Alcione (Alcione Nazaré, São Luís, Maranhão, November 21, 1947) also known … Read Full Bio ↴Alcione (Alcione Nazaré, São Luís, Maranhão, November 21, 1947) also known as Marrom (brownie) is one of the most successful female sambists in Brazil who first claimed international recognition in the late 1970s, and has had 19 gold records and two platinum records.

Alcione was introduced to the traditional Brazilian music by her father. He was a military musician who worked as the conductor of the corps marching band. At the age of thirteen, she was already able to give vocal performance in college parties. At this same age, she began to study clarinet, and then learnt to play the trumpet.

At age 20 Alcione moved to Rio de Janeiro. There she worked at the city's TV Excelsior, and later went on tour in Argentina and Chile for four months. On returning to Brazil, she settled in São Paulo, working in nightclub and making appearances on television. In 1970, she started her two-year tour in Europe, performing as a vocalist and a trumpet artist.

In 1972, when back to Brazil, Alcione recorded her first single. The following year, she traveled to sing in Mexico and, in 1974, Portugal, where she recorded her first full-length album. In 1975 Alcione released her LP, A Voz do Samba, which achieved gold sales status and featured several hit tracks. The most successful songs were Não Deixe o Samba Morrer, written by Edson and Aloiso, and O Surdo, written by Totonho/Paulinho Resende.

In the late 1970s, Nazaré became well-known as a samba artist and achieved international recognition. She recorded Alerta Geral for Philips Records and, in 1978, released this album, the title of which was taken from a television show that Alcione had hosted on TV Globo for two years. Following its success, Alcione continued to release several other full-length albums in late 1970s and early 1980s, including her self-titled album.

In 1997, Alcione signed with Universal Records, subsequently releasing a label debut named Valeu, through Polygram the next year. This was followed by Celebração that same year, and Claridade---Uma Homenagem A Clara Nunes in 1999. In December 2002 Alcione was recognized for playing an important part in founding the Paraíso School of Samba in London, England. She also helped organizing and preparing the stage for a British version of the Carnival Brasil, Paraíso dos Orixás (Brazil, Paradise of the Gods). In 2003, her 2002 album, Ao Vivo, received the Best Samba/Pagode Album Award at fourth Latin Grammy Award ceremony.

She has interpreted several hits such as Não deixe o samba morrer, Lá vem você, Gostoso veneno and Ilha da maré.

On July 7, 2007 she performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth in Rio de Janeiro.

Xeque-Mate
Alcione Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sei que o amor entre nós
É uma causa perdida
Que é uma luta difícil demais de ganhar
Só que eu não sou de levar
Xeque-mate da vida
E toda vez que eu cair
Eu torno a levantar

E para cada final
Eu encontro um começo
Pra teu adeus eu respondo um:
"Alô, como vai ?"
Se precisar
Posso até me virar pelo avesso
Pra te provar que você
Dos meus braços não sai

Jogo a chave fora
Tranco a porta
Se fugir eu vou te buscar
Gosto tanto de você
Que o meu amor
Talvez te faça ficar

E até quem sabe
Tudo acabe em flores
Lindo final feliz
E você me queira

Desse jeito que
Eu sempre te quis

Overall Meaning

The song "Xeque-Mate" by Alcione talks about a love that seems to be a lost cause but the singer is not one to give up easily. The lyrics portray a relationship that seems to be failing and the singer knows that winning it back is going to be a hard-fought battle. The mention of "xeque-mate da vida" refers to the challenges that life throws and how sometimes it can feel like a checkmate in a game of chess. But the singer is not one to give up and every time they fall, they get back up, determined to win this love back.

The verses also showcase the singer's resilience and determination to make things work. Every ending leads to a new beginning and the singer is always ready to start again. The chorus has a sense of defiance to it as the singer declares their love for their partner and promises to do everything they can to keep them. They are willing to turn their lives upside down and go to great lengths to prove their love, even if it means chasing after their partner who tries to run away.

Overall, "Xeque-Mate" is a song that speaks about love, perseverance and the willingness to fight for what you want. It shows how despite the hardships, one can still hold on to hope and not give up on a love that they believe is worth fighting for.

Line by Line Meaning

Sei que o amor entre nós
I am aware that the love between us

É uma causa perdida
Is a lost cause

Que é uma luta difícil demais de ganhar
And it's a very difficult fight to win

Só que eu não sou de levar
But I am not one to suffer

Xeque-mate da vida
Defeated by life

E toda vez que eu cair
And every time I fall

Eu torno a levantar
I rise again

E para cada final
And for every ending

Eu encontro um começo
I find a new beginning

Pra teu adeus eu respondo um:
In response to your goodbye, I say

"Alô, como vai ?"
"Hello, how are you?"