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.
Nostalgia
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you're never up before noon
You look completely different from those straights
Who walked around on the moon
The clothes you wear
Would suit and old times baloons
You're allways nowhere
But you'll realize pretty soon
Isn't worth a twelve bar tune
You won't believe you're just one more flower
Among so many flowers that sprout
You just feel faintly pround when you hear they shout
Very loud: "you're not allowed in here, get out"
That's what rock'n'roll is all about
That's what rock'n'roll is all about
I mean, that's what rock'n'roll was all about
Caetano Veloso's song Nostalgia, released in 1975, is a lamentation about the way society, and particularly the music industry, has changed. The song centers around a character who is different, who does not conform to the norms or follow the "moonwalk" of others. This outsider persona is conveyed through the lyrics where the character wakes up late, wears different clothing, and listens to a style of music that is not considered popular or mainstream. The words paint a picture of someone who is living in the past, nostalgic for a time when individuality and creativity were valued over conformity and marketability.
The song is a commentary on the state of popular music in the 70s, and the decline of the rock n' roll ethos, which was all about rebellion, nonconformity, and a DIY attitude. The phrase "That's what rock'n'roll is all about" is repeated a few times, further emphasizing the nostalgia for a time when the music was about something more than just making money. The final verse reveals the reason behind this nostalgia; the singer "won't believe [they're] just one more flower among so many." The song seems to be a call to action to reclaim the creative spirit of rock n' roll and reject the homogenization of popular music.
Line by Line Meaning
You sing about waking up in the morning
You mention starting your day, but it's always quite late.
But you're never up before noon
You rarely get out of bed before lunchtime.
You look completely different from those straights
You have a unique appearance and style compared to conventional people.
Who walked around on the moon
Even the people who have walked on the moon don't look like you.
The clothes you wear
Your clothing choice is reminiscent of olden times and hot air balloons.
Would suit an old times balloon
Your clothes would perfectly match the aesthetic of old hot air balloons.
You're always nowhere
You're always wandering around with no specific destination.
But you'll realize pretty soon
However, you will soon come to the realization.
That's all that you care
You will come to the realization that this aimless wandering doesn't matter to you.
Isn't worth a twelve bar tune
It's not worth writing a musical piece with twelve bars about such aimlessness.
You won't believe you're just one more flower
You can't accept that you're just one of many people in the world.
Among so many flowers that sprout
There are countless people around you who are outwardly similar to you.
You just feel faintly proud when you hear they shout
The only time you feel satisfaction is when people acknowledge your existence.
Very loud: "you're not allowed in here, get out"
Although, sometimes the acknowledgement isn't positive and results in being excluded.
That's what rock'n'roll is all about
This feeling of exclusion was once the essence of rock and roll.
That's what rock'n'roll was all about
This notion of defiance and rejecting societal norms was what the original rock and roll spirit entailed.
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@FernandoGracaOficial
Gal Costa no vocal atrás e Angela Ro Ro na gaita!
@beatriz4998
❤
@lucieliadelima777
Show de bola esse disco
@luizcaniza5201
Caetano arrasa no Rock!!
@zefiiro5136
Letra en Español:
Cantas sobre despertar por la mañana
Pero nunca estás despierto antes del mediodía
Te ves completamente diferente de esas rectas
Quién caminó en la luna
La ropa que usas
Sería adecuado para un globo de antaño
Siempre estás en la nada
Pero te darás cuenta muy pronto
Que todo lo que te importa
No vale una tonada de doce bares
No vas a creer que eres solo una flor más
Entre tantas flores que brotan
Simplemente te sientes débil cuando escuchas que gritan muy fuerte:
"¡No puedes entrar aquí, vete!"
De eso se trata el rock'n'roll
De eso se trata el rock'n'roll
Es decir, de eso se trataba el rock'n'roll