What does "paranaue-parana" mean?  I know it's a call in capoeira
music.  But what are the words, and do they mean something?

How about "sim-sim-sim"?

Thanks--
Apteryx

Hello.

"Paraná is a river in Brazil."
source: lyrics page, hosted by geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5380/volume1.html

"Paraná is the state and river marking the border between Brazil and
Paraguay."
source:  "Songs Lyrics," hosted by capoeirasantabarbara.com
http://www.capoeirasantabarbara.com/songs.html

Some people translate Paraná as "river," but most don't translate it
at all because it's the name of a particular river.

"Paraná é Paraná é Paraná" 
"It's the river Paraná It's the river, it's the river"
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5380/other.html

"Paranau é, Paranau é, Paraná"
"Paranau is, Paranau is, Paraná "
source: Capoeira Lyrics, hosted by geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/nyterydr21/music/lyrics/lyrics12.html

--------------------

The lyrics "sim sim sim" mean "yes yes yes."

"O sim, sim, sim--O yes, yes, yes "
source: Capoeira Lyrics, hosted by geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/nyterydr21/music/lyrics/lyrics11.html

"Oi sim sim sim  Oi yes yes yes"
source: voltaaomundo.com
http://www.voltaaomundo.com/Corridos.htm


search strategy
"paranaue parana"
"paranau e parana"
"parana is" river
"sim sim sim", "yes yes yes"

I hope this helps.

Good work, Juggler.  Thank you.  I did search this one myself, but all
I found were the words, not a translation.

A bonus answer might have given me something about *why* those are
such common Capoeira lyrics, but I didn't ask that specifically.

Apteryx

>A bonus answer might have given me something about *why* those are
>such common Capoeira lyrics, but I didn't ask that specifically.


I'm sorry that you were disappointed. If you had asked that question,
I might have tried to find something on that subject.

Best regards,
juggler