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.
Tonada de Luna Llena
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dandole combate a un rio
Asi es como se enamora
Tu corazon con el mio
Yo vide una garza mora
Dandole combate a un rio
Asi es como se enamora
Asi es como se enamora
Tu corazon con el mio
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Anda muchacho a la casa
Y me traes la carabina
Pa mata este gavilan
Que no me deja gallina
La luna me esta mirando
Yo no se lo que me ve
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
Ayer tarde la lave
La luna me esta mirando
Yo no se lo que me ve
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
Ayer tarde la lave
Ayer tarde la lave
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
The lyrics of Caetano Veloso's Tonada De Luna Llena convey a sense of day-to-day life and simple experiences, as well as the beauty of nature and romantic love. The song begins with the singer observing a "garza mora", a dark heron, engaged in combat with a river. This image is used to depict the way two hearts fall in love, through a struggle or a challenge. The lines "Asi es como se enamora, tu corazon con el mio" suggest that love is not always easy, but rather requires effort and determination.
Later on in the song, the singer expresses frustration with a hawk that is attacking their chickens, and asks for a gun to take care of the problem. This moment provides a glimpse into the daily life of a rural community, with its struggles to maintain a living and protect its resources. The song then returns to the moon, which the singer notes is watching them, yet they are uncertain of its gaze. The image of the clean clothes that were washed the previous day signifies a renewed spirit and freshness, as if something new and promising is on the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo vide una garza mora
I saw a black heron
Dandole combate a un rio
Fighting against a river
Asi es como se enamora
That's how love works
Tu corazon con el mio
Your heart with mine
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Moon, moon, full and waning moon
Anda muchacho a la casa
Go home, boy
Y me traes la carabina
And bring me the rifle
Pa' mata este gavilan
To kill this hawk
Que no me deja gallina
That won't let my hens be
La luna me esta mirando
The moon is watching me
Yo no se lo que me ve
I don't know what it sees in me
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
I have clean clothes
Ayer tarde la lave
I washed them yesterday afternoon
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ilenibelloso2052
DIOS !!! QUIÉN NO CONOCE A SIMÓN DÍAZ, FUE UN EXCELENTE CANTA-AUTOR VENEZOLANO, HACEDOR DE FOLCLOR, EJEMPLAR HOMBRE, POR EL LEGADO QUE NOS DEJÓ Y POR TANTO AMOR QUE MANIFESTÓ A SU PAÍS, SE GANÓ LA ETERNIDAD. El gran Tío Simón, todo un icono de nuestra música llanera, podría decirse un embajador de nuestro acervo cultural, él marcó el gran inicio en la música de genero llanera, caracterizada mas que todo en tonadas, que describían la cotidianidad del hombre del llano...las tonadas, son cantos para alegrar las faenas y tareas del llano, nos motivan a trabajar desde la madrugada viendo el alba y hasta mucho después del ocaso, así creamos un vinculo con los animales y bestias en especial con el caballo, que es nuestro mejor amigo, compañero y hermano, junto al sombrero, la silla de montar y el cuatro con que cantamos nuestras penas amores y alegrías, esto es lo que canta un llanero. Dios te bendiga Tio Simón....Estos son los hombres que deberían ser eternos....Dignos, honrados, siempre con su cara en alto, representando lo más grande que es ser Venezolano. Dios te Bendiga allá en el cielo Tío Simón....
LETRA Y MÚSICA DE SIMÓN DÍAZ
Yo vide una garza mora
Dándole combate a un río
Así es como se enamora
Tu corazón con el mio
Luna luna luna llena
Menguante
Anda muchacho a la casa
Y me traes la carabina jiooo
Pa mata este gavilán
Que no me deja gallina
La luna me esta mirando
Yo no se lo que me ve
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
Ayer tarde la lave
Luna luna luna llena
Menguante
@solangevoiry19
Preciosidad pura !
Yo vide una garza mora
Dándole combate a un rio
Así es como se enamora
Tú corazón con el mio
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante...
Anda muchacho a la casa
Y me trae la carabina
Pa' mata este gavilán
Que no me deja gallina
La luna me está mirando
Yo no se lo que me ve
Yo tengo la ropa limpia
Ayer tarde la lavé
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante
Luna, luna, luna, llena menguante...
@luchovera2464
No hay vez que oiga esta interpretación sin derramar unas lagrimitas.
@MrGbruges
El maestro Simón Díaz escuchó está versión y no pudo contener las lágrimas
@carlosdelarosa7021
Noten el silencio ceremonial que el público brinda al cantante durante su interpretación a capella. Varios interpretes han destacado cómo esta tonada - bien cantada - conmueve y aquieta a quienes la escuchan.
@anarivas4367
Es una de las mejores interpretaciones de Caetano, hermosa versión
@mariaalejandrafoley7782
La mejor interpretación de mi amada tonada de Luna llena. Me erizó la piel
@reinaldovilchez64
Como me emociona ver a un extranjero entonando un teme de Tio Simon Diaz
sobre todo oír ver que lo hace de forma excelente...!!
Viva Venezuela carachaaaaaaa...!!
@victorhugo3104
eso quería saber, esa canción es de Venezuela? Gracias.
@reinaldovilchez64
si es venezolana escritoa por Simon Diaz
@victorhugo3104
Rei Vil Muchas gracias. Saludos a la Patria Grande!!
@lulumazzucco1952
Síii.. una de las hermosas canciones del gran Simón Díaz.. ,,❤️