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.
Felicidade
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E a saudade no meu peito ainda mora
E é por isso que eu gosto lá de fora
Porque sei que a falsidade não vigora
A minha casa fica lá de traz do mundo
Onde eu vou em um segundo quando começo a cantar
O pensamento parece uma coisa à toa
In Caetano Veloso's classic song Felicidade, the writer reflects on the loss of happiness in their life. As the lyrics suggest, "Felicidade foi se embora" (Happiness has gone away), leaving behind a sense of longing in the writer's heart. The lyrics express the idea that while happiness may be fleeting, it is okay to seek it elsewhere because "a falsidade não vigora" (falsehood does not exist) in those places.
The writer reveals that their home is a place that is far removed from the rest of the world, somewhere they can go in a single second by singing. The phrase "O pensamento parece uma coisa a toa" (thoughts may seem trivial) is highlighted, and the writer speaks of how their thoughts can lead them to a place where they feel free and liberated. The lyrics of Felicidade remain relevant because they remind us of our natural desire to seek happiness and how it is always worth pursuing, even through the most challenging times.
Line by Line Meaning
Felicidade foi se embora
Happiness has gone away
E a saudade no meu peito ainda mora
But longing still lives in my heart
E é por isso que eu gosto lá de fora
And that's why I like it far away
Porque sei que a falsidade não vigora
Because I know falsehood doesn't reign there
A minha casa fica lá de traz do mundo
My home is located behind the world
Onde eu vou em um segundo quando começo a cantar
Where I can go in a second when I start to sing
O pensamento parece uma coisa à toa
Thoughts seem like an idle thing
Mas como é que a gente voa quando começa a pensar
But how is it that we can fly when we start to think
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Tom Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
José Pereira
isso é que é musica para ouvir e meditar que coisa linda
Aldir Fernandes
Linda musica! sou pastor evangelico, mas acho essa musica perfeita, humanamente falando. Marcou meus 7 anos de idade, qdo numa escola onde eu estudava a dirtora gostava muito dessa cançao. Ficou gravado n minha memoria. Hj, aos 54 anos, nunca esqci. Como sou saudosista de carteirinha...Hj acordei chorando pq acordei de um sonho q estava justamente cantando essa musica p minha mae a beira de um lago. Fortes emocoes.
Silvana Suely
E a saudade no meu peito...a minha casa fica lá atrás do mundo...
Amo a música e a letra magnífica 🙏😘👏👏👏👏
Marilene Valeriano Rosa
Caetano Veloso é um cantor de verdade!!! Amo!!!❤
Laura Gertrudes de oliveira
1980 e essa música!! Ano mais feliz da minha vida!!!
José Domingos
O 🍷 da partida, é amargo.
Gratidãoao Lupcinio Rodrigues. 1914- 1974. Faleceu novo com 60 anos. Mas meu irmão Afro Brasileiro, eternizou se através desse hino... As rádios não tocam mas o povo canta, tanto na roça, quanto na cidade...
Marta Oka
LINDA MÚSICA.ME DEIXA FELIZ VOZ LINDA PARABÉNS CAETANO VELOSO DEUS ABENÇOA TODOS NÓS PARABÉNS AMO.VOCÊS CANTORES QUE TEM VOZ LINDA MARAVILHOSA ME DEIXA FELIZ ⭐️🌷🌿🌹👏👏👏👏👏
ALESSANDRA SERRA
É linda a canção! Com Caetano é perfeita!♥️
Flora Mesquita
Realmente isso é música de pessoas decentes
Jose Vanderlei😇
Legal ótimo demais parabéns jóia muito bom mesmo bacana valeu show sucesso talento 😁😁😁😁🌏🌏🌏🌏