vaqueiro, bringing the composition back into national attention.
Rei Vaqueiro is a prominent artist in Brazil's regional piseiro and vaquejada music scenes, which are popular dance styles originating in the country's northeastern region. His new recording has introduced Príncipe Encantado to a new generation of listeners while finally solving a long standing lyrical mystery.
