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.
Meia Lua Inteira
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Estrangeiro gozador
Cocar de coqueiro baixo quando engano se enganou
São dim, dom, dão são bento, grande homens de movimento
Martelo do tribunal, sumiu na mata adentro
Foi pego sem documento no terreiro regional
Poeira ra ra ra, poeira ra ra ra
Verdadeiro ra ra ra, derradeiro rara ra
Não me impede de cantar ra ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
Bimba berimba a mim que diga, taco de arame, cabaça, barriga
São dim, dom, dão São Bento, grande homem de movimento
Nunca foi um marginal, sumiu na praça a tempo
Caminhando contra o vento sobre a prata capital
Poeira ra ra ra, poeira ra ra ra
Terça-feira, capoeira ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
Derradeiro ra ra ra, verdadeiro ra ra ra
Não me impede de cantar ra ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
Poeira ra ra ra, poeira ra ra ra
Terça-feira, capoeira ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera rara ra
Verdadeiro ra ra ra, derradeiro ra ra ra
Não me impede de cantar ra ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
The lyrics to "Meia Lua Inteira" by Caetano Veloso are about capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that originated during the time of slavery. The song speaks of the different moves and styles used in capoeira, such as the "meia lua inteira" (half-moon full) which is a kick that hits the face of the weak, and the "cocar de coqueiro baixo" which is a low coconut headbutt used to deceive the opponent. The song also mentions the "dim, dom, dão São Bento", which are great men of capoeira known for their movements and skills.
The second paragraph of the song speaks of a man named Bimba, who was a famous capoeira master and innovator. He is referred to as "grande homem de movimento" (great man of movement) and is said to have used unconventional techniques such as the "taco de arame" (wire stick) and the "cabaça" (gourd) in his capoeira practice. The song also mentions a tribunal hammer that disappeared in the forest and was found without any documentation on the "terreiro regional" (regional courtyard).
Overall, the lyrics of "Meia Lua Inteira" celebrate the culture and history of capoeira, highlighting the techniques and skills it entails, as well as the great masters who have contributed to its development.
Line by Line Meaning
Meia lua inteira sopapo, na cara do fraco
A strong hit with a half-moon kick right in the face of the weak
Estrangeiro gozador
A mocking foreigner
Cocar de coqueiro baixo quando engano se enganou
A low coconut palm frond that fooled itself
São dim, dom, dão são bento, grande homens de movimento
Saints Dim, Dom, and Don Bento, great movers and shakers
Martelo do tribunal, sumiu na mata adentro
The court's hammer disappeared into the forest
Foi pego sem documento no terreiro regional
He was caught without documents at the regional courtyard
Poeira ra ra ra, poeira ra ra ra
Dust ra ra ra, dust ra ra ra
Terça-feira, capoeira ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
On Tuesday, capoeira ra ra ra, I'm where it all came from ra ra ra
Verdadeiro ra ra ra, derradeiro rara ra
True ra ra ra, ultimate rara ra
Não me impede de cantar ra ra ra ra, tô no pé de onde dera ra ra ra
It doesn't stop me from singing ra ra ra ra, I'm where it all came from ra ra ra
Bimba berimba a mim que diga, taco de arame, cabaça, barriga
Bimba and berimba can tell me, wire stick, gourd, belly
Nunca foi um marginal, sumiu na praça a tempo
He was never a criminal, disappeared from the square in time
Caminhando contra o vento sobre a prata capital
Walking against the wind over the silver capital
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carlinhos Brown, Antonio Freitas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hamilton Gomes Da Silva
Pra quem não sabe ou percebeu, na percussão, tocando pandeiro, CARLINHOS BROWN. Aliás, autor dessa musica. Nessa época ele era só o percussionista de Caetano.
Pablo Caamano
Verdade absoluta.
Kytom
Boa observação
Nathan de Eunice
Exatamente ele grande Carlinhos brawm
Lila lila
Orgulho de ser brasileira como Carlinhos e Caétano!🇧🇷
Jairo Prates
Eu percebi na hora
Edmer Alves
Orgulho de ser Nordestina e ter esse Gênio da Música popular brasileira Amo Caetano
Valdir Silva
Isso é ouro!!!
Obrigado por compartilhar essa jóia conosco!!!
Lila lila
Brasileiros e nossas música🇧🇷
Maria Mariana
a cultura do Brasil é incrível!