Born Maria do Céu Whitaker Poças on 17th April 1980 in São Paulo, Brazil, h… Read Full Bio ↴Born Maria do Céu Whitaker Poças on 17th April 1980 in São Paulo, Brazil, her father was a composer, arranger, and musicologist. It was from him that she learned to appreciate Brazil's classical music composers, particularly Heitor Villa-Lobos and Ernesto Nazaré, as well as popular musicians like Orlando Silva.

By the age of fifteen she had decided to become a musician, and by her late teens she had studied music theory, as well as the violão (nylon-stringed Brazilian guitar). Her songs reveal her many influences, which include samba, valsa, choro, soul, rhythm and blues, hip hop, reggae, afrobeat, and electrojazz. In particular, she cites as influences the music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu.

By her late teens Céu was performing onstage with major artists and exploring the repertoire of the marchinhas (turn-of-the-century carnival music). Soon after that she relocated temporarily to New York City, where she had a chance meeting with fellow Brazilian musician Antonio Pinto, who became her flatmate while he was going through some financial difficulties. She later learned that he was actually a distant cousin, and their relationship was renewed when he teamed up with lead producer Beto Villares, composer of the musical score for the film O Ano em que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias, to help her record her album.

Contravento
Céu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tudo o que se passa
Dentro da cabeça
Ah, olho na estrada
Devagar, paisagem que acalma
Veloz, a mente não para
Ah, distraindo o tempo

Árvore parada

Carro em movimento
Rosto na janela
Som do contravento

O vento é um menino
Bulindo com gente
Corre pela saia
Em cima do assento
A poeira sobe
O zoio ela fere
A boca ela seca
A pele ela rasga
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com gente
Corre pela saia
Vem contra a parede
Vem contra a parede
Vem contra a parede

Tudo o que se passa
Dentro da cabeça
Ah, olho na estrada, devagar
Passagem que acalma, veloz
A mente não para
Ah, distraindo o tempo

Árvore parada
Carro em movimento
Rosto na janela
Som do contravento

O vento é um menino
Bulindo com gente
Corre pela saia
Em cima do assento
A poeira sobe
O zoio ela fere
A boca ela seca
A pele ela rasga
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com gente
Corre pela saia
Vem contra a parede

Vem contra a parede
Vem contra a parede

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Céu's song Contravento paint a picture of a journey where the mind is active and the scenery is soothing. The first verse highlights the contrast between the calmness of the landscape and the incessant activity of the mind. The second verse brings attention to the wind, which is personified as a mischievous child that plays with people's clothes and affects their senses. The chorus repeats the first verse with slight variations, and the last line echoes, emphasizing the idea of the wind blowing against the wall.

Through these images, Céu invites the listener to reflect on the relationship between the inner and outer worlds. The song suggests that, even in serene surroundings, the mind can be turbulent, distracted, and disconnected from the present moment. The wind, on the other hand, represents a force that disrupts the status quo, challenges the senses, and reminds us of our vulnerability and responsiveness to the environment. In this sense, the song can be seen as a meditation on the interplay between stillness and movement, internal and external, and past, present, and future.

Line by Line Meaning

Tudo o que se passa
Everything that happens

Dentro da cabeça
Inside the head

Ah, olho na estrada
Ah, eyes on the road

Devagar, paisagem que acalma
Slowly, calming landscape

Veloz, a mente não para
Fast, the mind doesn't stop

Ah, distraindo o tempo
Ah, distracting time

Árvore parada
Still tree

Carro em movimento
Moving car

Rosto na janela
Face at the window

Som do contravento
Sound of the wind against the car

O vento é um menino
The wind is a child

Bulindo com gente
Playing with people

Corre pela saia
Runs through the skirt

Em cima do assento
On top of the seat

A poeira sobe
The dust rises

O zoio ela fere
It hurts the eyes

A boca ela seca
It dries the mouth

A pele ela rasga
It tears the skin

Vem contra a parede
Comes against the wall

Contributed by Chase C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Tudo o que se passa
Dentro da cabeça
Ah, olho na estrada
Vagar, paisagem que acalma, veloz, a mente não para
Ah, distraindo o tempo
Árvore parada
Carro em movimento
Rosto na janela
Som do contravento
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com a gente
Corre pela saia
Em cima do assento
A poeira sobe
O zoio ela fere
A boca ela seca
A pele ela rasga
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com a gente
Corre pela saia bem contra a parede
Contra a parede
Contra a parede
Tudo o que se passa
Dentro da cabeça
Ah, olho na estrada
Vagar, paisagem que acalma, veloz, a mente não para
Ah, distraindo o tempo
Árvore parada
Carro em movimento
Rosto na janela
Som do contravento
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com gente
Corre pela saia
Em cima do assento
A poeira sobe
O zoio ela fere
A boca ela seca
A pele ela rasga
O vento é um menino
Bulindo com a gente
Corre pela saia bem contra a parede
Contra a parede
Contra a parede