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.
Eles
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
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Longe do quintal
A vida começa
No ponto final
Eles têm certeza do bem e do mal
Falam com franqueza do bem e do mal
Creem na existência do bem e do mal
Só dizem o que dizem
O bem e o mal
Alegres ou tristes, são todos felizes durante o Natal
O bem e o mal têm medo da maçã
A sombra do arvoredo
O dia de amanhã
Eis o que eles sabem o dia de amanhã
Eles sempre falam no dia de amanhã
Eles têm cuidado com o dia de amanhã
Eles cantam os hinos no dia de amanhã
Eles tomam o bonde no dia de amanhã
Eles amam os filhos no dia de amanhã
Tomam táxi no dia de amanhã
É que eles têm medo do dia de amanhã
Eles aconselham o dia de amanhã
Eles desde já querem ter guardado
Todo o seu passado
No dia de amanhã
Não preferem São Paulo, nem o Rio de Janeiro
Apenas têm medo de morrer sem dinheiro
Eles choram sábados pelo ano inteiro
E há só um galo em cada galinheiro
E mais vale aquele que acorda cedo
E farinha pouca, meu pirão primeiro
E na mesma boca senti o mesmo beijo
E não há amor como o primeiro amor
Como primeiro amor que é puro e verdadeiro
E não há segredo e a vida é assim mesmo
E pior a emenda do que o soneto
Está sempre à esquerda a porta do banheiro
E certa gente se conhece no cheiro
Em volta da mesa
Longe da maçã
Durante o natal
Eles guardam dinheiro
O bem e o mal
Pro dia de amanhã
E nós, e nós, e nós (oh-oh-oh)
(Os Mutantes são demais)
The song "Eles" by Caetano Veloso is a commentary on the mundaneness of everyday life and the fear that comes with planning for the future. The lyrics describe a group of people gathered around a table, far away from the garden, where life seemingly begins and ends at the same time. These people profess their beliefs in good and evil openly and are afraid of the consequences of their actions. They believe in the existence of a moral compass and strive to do what is right, all while fearing the unknown future.
The lyrics go on to describe these people’s concerns for the future, constantly discussing what tomorrow may bring and how they can prepare for it. They advise each other and take precautions, always keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. It seems that these people live their lives in fear of what is to come, always trying to stay one step ahead.
Overall, the song suggests that people can become trapped in their own way of life, always fearful and cautious, never truly experiencing the beauty of the world around them. It's a commentary on the dangers of leading a sheltered life and never taking risks.
Line by Line Meaning
Em volta da mesa
They gather around the table
Longe do quintal
Away from the backyard
A vida começa
Life begins
No ponto final
At the end point
Eles têm certeza do bem e do mal
They are sure of right and wrong
Falam com franqueza do bem e do mal
They speak candidly of right and wrong
Creem na existência do bem e do mal
They believe in the existence of right and wrong
O florão da América, o bem e o mal
The flower of America, right and wrong
Só dizem o que dizem
They only say what they say
O bem e o mal
Right and wrong
Alegres ou tristes, são todos felizes durante o Natal
Happy or sad, everyone is happy during Christmas
O bem e o mal têm medo da maçã
Right and wrong are afraid of the apple
A sombra do arvoredo
The shadow of the trees
O dia de amanhã
The day after tomorrow
Eis o que eles sabem o dia de amanhã
They know what tomorrow will bring
Eles sempre falam no dia de amanhã
They always talk about tomorrow
Eles têm cuidado com o dia de amanhã
They are careful about tomorrow
Eles cantam os hinos no dia de amanhã
They sing hymns on tomorrow
Eles tomam o bonde no dia de amanhã
They take the tram tomorrow
Eles amam os filhos no dia de amanhã
They love their children tomorrow
Tomam táxi no dia de amanhã
They take a taxi tomorrow
É que eles têm medo do dia de amanhã
Because they are afraid of tomorrow
Eles aconselham o dia de amanhã
They advise about tomorrow
Eles desde já querem ter guardado
They want to have saved from now on
Todo o seu passado
All of their past
No dia de amanhã
On the day after tomorrow
Não preferem São Paulo, nem o Rio de Janeiro
They don't prefer São Paulo nor Rio de Janeiro
Apenas têm medo de morrer sem dinheiro
They are just afraid of dying without money
Eles choram sábados pelo ano inteiro
They cry on Saturdays all year long
E há só um galo em cada galinheiro
And there's only one rooster in each chicken coop
E mais vale aquele que acorda cedo
And it's better to be the one who wakes up early
E farinha pouca, meu pirão primeiro
And with little farina, my portion comes first
E na mesma boca senti o mesmo beijo
And in the same mouth I felt the same kiss
E não há amor como o primeiro amor
And there's no love like the first love
Como primeiro amor que é puro e verdadeiro
Like first love that is pure and true
E não há segredo e a vida é assim mesmo
And there's no secret and life is just like it
E pior a emenda do que o soneto
And the cure is worse than the disease
Está sempre à esquerda a porta do banheiro
The bathroom door is always on the left
E certa gente se conhece no cheiro
And certain people recognize each other by smell
Em volta da mesa
They gather around the table
Longe da maçã
Away from the apple
Durante o natal
During Christmas
Eles guardam dinheiro
They save money
O bem e o mal
Right and wrong
Pro dia de amanhã
For the day after tomorrow
E nós, e nós, e nós (oh-oh-oh)
And us, and us, and us (oh-oh-oh)
(Os Mutantes são demais)
(The Mutants are awesome)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Caetano Emmanuel Viana Teles Veloso, Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind