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.
Dada
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deus a
A fro di te
De ti
Ti ve
Vi da
Da da
A Deus
A Deus
Deus a
A fro di te
De ti
Ti ve
Vi da
Da da
A Deus
A Deus
A Deus
Deus a
A fro di te
De ti
Ti ve
Vida
Da da
A Deus
A Deus
The lyrics to the song "Dada" by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil seem to be a play on words and a mix of sounds rather than having a specific meaning. The repetition of phrases like "Deus a" and "A fro di te" along with the nonsensical words like "Da da" create a rhythmic and poetic effect rather than conveying a clear message. It is an experimental and abstract approach to songwriting where the focus is on the musicality and the exploration of sounds rather than a straightforward narrative.
The repetition of "A Deus" and "Deus a" throughout the song can be interpreted as an invocation or a call to God. The insertion of "fro di te" and "ti ve" adds a sense of mystery and unpredictability. The word "da" is repeated multiple times at the end of each phrase, possibly serving as a musical filler or a bridge to connect the different sections of the song.
Overall, the lyrics to "Dada" are meant to be experienced as a sonic landscape rather than being analyzed for their literal meaning. The song showcases the avant-garde and experimental side of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil's artistry, pushing boundaries of traditional song structures and inviting the listener to dive into a world of abstract sounds and rhythms.
Line by Line Meaning
A Deus
To God
Deus a
God, he
A fro di te
Secluded from you
De ti
From you
Ti ve
You have
Vi da
Seen life
Da da
From dawn
A Deus
To God
A Deus
To God
A Deus
To God
Deus a
God, he
A fro di te
Secluded from you
De ti
From you
Ti ve
You have
Vi da
Seen life
Da da
From dawn
A Deus
To God
A Deus
To God
A Deus
To God
Deus a
God, he
A fro di te
Secluded from you
De ti
From you
Ti ve
You have
Vida
Life
Da da
From dawn
A Deus
To God
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Caetano Emmanuel Viana Telles Veloso, Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
themastroiannis
psychedelic!
themastroiannis
psychedelic!