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.
Um Dia
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Realçavas a manhã
Luz de sol, janela aberta
Festa e verde o teu olhar
Pé de avenca na janela
Brisa verde, verdejar
Vê se alegra tudo agora
Abre os olhos, mostra o riso
Quero, careço, preciso
De ver você se alegrar
Eu não estou indo-me embora
Tou só preparando a hora
De voltar
No rastro do meu caminho
No brilho longo dos trilhos
Na correnteza do rio
Vou voltando pra você
Na resistência do vento
No tempo que vou e espero
No braço, no pensamento
Vou voltando pra você
No Raso da Catarina
Nas águas de Amaralina
Na calma da calmaria
Longe do mar da Bahia
Limite da minha vida
Vou voltando pra você
Vou voltando como um dia
Realçavas a manhã
Entre avencas verde-brisa
Tu de novo sorrirás
E eu te direi que um dia
As estradas voltarão
Voltarão trazendo todos
Para a festa do lugar
Abre os olhos, mostra o riso
Quero, careço, preciso
De ver você se alegrar
Eu não estou indo embora
Tou só preparando a hora
De voltar
De voltar
The lyrics of Caetano Veloso's song "Um Dia" speak of hope, healing, and returning to a state of happiness. The first stanza describes a party where everything is bright and green, and the singer urges the person he addresses to open their eyes and stop crying. He wants them to smile and be happy, as he is not leaving but preparing to come back.
In the second stanza, the singer speaks of his journey back to the person he is addressing. He talks about the different elements he encounters on his way, such as the wind, time, and water, and how they are all part of his journey back to the person he loves. He lists different locations, including the Catarina desert and the waters of Amaralina, to show that he is willing to go anywhere to be with this person.
The final stanza is a reaffirmation of his commitment to this person. He assures them that he will return and that everyone will come together for a celebration. He repeats the lines from the first stanza about opening their eyes and smiling, emphasizing the importance of happiness and joy in their relationship.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a message of love, support, and hope. It is a reminder that no matter how far apart two people may be, there is always a way back to each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Como um dia numa festa
Just like that day at the party
Realçavas a manhã
When you brightened up the morning
Luz de sol, janela aberta
Sunlight, open window
Festa e verde o teu olhar
Your eyes were festive and green
Pé de avenca na janela
Fern on the windowsill
Brisa verde, verdejar
Green breeze, verdant growth
Vê se alegra tudo agora
See if you can make everything happy now
Vê se para de chorar
See if you can stop crying
Abre os olhos, mostra o riso
Open your eyes, show your smile
Quero, careço, preciso
I want, I crave, I need
De ver você se alegrar
To see you happy
Eu não estou indo-me embora
I'm not leaving yet
Tou só preparando a hora
I'm just getting ready to go
De voltar
To come back
No rastro do meu caminho
In the path I'm following
No brilho longo dos trilhos
In the long shine of the tracks
Na correnteza do rio
In the river's current
Vou voltando pra você
I'm coming back to you
Na resistência do vento
In the resistance of the wind
No tempo que vou e espero
In the time I go and wait
No braço, no pensamento
In my arm, in my thoughts
No Raso da Catarina
In the shallows of Catarina
Nas águas de Amaralina
In the waters of Amaralina
Na calma da calmaria
In the calm of the calm
Longe do mar da Bahia
Away from the sea of Bahia
Limite da minha vida
The limit of my life
Vou voltando pra você
I'm coming back to you
Vou voltando como um dia
I'm coming back just like that day
Realçavas a manhã
When you brightened up the morning
Entre avencas verde-brisa
Among the green ferns in the breeze
Tu de novo sorrirás
You'll smile again
E eu te direi que um dia
And I'll tell you that one day
As estradas voltarão
The roads will return
Voltarão trazendo todos
They'll bring everyone back
Para a festa do lugar
To the party of the place
Abre os olhos, mostra o riso
Open your eyes, show your smile
Quero, careço, preciso
I want, I crave, I need
De ver você se alegrar
To see you happy
Eu não estou indo embora
I'm not leaving yet
Tou só preparando a hora
I'm just getting ready to go
De voltar
To come back
Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ivonemenao8392
Toda ela chega no meu coração. Como se fosse feita para meu momento de saudade, quando realçavas o meu amanhã. Snra. Que as vezes ainda é menina.
@atlas1070
Vá em paz, querida Gal. Seu trabalho ficará eternizado conosco, jamais será esquecida.
@marisaazevedo3768
Salve Caetano! Q lindo!!!
@atlas1070
Boas memórias tornam a surgir na minha mente, ao ouvir esta canção, apresentada pelo meu pai. Lindo poema e uma bela recordação.
@Pelourinho24
Poetry perfection!
@terezinhaoliveiratete6853
a minha poesia preferida
@leonordeangelorossatto5436
Estou devolvendo esta musica a que me a deu. nada mais é como antes. Precisa voltar não
@atlas1070
Que comentário interessante. Acredito que foi o que mais me chamou atenção durante todo esse tempo no youtube.