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.
Doideca
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Música doideca
Funk carioca
Londresselvas em flor
Jorjão Viradouro
Arnaldo Olodum Titã
Funk carioca
Arrigo Tom Zé Miguel
Chelpa Ferro Mangue bit beat
Carioca Lira Paulistana
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Bossa nova
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Timbalada
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Viradouro
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Axé Music
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Lira Paulistana
Música doideca
Funk carioca
Lodresselvas em flor
Banda feminina da Didá Didá de
Banda feminina da Didá
Banda tropicália de Tom Zé Tomzé de
Banda tropicália de Tomzé Tomzé de
Banda
Didá Didá Didá de
Banda
Banda
Chicago negro alemão bossa nova
Chicago negro alemão
The lyrics to Caetano Veloso's song "Doideca" contain a series of seemingly unrelated words and names, creating a stream-of-consciousness medley of musical genres, artists, and places. The first verse mentions "Lira Paulistana," a cultural center in São Paulo that played a key role in the city's alternative music scene in the 1980s. The following lines jump to "Música doideca" (crazy music), "funk carioca" (Rio de Janeiro's funk music style), "Londresselvas em flor" (a reference to the book "Londres - Flores" by Brazilian writer Oswald de Andrade), and several musicians and bands, including Arrigo Barnabé, Tom Zé, and Mangue Bit Beat.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Gay Chicago negro alemão" (gay black German from Chicago), adding different musical styles associated with different Brazilian regions, from bossa nova to axé music. The second verse includes references to the all-female percussion group Didá from Salvador, Bahia, and to Tom Zé's Tropicália movement. The song ends with a repetition of "Chicago negro alemão bossa nova."
The lyrics of "Doideca" can be interpreted as a celebration of the diversity and hybridity of Brazilian music, incorporating influences from different regions, cultures, and historical moments. The song suggests that Brazilian music is a fluid and constantly evolving phenomenon, made of multiple voices, rhythms, and styles. The use of seemingly random words and names creates a sense of fragmentation and dislocation, reflecting the chaotic and unpredictable nature of creative expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Lira Paulistana
Refers to the Paulistana Lyre, which was a cultural movement in São Paulo in the 1980s that aimed to showcase new forms of music and expression.
Música doideca
Crazy music, which is likely a nod to the experimental and avant-garde nature of the musicians and movements referenced in the song.
Funk carioca
A style of dance music that originated in Rio de Janeiro in the late 20th century, characterized by its fast-paced rhythm and explicit lyrics.
Londresselvas em flor
A reference to the London jungle scene of the 1990s, where electronic music and jungle beats were popular. The phrase translates to 'jungles in bloom', emphasizing the vibrancy and creativity of the music scene.
Jorjão Viradouro
Jorjão is a nickname for musician Jorge Ben Jor, and Viradouro is both a Brazilian municipality and the name of a samba school in Rio de Janeiro. The reference likely connects Ben Jor and samba culture, which are both important elements of Brazilian music.
Arnaldo Olodum Titã
Refers to Brazilian musicians Arnaldo Antunes (of the band Titãs) and Olodum, a Bahian percussion group. The line may represent the blending of different musical styles and backgrounds in Brazilian music.
Arrigo Tom Zé Miguel
References Italian-Brazilian musician Arrigo Barnabé and Brazilian musician Tom Zé, who were both associated with the Tropicália movement. Miguel potentially refers to musician and composer Miguel Wisnik.
Lucas Valdemente
Unclear, potentially references an obscure or influential Brazilian musician.
Chelpa Ferro Mangue bit beat
References the experimental music group Chelpa Ferro and the Manguebeat movement, which emerged in Recife, Brazil in the 1990s. The movement blended local musical roots with global influences and electronic music.
Carioca Lira Paulistana
A fusion of two influential musical movements in Brazil - carioca (from Rio de Janeiro) and Paulistana (from São Paulo), which both sought to challenge traditional musical forms and create something new and innovative.
Gay Chicago negro alemão
Unclear, but likely references cultural exchanges and cross-pollination between different musical scenes and communities in Chicago, Brazil, and Germany.
Bossa nova
A genre of Brazilian music that emerged in the late 1950s, characterized by its syncopated rhythm, bossa nova has been recognized as a staple of Brazilian music and culture.
Timbalada
A samba-reggae music group from Salvador, Bahia composed mainly of percussionists.
Viradouro
A samba school in Rio de Janeiro that has won multiple championships in the city's Carnival parade competition.
Axé Music
A genre of music that emerged in Salvador, Bahia and combines elements of African and Brazilian music, including samba and reggae.
Banda feminina da Didá Didá de
A reference to Didá, a Bahian group known for its all-female percussion ensemble. The group promotes gender equality and cultural diversity through music and performance.
Banda tropicália de Tom Zé Tomzé de
A nod to the Tropicália movement and musician Tom Zé, who was associated with the movement that blended traditional Brazilian music with avant-garde and international influences.
Didá Didá Didá de
Reiterates the reference to the Bahian group Didá.
Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.