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.
Cordão da Insônia
Céu Lyrics
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Quanto mais quietinha fica
Mais aumenta a insônia
E desperta a retina
Mais atiça a procura
Ao silêncio que inspira
E que pelo ar flutua
Vou saindo pela rua
Deixo o som me conduzir
Saio no cordão da insônia
Num bocejo que faz rir
E que pelo ar flutua
Sussurrando pr'onde ir
Vou saindo pela rua
Deixo o som me conduzir
Saio no cordão da insônia
Num bocejo que faz rir
Vou sem medo de altura
Sem perigo de cair
Dorme, dorme babilônia
Faz meu sonho existir.
The lyrics to Céu's song "Cordão da Insônia" describe the experience of insomnia, both in its frustrating restlessness and in the sense of freedom it can bring. The song starts by addressing "Babylon," a metaphor for a bustling city that never sleeps. The quieter and stiller Babylon becomes, the more insomnia grows, and the retina awakens to search for the quiet that inspires. The verse describes the allure of silence and its power to call for action. The singer then takes to the streets, following the sounds that are leading her in the parade of insomnia. She's free from fear of heights or falling and finds humor in the yawning that takes her along.
The chorus repeats the idea of embracing sleeplessness, finding meaning in the full experience of it, and trusting that the dream-like state will allow for creative inspiration to take shape. The song's lyrics capture the balance between frustration and acceptance of insomnia, with a playful depiction of wandering through the streets at night.
Line by Line Meaning
Dorme, dorme babilônia
Sleep, sleep Babylon (the city symbolizing excessive luxury and excess)
Quanto mais quietinha fica
The quieter it gets
Mais aumenta a insônia
The more insomnia increases
E desperta a retina
And awakens the retina
Mais atiça a procura
More it arouses the search
Ao silêncio que inspira
For the silence that inspires
E que pelo ar flutua
And that floats in the air
Sussurrando pr'onde ir
Whispering where to go
Vou saindo pela rua
I go out into the street
Deixo o som me conduzir
I let the sound guide me
Saio no cordão da insônia
I join the insomnia crowd (people who cannot sleep)
Num bocejo que faz rir
In a yawn that makes me laugh
Vou sem medo de altura
I go without fear of heights
Sem perigo de cair
Without the danger of falling
Dorme, dorme babilônia
Sleep, sleep Babylon (the city symbolizing excessive luxury and excess)
Faz meu sonho existir.
Makes my dream come true.
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.