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.
Always
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
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I can't tell if it's cloudy or bright
'Cause I only have eyes for you
The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky
'Cause I only have eyes for you
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here, so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you
Caetano Veloso's cover of the classic song "I Only Have Eyes for You" is a testament to the power of love and how it can make us lose focus on everything else around us. The song is a romantic one that tells a story of deep love and devotion. The opening line "Are the stars out tonight?" is a symbol of how we can become so enamored with someone that nothing else in the world seems to matter.
The second line, "I can't tell if it's cloudy or bright," shows how the singer is so focused on their beloved that they don't even notice their surroundings. They only see what's important - their love. The next lines, "The moon may be high, but I can't see a thing in the sky," deepen the idea that the singer is so immersed in love that nothing else matters.
In the chorus, the song asks a rhetorical question about whether they're in a garden or on a crowded avenue, implying that it doesn't make a difference to them as long as they're with their love. The bridge of the song emphasizes the idea that the rest of the world disappears when they're together, and the singer only has eyes for their beloved. The song is a beautiful expression of how love can be all-encompassing, and how when we're in love, it's hard to imagine being without the other person.
Line by Line Meaning
Are the stars out tonight?
I can't quite tell what the night holds or what's in store. I'm only focused on you.
I can't tell if it's cloudy or bright
The weather doesn't matter to me. I'm lost in your presence and nothing else seems to come to mind.
'Cause I only have eyes for you
My attention is solely directed towards you, and no one else matters to me.
The moon may be high
As the night sky twinkles with stars and the moon shines bright, I am decidedly oblivious to everything else, focused only on you.
But I can't see a thing in the sky
Despite the wonder of the sky, I am unable to appreciate it, as my eyes are only for you.
'Cause I only have eyes for you
I am completely immersed in thoughts of you, and nothing else seems to demand my attention or interest.
I don't know if we're in a garden
The place we're in is irrelevant; it could be a beautiful garden or a busy street. The only thing that matters is that you're here with me.
Or on a crowded avenue
Typically a crowded avenue might detract from one's focus, but not for me. As long as you're here, nothing else matters.
You are here, so am I
The two of us being together is all that matters at this moment.
Maybe millions of people go by
There may be a huge crowd present, but it doesn't matter since I'm lost in thoughts of you.
But they all disappear from view
Despite the crowd, I'm able to focus solely on you. Everyone else fades into the background and are meaningless.
And I only have eyes for you
You are my complete focus, and nothing else matters to me in this moment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind