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.
Contigo en la distancia
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
en que pueda olvidarme de ti
el mundo parece distinto
cuando no estás junto a mi
No existe melodía
en que no surjas tu
ni yo quiero escucharla
Es que te has convertido
en parte de mi alma
ya nada me conforma
si no estás tu también.
Mas allá de tus labios
el sol y las estrellas
contigo en la distancia
amada mía, estoy.
Es que te has convertido
en parte de mi alma
ya nada me conforma
si no estás tu también.
Mas allá de tus labios
el sol y las estrellas
contigo en la distancia
amada mía, estoy
[Composer: César Portillo de La Luz]
In the song "Contigo en la distancia," Caetano Veloso expresses his deep infatuation with someone he loves. The opening line of the song translates to "there is no moment of the day in which I can forget about you." The singer is so deeply consumed by thoughts of his beloved that he cannot seem to escape them, even for a single moment. He goes on to describe how the world seems to be a different place when his love is not by his side.
The second stanza of the song speaks about the pervasive effect of his love on his life. He claims that there is no melody that does not remind him of his love or that he does not want to listen to if she is not listening with him. The singer has become so attached to his beloved that she is now a part of his very soul, and nothing in this world can satisfy him if he cannot share such experiences with her.
Finally, he declares that even if his love is not physically beside him, he still feels her presence in everything, even beyond the stars and the sun. She has become a permanent part of his essence, and he cannot imagine living without her. Overall, the song depicts the overwhelming nature of love, as well as the transformative effects it can have on a person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
No existe un momento del día
There isn't a single moment of the day
en que pueda olvidarme de ti
where I can forget about you
el mundo parece distinto
the world seems different
cuando no estás junto a mi
when you're not by my side
No existe melodía
There isn't a melody
en que no surjas tu
where you don't appear
ni yo quiero escucharla
and I don't want to hear it
si no la escuchas tu.
if you're not listening to it.
Es que te has convertido
It's because you have become
en parte de mi alma
a part of my soul
ya nada me conforma
nothing satisfies me anymore
si no estás tu también.
if you're not also here.
Mas allá de tus labios
Beyond your lips
el sol y las estrellas
the sun and the stars
contigo en la distancia
with you at a distance
amada mía, estoy.
my beloved, I am.
Es que te has convertido
It's because you have become
en parte de mi alma
a part of my soul
ya nada me conforma
nothing satisfies me anymore
si no estás tu también.
if you're not also here.
Mas allá de tus labios
Beyond your lips
el sol y las estrellas
the sun and the stars
contigo en la distancia
with you at a distance
amada mía, estoy
my beloved, I am.
[Composer: César Portillo de La Luz]
Contributed by Nathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrJan3327
No existe un momento del día
En que pueda apartarme de ti
El mundo parece distinto
Cuando no estás junto a mi
No hay bella melodía
En que no surjas tú
Ni yo quiero escucharla
Si no la escuchas tú
Es que te has convertido
En parte de mi alma
Ya nada me consuela
Si no estás tú también
Más allá de tus labios
Del sol y las estrellas
Contigo en la distancia
Amada mía, estoy
En parte de mi alma
Ya nada me consuela
Si no estás tú también
Más allá de tus labios
Del sol y las estrellas
Contigo en la distancia
Amada mía, estoy
@julianaantonelli6229
Que coisa mais linda!❤
@tatakiul
que hermoso queda el saxo soprano!! una estupenda versión!!
@MrJan3327
No existe un momento del día
En que pueda apartarme de ti
El mundo parece distinto
Cuando no estás junto a mi
No hay bella melodía
En que no surjas tú
Ni yo quiero escucharla
Si no la escuchas tú
Es que te has convertido
En parte de mi alma
Ya nada me consuela
Si no estás tú también
Más allá de tus labios
Del sol y las estrellas
Contigo en la distancia
Amada mía, estoy
En parte de mi alma
Ya nada me consuela
Si no estás tú también
Más allá de tus labios
Del sol y las estrellas
Contigo en la distancia
Amada mía, estoy
@mariasuzetebragadealmeida2327
Música linda. Dá uma vontade dançar.
@fatimarebelo7433
Adoro essa música interpretada por Caetano
@lucianoedoardotripepi8208
una interpretación fabulosa por arreglo musical y calidad interpretativa. ❤
@vaninavigne5266
Que ternura esta version😍
@aldanacastellipappalardo522
El mundo parece distinto cuando no estas junto a mi
@lucashernanberdejo1004
Te amo Caetano. Y amo Bahia con mi Alma❤
@hugosantangelo2598
Quien no puede hacer el amor sin esta canción