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.
Anunciação
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
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Nosso filho está perto
Esta noite eu o vi em sonhos
Me chamando
Antes já o pressentia
Esta noite eu o vi de repente, vagamente
Maria, Maria
Maria tenho medo que você não chegue a tempo
Com uma faca na mão
E um sorriso violento nos lábios
É preciso impedir que ele cresça longe de nós
E não nos reconheça
Maria, Maria
Não pense que estou louco
Nosso filho já nasceu
E se não tomarmos conhecimento
Como iremos saber
Que a nossa carne que nos mata
Maria, Maria
Tente mesmo chegando
A cabeleira vermelha
Como incêndio mais belo do que nós
Enquanto nós pensamos
Que ainda jaz
Na caixa de sapato
Não deixe nosso filho
Substituir o teu leite
Pelo leite das feras
Maria, Maria
Maria
Não te iludas com pílulas ou outros métodos
Tarde demais para tais providências
Essa noite, Maria, essa noite ele gritou seu nome
Maria, Maria
The song "Anunciação" by Caetano Veloso tells the story of a man named Maria who dreams of his son calling him, but also fears for his safety. The lyrics express the man's anxiety about his son growing up away from him and not recognizing his parents. He worries about his son becoming violent and dangerous, which is reflected in the line "Com uma faca na mão/E um sorriso violento nos lábios" ("With a knife in hand/And a violent smile on his lips"). He urges Maria to come quickly, as he is afraid that their son will harm them if they do not intervene.
The song is full of vivid imagery, with descriptions of Maria's red hair being "Like a fire more beautiful than us." The line "Tarde demais para tais providências" ("Too late for such measures") indicates that the man believes it is too late to take any action to prevent something from happening. He has a sense of urgency and desperation, as he fears for his family's safety.
Overall, the song captures the intensity of a parent's love and concern for their child, and the anxiety that comes with not being able to protect them from harm.
Line by Line Meaning
Maria, Maria
The singer addresses Maria twice to get her attention.
Nosso filho está perto
The singer had a dream that their son is near and calling out to them.
Esta noite eu o vi em sonhos
The singer had a dream about their son.
Me chamando
The son is calling out to his parents in the dream.
Antes já o pressentia
The artist had a previous feeling that their son is close by.
Esta noite eu o vi de repente, vagamente
The singer saw their son suddenly and vaguely in the dream.
Maria tenho medo que você não chegue a tempo
The singer is afraid that Maria won't arrive on time.
Que ele apareça em meu quarto noturno
The artist is afraid that their son will appear in their room at night.
Com uma faca na mão
The artist fears that their son will have a knife in his hand.
E um sorriso violento nos lábios
The artist fears their son will have a violent smile on his face.
É preciso impedir que ele cresça longe de nós
The singer wants to prevent their son from growing up far away from them and not recognizing them.
E não nos reconheça
The artist doesn't want their son to grow up without knowing who they are.
Não pense que estou louco
The singer is aware that their concerns might seem crazy to others.
Nosso filho já nasceu
The singer confirms that their son has already been born.
E se não tomarmos conhecimento
The singer is worried that if they don't take action, they won't know their son.
Como iremos saber
The artist questions how they will know their son if they don't take notice of him.
Que a nossa carne que nos mata
The artist suggests that their child is a part of them that could destroy them.
Tente mesmo chegando
The singer asks Maria to try even if she's running late.
A cabeleira vermelha
The singer describes their son's red hair.
Como incêndio mais belo do que nós
The artist considers their son's red hair to be more beautiful than themselves.
Enquanto nós pensamos
The artist points out that they're still thinking about their son as a baby.
Que ainda jaz
The artist references a shoe box, suggesting they still think of their child as something fragile that needs protection.
Não deixe nosso filho
The singer asks Maria not to let their son do something harmful.
Substituir o teu leite
The artist asks Maria not to let their son replace her breast milk with something else.
Pelo leite das feras
The singer suggests that there are dangerous influences that could replace Maria's breast milk.
Não te iludas com pílulas ou outros métodos
The singer tells Maria not to rely on pills or other methods for protection.
Tarde demais para tais providências
The singer fears it's too late for preventative measures.
Essa noite, Maria, essa noite ele gritou seu nome
The artist reveals that their son shouted Maria's name in the dream, worsening their fears.
Maria, Maria
The artist addresses Maria at the end once more.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGERIO DUARTE GUIMARAES, CAETANO EMMANUEL VIANA TELES VELOSO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind