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.
Eu Sei que Vou Te Amar
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
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Por toda a minha vida eu vou te amar
A cada despedida eu vou te amar
Desesperadamente
Eu sei que vou te amar
E cada verso meu será
Pra te dizer
Por toda minha vida
Eu sei que vou chorar
A cada ausência tua eu vou chorar
Mas cada volta tua ha de apagar
O que essa tua ausência me causou
Eu sei que vou sofrer
A eterna desventura de viver
A espera de viver ao lado teu
Por toda a minha vida
Caetano Veloso's song "Eu sei que vou te amar" is a beautiful and melancholic expression of deep love that endures through both joyful and painful times. The opening verse, "Eu sei que vou te amar, por toda a minha vida eu vou te amar," translates to "I know I'm going to love you, I'm going to love you for my whole life." The song goes on to express the singer's commitment to their beloved, expressing that they will love them even in their absence and desperately, without any restraint.
One of the most poignant lines in the song comes after a short instrumental break when the singer sings, "Eu sei que vou chorar, a cada ausência tua eu vou chorar," meaning "I know I'm going to cry, each time you're away, I'm going to cry." This line conveys the pain that comes with love, showing that no matter how strong the love is, there will always be moments of sadness and longing. The following lines, "Mas cada volta tua há de apagar o que essa tua ausência me causou," translate to "But each time you come back, it will erase the pain your absence caused me." These lines offer hope and healing, reinforcing the singer's belief in the strength of their love.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that they will suffer because they are waiting to be with their beloved, and that this waiting may be their eternal struggle. But despite the pain and difficulties they may face, the singer remains steadfast in their love, stating, "Por toda a minha vida," which means "for my whole life." The song is a touching portrayal of the complexities and depths of love, and the sacrifices that one makes to remain connected to their loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu sei que vou te amar
I know that I will love you
Por toda a minha vida eu vou te amar
Throughout my life, I will love you
A cada despedida eu vou te amar
At every goodbye, I will love you
Desesperadamente
Desperately
E cada verso meu será pra te dizer
And every verse of mine will be to tell you
Que eu sei que vou te amar
That I know I will love you
Por toda minha vida
Throughout my life
Eu sei que vou chorar
I know I will cry
A cada ausência tua eu vou chorar
At every absence of yours, I will cry
Mas cada volta tua há de apagar
But every return of yours will erase
O que essa tua ausência me causou
What your absence caused me
Eu sei que vou sofrer
I know I will suffer
A eterna desventura de viver
The eternal misfortune of living
À espera de viver ao teu lado
Waiting to live by your side
Por toda minha vida
Throughout my life
Contributed by Hunter S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.