Veloso is the fifth of the seven children born to José Telles Veloso ("Seu Zezinho") and Claudionor Vianna Telles Veloso ("Dona Canô"). His younger sister Maria Bethânia, another popular and renowned artist in Brazil, preceded him to fame as a singer in the mid-1960s. He began his career around 1965 singing bossa nova and he has cited his greatest musical influences from his early period as João Gilberto and Dorival Caymmi. (João Gilberto would say later about Caetano's contribution that it added an intellectual dimension to brazilian popular music.) But with such musical collaborators Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Zé, Chico Buarque, and Os Mutantes, and greatly influenced by the later work of The Beatles, developed tropicalismo, which fused Brazilian pop with rock and roll and avant garde art music resulting in a more international, psychedelic, and socially aware sound. Veloso's politically active stance, unapologetically leftist, earned him the enmity of Brazil's military dictatorship which ruled until 1985; his songs were frequently censored, and some were banned. Veloso was also alienated from the socialist left in Brazil becasue of his acceptance and integration of non-nationalist influences (like rock and roll) in his music. Veloso and Gilberto Gil spent several months in jail for "anti-government activity" in 1968 and eventually exiled themselves to London. Caetano Veloso's work upon his return in 1972 was often characterized by frequent appropriations not only of international styles, but of half-forgotten Brazilian folkloric styles and rhythms as well. In particular, his celebration of the Afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia can be seen as the precursor of such Afro-centric groups as Timbalada.
In the 1980s, Veloso's popularity outside Brazil grew, especially in Israel, Portugal, France and Africa. By 2004, he was one of the most respected and prolific international pop stars, with more than fifty recordings available, including songs in soundtracks of movies such as Pedro Almodovar's Hable con Ella (Talk to Her), and Frida. In 2002 Veloso published an account of his early years and the Tropicalia movement, Tropical Truth: A Story of Music and Revolution in Brazil.
His first all-English CD was A Foreign Sound (2004), which covers Nirvana's "Come as You Are" and compositions from the Great American Songbook. Five of the six songs on his third eponymous album, released in 1971, were also in English.
A Little More Blue
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calm beach and palm tree
That day I couldn't even cry
And I forgot that outside there would be other men
But today, but today, but today, I don't know why
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
The day carmen miranda died
They put a photograph in the magazine
Her dead mouth with red lipstick smiled
And people cried, I was about ten
But today, but today, but today, I don't know why
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
One morning they came to take me to jail
I smiled at them and said "alright"
But alone in that same night
I cried and cried again
But today, but today, but today, I don't know why
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
One night I saw a Mexican film
These twin brothers tried to kill each other
She opened her arms and got two bullets
And died sweetly without a sigh
But tonight, but tonight, but tonight, I don't know why
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
One day I went down to the underground
But I missed the last train
And now that I'm just looking around
I feel a little more blue than then
Look around, look around, look around, I don't know why
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
Little more blue than then
Little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
I feel a little more blue than then
The lyrics of Caetano Veloso's "A Little More Blue" reflect on the different experiences that have contributed to the singer's feeling of sadness. The first stanza talks about leaving the beach and palm trees of his country without tears, only to realize later that there were other men outside. The sadness here could be interpreted as not wanting to leave what was familiar behind and the realization that the world outside can be scary and overwhelming.
The second stanza talks about the death of Carmen Miranda, a Brazilian actress and singer who was a symbol of Brazilian culture in Hollywood. The singer remembers seeing her photo in a magazine with her dead mouth and red lipstick smiling, while people cried. The sadness here could be connected to the loss of an icon who represented Brazil's culture on an international level, as well as facing the reality of death at a young age.
The third stanza talks about the singer's experience being taken to jail and putting up a brave front, only to break down and cry alone at night. Here, the sadness could be attributed to facing the consequences of one's actions and the isolation of being alone in a difficult situation.
The fourth stanza talks about a Mexican film that the singer watched, where twin brothers tried to kill each other and a woman was shot dead with a smile on her face. The sadness here could be connected to the senselessness of violence and the inevitability of death.
The final stanza talks about missing the last train, and feeling more blue than ever while looking around. The sadness here could be attributed to the feeling of being lost and alone in a big city.
Overall, the song portrays a sense of melancholy and nostalgia for what has been lost or left behind. Through these different experiences, the singer comes to the realization that even though there were moments of sadness in the past, the present can sometimes feel even more blue.
Line by Line Meaning
One day I had to leave my country
I was forced to abandon my homeland
Calm beach and palm tree
The tranquil scenery of my past is now lost
That day I couldn't even cry
I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't even shed tears
And I forgot that outside there would be other men
I was too consumed by my own experience to remember that there were others not sharing my plight
The day carmen miranda died
I remember the day Carmen Miranda passed away
They put a photograph in the magazine
A picture of her was featured in a magazine
Her dead mouth with red lipstick smiled
Despite her lifeless state, her lips still had a vibrant red hue and an enduring grin
And people cried, I was about ten
Many people mourned her loss, including myself who was just a child at the time
One morning they came to take me to jail
I was arrested one day without warning
I smiled at them and said "alright"
I put on a brave face and acquiesced
But alone in that same night
When I was by myself that same evening
I cried and cried again
I couldn't help but release my emotions in tears
One night I saw a Mexican film
I saw a movie from Mexico one evening
These twin brothers tried to kill each other
The plot involved two brothers attempting to kill one another
She opened her arms and got two bullets
In a devastating scene, a female character was shot twice after opening her arms
And died sweetly without a sigh
Despite the violence of her death, she appeared to pass away peacefully
One day I went down to the underground
I visited the underground one day
But I missed the last train
I was unable to catch the final train of the day
And now that I'm just looking around
At present, I am simply observing my surroundings
I feel a little more blue than then
I am feeling a bit more melancholy than I was during those previous experiences
Look around, look around, look around, I don't know why
Despite my attempts to identify a reason, I cannot understand why I feel this way
I feel a little more blue than then
My current state is still one of melancholy
I feel a little more blue than then
The same sentiment still persists
I feel a little more blue than then
I am even more melancholy now than I was before
I feel a little more blue than then
My current state is one of increased despondency compared to my previous experiences
I feel a little more blue than then
The same level of melancholy can still be felt
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Caetano Viana Telles Veloso
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Moa Andrade
Somente alguém com exímio domínio das palavras e dos sentimentos consegue falar de tristeza de uma forma tão tocante. Isso é arte.
CaRLiNHoS_ BeRNaS ♪♪
Essa foi a 1ª canção feita no exilio. A 2ª foi London, London... Salve o mestre Caetano.Viva a Bahia!!! ♪
Marcos Vinícios Botelho
Sendo fã de Caetano há um tempo razoável, hoje pude descobrir essa linda maravilha
Andrés Kasparian
Maravillosa la canción y las fotos también
Maria Lucia Silva
Amado batista
Myriam Marx
GReat song!!!!
Rosario Villegas
"I feel a little more blue than then" (se repite como 800 veces) jejeje :)
Julio Moreno
Y cada vez de un modo diferente.
anafly
His name is Caetano!!
Andrew Hughes
amazingly brasil