Born Arthur Cortes Verocai in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 17/6/1945, he studi… Read Full Bio ↴Born Arthur Cortes Verocai in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 17/6/1945, he studied music with Lô Soares, Darci Villaverde, Nair Barbosa da Silva, Roberto Menescal and Vilma Graça. In 1966 Leny Andrade included his song "Olhando o Mar" ("Looking at the Sea") on her "We Are There" album. Two years later Verocai participated in Musicanossa an event that brought together composers, musicians and singers in presentations to play live in the Santa Rosa Theater in Rio de Janeiro, for which he wrote his first arrangements. The live recording of the event included the songs "Madrugada" and "Nova Manhã", composed in partnership with Paulinho Tapajós.
By 1968 his main gig was working in Civil Engineering in Rio de Janeiro. He still managed to perform and participate as a composer at many of Brazilian famous Music Festivals. He was working with artists like Paulinho Tapajós, Elis Regina, Creuza Maria, the Golden Boys, and Evinha. In 1969 Arthur Verocai began his professional career as musician and arranger. He scored the music for the theater show "Is The Greater", and wrote his first arrangements for orchestra. He arranged records by the Terço, Jorge Benjor, Elizeth Cardoso, Gal Costa, Quarteto em Cy, MPB 4, Célia, Guilherme Lamounier, Nelson Gonçalves, Marcos Valle, and others. His music also appeared in the musical "The Life of Braguinha", alongside Elizeth Cardoso, Quarteto em Cy, MPB4 and Sidney Magal. By 1970 he was writing for other groups and regularly composing music for multiple TV shows and incidental music for TV series.
The 1972 self-titled album allowed Verocai to take his interest in instrumental music even further. "I always wanted to compose soundtracks in great style, as in the cinema, but this wasn't possible with television work," he says. "My opportunity came when I was recording this album. I created a rhythmic cell in the acoustic guitar with the harmonic line. I added bass and the non-conventional drums and the percussion with a very smooth orchestration in blocks (four trumpets and a flute) plus the delicate touch of the strings (12 violins, 4 violas and 4 cellos). At the end of the song, Oberdan Magalhães played and sang with his flute." The resulting track is "Sílvia".
"Presente Grego" is perhaps the funkiest track on the album. "This song was influenced by American soul and funk," says Verocai. "By 1972 many of the musicians of my generation were feeling the same influences. Because of our exposure to all many musical influences, we put a distance between us and the conventional recording styles. "Presente Grego" means "Greek gift." It is an expression that comes from the horse of Troy, a gift from the Greeks that hid the warriors that defeated the Troyans. Likewise, the military dictatorship, under the appearance of a good government, practiced censorship and oppression", he explains.
In addition to the funky soul elements the album features many solos from artists obviously well schooled in Jazz. Check the soloing in "Pelas Sombras" or "Karina", where saxes blow hard and true against the backdrop of Brazilian rhythms. "My musical preferences go from J.S. Bach and Villa-Lobos, to jazz musicians like Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery and Bill Evans," explains Verocai. "I remember Edson Maciel, was invited to a studio session at 9 AM and was to perform a solo on "Karina." He asked us to wait for a while because he wanted to be inspired by some Cachaça (a Brazilian liquor made from distilled sugar cane juice). While rehearsing, he asked for a little more Cachaça to bring on some more inspiration. This happened twice until he found his inspiration and performed a tremendous solo!" remembers Verocai.
In the years after the album release Arthur Verocai became a music advertising executive, creating and producing albums for customers like Brahma, Fanta, Petrobra's, South America, Souza Cruz and was even honored with the Colunistas Prize in Advertising. Since 1983 he is the main proprietor of Studio "V" - House of the Sound and in 2002 he released a solo album "Arthur Verocai - "Saudade Demais" featuring a collection of his work as composer, including some unreleased songs.
Arthur Verocai's musical peer Ivan Lins has this to say about his great friend, "Arthur is a very dedicated musician. He has always been. Not only dedicated but very talented also. He made this record years ago just for the fun of it without much publicity. And now will strike back. That's great!"

Amor Na Contra Mão
Arthur Verocai Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando te vi a primeira vez,
bateu mais forte o coração.
Estamos juntos a mais de um mês
e nos amamos na contramão.
Você acorda falando inglês
e eu respondo no violão:
Meu amor, meu amor!
Não come carne porque é "macrô",

ai que saudade de um bom filé.
Depois das oito joga tarô,
enquanto eu canto num cabaré.
Manda e desmanda no meu chatô,
pega o meu carro e me deixa a pé,
meu amor, meu amor!
Mas é tão bom a gente ser diferente
de quem a gente quer bem.
Naturalmente
ninguém é como ninguém,
nem você e nem eu.
Um par de olhos que me seduz,
do seu carisma fiquei refém
e esse mistério ninguém traduz
e esse contraste me faz tão bem.
Polos opostos acendem a luz
e nossa luz não tem pra ninguém,
meu amor, meu amor!
Não come carne porque é "macrô",
ai que saudade de um bom filé.
Depois das oito joga tarô,
enquanto eu canto num cabaré.
Manda e desmanda no meu chatô,
pega o meu carro e me deixa a pé,
meu amor, meu amor!
Mas é tão bom a gente ser diferente
de quem a gente quer bem.
Naturalmente
ninguém é como ninguém,
nem você e nem eu.
Um par de olhos que me seduz,
do seu carisma fiquei refém
e esse mistério ninguém traduz
e esse contraste me faz tão bem.
Polos opostos acendem a luz

e nossa luz não tem pra ninguém,
meu amor, meu amor!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Arthur Verocai's song Amor Na Contra Mão are about a couple who are in love despite their differences. The singer describes how he fell in love with his partner at first sight, and how they have been together for over a month, loving in the opposite direction. The couple appears to have contrasting personalities and interests, with the partner speaking English and the singer responding with the guitar. Despite their differences, they seem to have a strong passion for each other, shown through the lyrics "um par de olhos que me seduz" (a pair of eyes that seduces me) and "esse contraste me faz tão bem" (this contrast feels so good).

The lyrics portray the idea that it's natural for people to be different from one another, but it's even better when two people who love each other are different. They complement each other, and their differences create a beautiful "light" that shines brightly. The song celebrates the beauty of diversity in love and how people can find happiness in being different from each other.

Overall, the lyrics of Amor Na Contra Mão convey a message that differences should be embraced and celebrated in a relationship, instead of causing conflict.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando te vi a primeira vez,
My heart beat harder when I saw you for the first time.

bateu mais forte o coração.
My heart beat harder.

Estamos juntos a mais de um mês
We have been together for over a month.

e nos amamos na contramão.
And we love each other in a way that is different from what is expected.

Você acorda falando inglês
You wake up speaking English.

e eu respondo no violão:
And I respond on my guitar:

Meu amor, meu amor!
My love, my love!

Não come carne porque é "macrô",
You don't eat meat because of your macrobiotic diet.

ai que saudade de um bom filé.
Oh, how I miss a good steak.

Depois das oito joga tarô,
After eight o'clock, you play tarot.

enquanto eu canto num cabaré.
While I sing in a cabaret.