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.
Falso Leblon
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E me chama depois
Pra dar uma e dar dois
Ela é que causa
Éque explana
E que acende os faróis
Mas o meu samba
E apaga as pegadas
Que ela quer deixar
Falso Leblon
Big Brother
Tou fora do ar
Ai, amor
Chuva
Num canto de praia
No fim da manhã
E depois de amanhã?
O que faremos do Rio
Quando, enriquecendo
Passarmos a dar
As cartas
As coordenadas
De um mundo melhor
Quanta tristeza guardada
Na cara da moça bonita
Que dói
Francisco Alves
Seu Jorge, os Hermanos
Já foi
Ai, amor
Chuva
Num canto de praia
No fim da manhã
E depois de amanhã?
Drogas, tou fora
Tá foda
Agora vambora
Nem vinho tomei
Me sinto muito sozinho
E ela é a lei
Odeio a vã cocaína
Mas amo a menina
E olho pro céu
Ela se engancha por cima
De mim: quem sou eu?
The song "Falso Leblon" by Caetano Veloso explores themes of love, drug use, and the changing landscape of Rio de Janeiro. The first stanza discusses the singer's experiences with drugs and partying, and the woman who leads him down that path. However, the second stanza reveals a deeper truth: that the singer's true joy comes from his samba music, which transcends the superficial experiences of drug use.
The chorus of the song asks "what will we do with Rio" as the city continues to develop and attract wealth. The singer wonders what role they will play in shaping a better world. The third stanza reveals a sense of sadness that underlies the party atmosphere, as the singer observes the pain and sadness behind the beautiful facade of the city and its people.
The final stanza brings the focus back to the personal, as the singer admits his conflicting emotions towards drugs and the woman who brings them into his life. He hates the drug use but loves the woman, and is left wondering who he is in the midst of these conflicting desires.
Overall, "Falso Leblon" is a complex and insightful exploration of the intersections between love, partying, and the larger social and cultural changes happening in Rio de Janeiro.
Line by Line Meaning
Ecstasy, bala, balada
Drug ecstasy, bullets, and party; indicating a wild, reckless lifestyle
E me chama depois
And then she calls me; implying a woman who initiates and controls the relationship
Pra dar uma e dar dois
To give one and give two; sexual innuendo
Ela é que causa
She is the one who causes; acknowledging the woman's volatile and captivating aura
É que explana
It's that she explains; referring to the woman's power to captivate and mesmerize
E que acende os faróis
And that lights up the headlights; alluding to the woman's ability to lead and guide
Mas o meu samba
But my samba; representing the songwriter's style of music
Transcende
Transcends; suggesting his music is more meaningful and enduring
E apaga as pegadas
And erases the footsteps; indicating his art's power to influence and overshadow the woman's influence
Que ela quer deixar
That she wants to leave behind; hinting at the woman's manipulative nature
Falso Leblon
Fake Leblon; possibly a reference to the songwriter's disappointment with the place
Big Brother
Likely a reference to the television show and its voyeuristic nature
Tou fora do ar
I'm out of the air; indicating his lack of interest in those distractions
Ai, amor
Oh, love; expressing the songwriter's endearment
Chuva
Rain; symbolizing melancholy and sadness
Num canto de praia
In a corner of the beach; evoking a sense of isolation and loneliness
No fim da manhã
Late in the morning; pointing to a certain time of the day, maybe a moment of contemplation
E depois de amanhã?
And what about after tomorrow?; possibly referring to the uncertainty and transience of his situation
O que faremos do Rio
What will we do with Rio; highlighting the city's significance in the songwriter's life
Quando, enriquecendo
When, enriched; maybe referring to the city's changing economy
Passarmos a dar
We start to give; suggesting the songwriter's aspirations for creating a better world
As cartas
The cards; symbolizing power and control
As coordenadas
The coordinates; indicating a plan, a strategy
De um mundo melhor
Of a better world; representing the songwriter's vision for a brighter future
Quanta tristeza guardada
So much hidden sadness; reflecting on the hardships of life
Na cara da moça bonita
On the face of the pretty girl; possibly referring to his lover's hidden pain
Que dói
That hurts; emphasizing the intensity of the pain
Francisco Alves
Likely a reference to the famous Brazilian singer of the 1930s
Seu Jorge, os Hermanos
Possibly referring to other musicians
Já foi
Already gone; indicating the passing of time and the inevitability of change
Drogas, tou fora
Drugs, I'm out; confirming the songwriter's rejection of drugs
Tá foda
It's tough; acknowledging the difficulty of the situation
Agora vambora
Now let's go; suggesting to leave and move on
Nem vinho tomei
I haven't even had wine; asserting his sobriety
Me sinto muito sozinho
I feel very lonely; expressing the songwriter's emotions
E ela é a lei
And she is the law; hinting at the woman's power over him
Odeio a vã cocaína
I hate vain cocaine; emphasizing his dislike for drugs
Mas amo a menina
But I love the girl; expressing his affection for the woman
E olho pro céu
And I look to the sky; possibly seeking spiritual guidance
Ela se engancha por cima
She hooks up from above; describing the woman's hold on him
De mim: quem sou eu?
Of me: who am I?; questioning his identity and worth in the relationship
Contributed by Isabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.