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.
Você É Linda
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
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Kabuki, máscara
Choque entre o azul
E o cacho de acácias
Luz das acácias
Você é mãe do sol
A sua coisa é toda tão certa
Beleza esperta
Quando atravessa
E não olha pra trás
Linda e sabe viver
Você me faz feliz
Esta canção é só pra dizer
E diz
Você é linda, mais que demais
Você é linda, sim
Onda do mar do amor
Que bateu em mim
Você é forte, dentes e músculos
Peitos e lábios
Você é forte, letras e músicas
Todas as músicas
Que ainda hei de ouvir
No abaeté, areias e estrelas
Não são mais belas
Do que você
Mulher das estrelas
Mina de estrelas
Diga o que você quer
Você é linda e sabe viver
Você me faz feliz
Esta canção é só pra dizer
E diz
Você é linda
Mais que demais
Você é linda sim
Onda do mar do amor
Que bateu em mim
Gosto de ver você no seu ritmo
Dona do carnaval
Gosto de ter
Sentir seu estilo
Ir no seu íntimo
Nunca me faça mal
Linda, mais que demais
Você é linda, sim
Onda do mar do amor
Que bateu em mim
Você é linda e sabe viver
Você me faz feliz
Esta canção é só pra dizer
E diz
The lyrics to Caetano Veloso's song "Você É Linda" ("You Are Beautiful" in English) describe a woman who evokes feelings of intense beauty and undeniable strength. The opening lines depict the woman as having eyes like a geisha and wearing a kabuki mask, setting the scene for a vivid and hauntingly beautiful picture. The juxtaposition of the blue sky and the cluster of acacia flowers adds to the sensory experience of the song, conjuring up an image of contrasting colors and textures. The woman is seen as the mother of the sun, with everything about her being just right and flawlessly intelligent. As she walks down the street, she leaves everything else behind and the singer cannot help but see her as overwhelmingly beautiful.
In the chorus, the singer repeats the phrase "you are beautiful more than enough" as a way of emphasizing that the woman is not simply pretty, but holds a deeper, more meaningful beauty that cannot be fully captured in words or images. He also acknowledges that she makes him happy and this song is solely meant to praise her.
The second verse continues to emphasize the woman's strength through her physical and artistic attributes. The natural beauty of the landscape (Abaeté) is compared to her, with the woman being more wonderful than even the stars and the sand on the beach. Finally, the singer expresses his desire to know everything about her, enjoying her personal style and rhythm, but asking her not to ever hurt him.
Overall, the lyrics to "Você É Linda" are a powerful and evocative tribute to a woman who is not only physically beautiful, but also strong, creative, and captivating.
Line by Line Meaning
Fonte de mel nos olhos de gueixa
Your eyes are like a sweet honey source, just like those of a gueixa
Kabuki, máscara
Your beauty is like that of a kabuki actress, wearing a mask of perfect features
Choque entre o azul
The contrast of your blue dress perfectly matches the surrounding acacia flowers
E o cacho de acácias
The acacia flowers enhance your beauty, creating a picturesque scene
Luz das acácias
The light shining on the acacia flowers is as radiant as your own beauty
Você é mãe do sol
You are the one who brings light and warmth to my life, just like the sun
A sua coisa é toda tão certa
Everything about you is perfect and just right
Beleza esperta
Your beauty is not only stunning, but also clever and sharp
Você me deixa a rua deserta
You make me forget the world around me and leave me alone with my thoughts
Quando atravessa
As you walk by, everything else loses its significance
E não olha pra trás
You are confident in yourself and do not need to look back at others for validation
Linda e sabe viver
Not only are you beautiful, but you also know how to live your life to the fullest
Você me faz feliz
You bring happiness into my life
Esta canção é só pra dizer
This song is here to tell you
E diz
And it says
Você é linda mais que demais
You are more than just beautiful
Você é linda sim
You truly are beautiful
Onda do mar do amor
You are like a love wave in the sea that has swept me away
Que bateu em mim
That has crashed into me
Você é forte, dentes e músculos
You are strong, both in body and character
Peitos e lábios
Your feminine features like breasts and lips are also strong and bold
Letras e músicas
Even your taste in music and words are strong and expressive
Todas as músicas
Every song that you listen to represents your strength and beauty
Que ainda hei de ouvir
And there are countless songs that I have yet to discover that showcase your strength
No abaeté
In the Abaeté lagoon
Areias e estrelas
The sand and stars that surround you
Não são mais belas
Do not compare to the beauty you possess
Do que você
You are the most beautiful
Mulher das estrelas
You are a woman of the stars
Mina de estrelas
You are a mine of stars, radiating with light and wonder
Diga o que você quer
Tell me what you want, because I'll do anything for you
Gosto de ver você no seu ritmo
I love seeing you dance to your own rhythm
Dona do carnaval
You are the queen of the carnival, taking control of everything around you
Gosto de ter
I love having you
Sentir seu estilo
Feeling your unique style and personality
Ir no seu íntimo
Getting to know the depths of your soul
Nunca me faça mal
Just promise me you will never hurt me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Caetano Emmanuel Viana Teles Veloso
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind