In reaction to the news his song topped the charts, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote to fans on Twitter: “Grateful grateful grateful grateful grateful grateful grateful to all of you, ALL of you -LMM”
The song has even become a TikTok trend which sees users performing a dance challenge to the track.
The song sees the Madrigal family tell Maribel (Stephanie Beatriz) about her uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo) and why he hasn’t been seen for years, as well as why his power of seeing the future does more harm than good.
However, there’s more to the song than meet’s the eye —or ears in this case— so here is the meaning behind the track, as well as the song’s full lyrics.
The Meaning Behind ‘Encanto’s’ “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”
Although “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” seems like it’s all about the absent uncle of the Madrigal household, it actually is more about them than it is him.
The song opens with Pepa (Carolina Gaitán) and Felix (Mauro Castillo) recounting to Mirabel how Bruno supposedly ruined their wedding day by predicting that there would be bad weather.
In the opening verses Pepa reflects on how Bruno came up to them with a “mischievous grin” and remarked on how there would be rain, prompting him to “flood” Pepa’s brain and lead her to lose control of her powers so it did just that.
These lyrics say more about Pepa than it does Bruno because she is the one with the power to control the weather, not him. It was her inability to remain calm that led to her wedding day becoming a wash-out, and he later reveals to her that he simply said it because she looked stressed enough for the weather to turn.
The next verse of the song is performed by Adassa, and her character Dolores shares how she hears Bruno “muttering and mumbling” in the house, which paves the way for the reveal that he is actually living inside its foundations.
Adassa’s performs the verse in a quiet tone which makes it hard for the audience to understand exactly what she is saying, which is not only a clever way to hide the secret that Bruno is in the house but also represent how the Madrigal family don’t often listen to her.
She also shares how Bruno felt isolated and alienated from his family because they were unable to see his visions as anything other than a burden (“Always left Abuela and the family fumbling; Grappling with prophecies they couldn’t understand”).
Rhenzy Feliz’s Camilo then delves into a verse that misinforms Mirabel about her uncle, overexaggerating his features (“seven-foot frame”), his animal friends (“Rats along his back”), and how people interpret his visions (“When he calls your name; It all fades to black”).
This verse is not an accurate description of Bruno, he is a shy, soft-spoken person who just wants to help people by telling them of his visions — but they actually only serve to make them shun him further.
Following along these lines, the song features a number of side characters telling Mirabel of their struggles because of Bruno’s predictions about their looks or pets, but actually it was just them misinterpreting remarks he made to them.
‘Encanto’s’ “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Lyrics
We don’t talk about Bruno, no, no, no! We don’t talk about Bruno… but It was my wedding day It was our wedding day We were getting ready, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky No clouds allowed in the sky Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin- Thunder!! You telling this story, or am I? I’m sorry, mi vida, go on Bruno says, “It looks like rain” Why did he tell us? In doing so, he floods my brain Abuela, get the umbrellas Married in a hurricane What a joyous day… but anyway We don’t talk about Bruno, no, no, no! We don’t talk about Bruno! Hey! Grew to live in fear of Bruno stuttering or stumbling I could always hear him sort of muttering and mumbling I associate him with the sound of falling sand, ch-ch-ch It’s a heavy lift, with a gift so humbling Always left Abuela and the family fumbling Grappling with prophecies they couldn’t understand Do you understand? A seven-foot frame Rats along his back When he calls your name It all fades to black Yeah, he sees your dreams And feasts on your screams (hey!) We don’t talk about Bruno, no, no, no! (We don’t talk about Bruno, no, no, no!) We don’t talk about Bruno (we don’t talk about Bruno!) He told me my fish would die The next day: dead! (No, no!) He told me I’d grow a gut! And just like he said… (no, no!) He said that all my hair would disappear, now look at my head (no, no! Hey!) Your fate is sealed when your prophecy is read! He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised, and someday be mine He told me that my power would grow, like the grapes that thrive on the vine Óye, Mariano’s on his way He told me that the man of my dreams would be just out of reach Betrothed to another It’s like I hear him now Hey sis, I want not a sound out of you (it’s like I can hear him now) I can hear him now Um, Bruno… Yeah, about that Bruno… I really need to know about Bruno… Gimmie the truth and the whole truth, Bruno (Isabella, your boyfriend’s here) Time for dinner! A seven-foot frame (it was my wedding day, it was our wedding day) Rats along his back (we were getting ready) When he calls your name (and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky) It all fades to black (no clouds allowed in the sky!) Yeah, he sees your dreams (Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin-) And feasts on your screams (thunder!) You telling this story, or am I? I’m sorry, mi vida, go on (óye, Mariano’s on his way) Bruno says, “It looks like rain” (a seven-foot frame, rats along his back) In doing so, he floods my brain Married in a hurricane He’s here! Don’t talk about Bruno, no! (Why did I talk about Bruno?) Not a word about Bruno I never should’ve brought up Bruno!
Encanto is available to watch on Disney+ now.
