Cássia Rejane Eller was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1962, but spent most of h… Read Full Bio ↴Cássia Rejane Eller was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1962, but spent most of her adolescence in Brasília. In 1990 she returned to Rio and her recording career took off.

Her most popular album is the live recording Acústico ("Acoustic") that she did for MTV Brasil. Her best-known hit songs are her cover of "Malandragem", originally written by Cazuza, and "Segundo Sol". Eller is known for her fusion of MPB with rock as well as for her deep husky singing voice.

She is also notable as one of Brazil's most prominent lesbian artists. Her sexuality, along with her musical style, has caused some to draw comparisons with Ani DiFranco, the Indigo Girls as well as Melissa Etheridge.

Eller died on December 29, 2001 after being rushed to hospital in Rio de Janeiro by her partner. She was admitted in a delirious and incoherent state during which she suffered a series of heart attacks; a police investigation concluded that these were due to a heart condition rather than to drug use. She was 39 years old. She left a young son behind whose custody was assumed by her partner.

Eller still has a devoted following in Brazil, and her popularity has continued to grow. Her music continues to be played daily on various Brazilian radio stations and her CDs are still prominently for sale in stores.

Só se For à Dois
Cássia Eller Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Aos gurus da Índia,
Aos judeus da Palestina,
Aos índios da América Latina,
E aos brancos da África do Sul.

O mundo é azul,
Qual é a cor do amor?
O meu sangue é negro,

Branco, amarelo e vermelho

Aos pernambucanos
E aos cubanos de Miami,
Aos americanos russos
Armando seus planos

Ao povo da China
E ao que a história ensina,
Aos jogos, aos dados
Que inventaram a humanidade

As possibilidades de felicidade
São egoistas meu amor,
Viver a liberdade
Amar de verdade
Só se for a dois,
Só dois.

Aos filhos de Gandhi
Morrendo de fome,
Aos filhos de Cristo
Cada vez mais ricos.

O beijo do soldado em sua namorada
Seja pra onde for,
Depois a grande noite

Vai esconder a cor das flores
E mostrar a dor.

Overall Meaning

In "Só se For a Dois," Cássia Eller juxtaposes different cultures, races, and ethnic backgrounds to ponder the color of love. The song begins with a tribute to the gurus of India, the Jews of Palestine, the Latin American Indians, and the South African whites, identifying them all as equal recipients of the same blue world. Despite the immense differences these groups may have, Eller extends a single thread that binds them together: the inherent human condition.

Eller then explores the different colors of human blood, admitting that despite our external appearances, we are all made up of the same material. Racism, therefore, is a construct of mankind rather than a fact of nature. She further references various places and peoples, such as the Cubans of Miami and the Americans and Russians planning their world domination. She reminds us that even these menacing countries, like all other groups, are just a mix of individuals, diverse in their background and characteristics.

Eller concludes that while the possibilities for happiness are endless, true freedom and love only exist when shared between two people. The final stanza references the kiss of a soldier as he departs for battle, symbolizing the ephemeral beauty of life before the reality of suffering and pain takes hold. Ultimately, "Só se For a Dois" celebrates our shared humanity while recognizing the unique beauty and power of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Aos gurus da Índia,
To the wise men of India,

Aos judeus da Palestina,
To the Jews of Palestine,

Aos índios da América Latina,
To the native peoples of Latin America,

E aos brancos da África do Sul.
And to the white people of South Africa.

O mundo é azul,
The world is blue,

Qual é a cor do amor?
What is the color of love?

O meu sangue é negro,
My blood is black,

Branco, amarelo e vermelho
White, yellow and red

Aos pernambucanos
To the people of Pernambuco

E aos cubanos de Miami,
And to the Cubans of Miami,

Aos americanos russos
To the Russian Americans

Armando seus planos
Making their plans

Ao povo da China
To the people of China

E ao que a história ensina,
And to what history teaches us,

Aos jogos, aos dados
To the games, to the dice

Que inventaram a humanidade
That mankind has created

As possibilidades de felicidade
The possibilities of happiness

São egoístas meu amor,
Are selfish, my love,

Viver a liberdade
Living in freedom

Amar de verdade
Loving truly

Só se for a dois,
Only if it's between two,

Só dois.
Just two.

Aos filhos de Gandhi
To the children of Gandhi

Morrendo de fome,
Dying of hunger

Aos filhos de Cristo
To the children of Christ

Cada vez mais ricos.
Growing richer every day.

O beijo do soldado em sua namorada
The kiss of a soldier to his girlfriend

Seja pra onde for,
Wherever it may be,

Depois a grande noite
Then the big night

Vai esconder a cor das flores
Will hide the color of the flowers

E mostrar a dor.
And show the pain.

Contributed by Juliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Marina

2y↑3

Aos gurus da Índia
Aos judeus da Palestina
Aos índios da América Latina
E aos brancos da África do Sul
O mundo é azul
Qual é a cor do amor?
O meu sangue é negro, branco
Amarelo e vermelho

Aos pernambucanos
E aos cubanos de Miami
Aos americanos russos
Armando seus planos

Ao povo da China
E ao que a história ensina
Aos jogos, aos dados
Que inventaram a humanidade

As possibilidades de felicidade
São egoístas, meu amor
Viver a liberdade, amar de verdade
Só se for a dois
(Só a dois)

Aos filhos de Ghandi
Morrendo de fome
Aos filhos de Cristo
Cada vez mais ricos
O beijo do soldado em sua namorada
Seja pra onde for
Depois da grande noite
Vai esconder a cor das flores
E mostrar a dor
(A dor)