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.
help (mccartney
Caetano Veloso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need somebody
Help!
Not just anybody
Help!
You know i need someone
Help!
I never needed anybody's helping anyway
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self-assured
And now i find i've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can i'm feeling down
And i do appreciate you being around
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
And every now and then i feel so insecure
I know that i just need you like i've never done before
Help me if you can i'm feeling down
And i do appreciate you being around
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
When i was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's helping anyway
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self-assured
And now i find i've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can i'm feeling down
And i do appreciate you being around
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
Help me
Help me, oohhhh!
The song "Help" by Caetano Veloso is actually a cover of the Beatles' classic hit, written by Paul McCartney. The song is a plea for help from a person who was once self-assured and independent but has now become insecure and in need of someone to lean on. The opening lines "Help! I need somebody, Help! Not just anybody, Help! You know I need someone, Help!" set the tone for the song and emphasize the desperation and urgency felt by the singer.
In the first verse, the singer shares that he never needed anyone's help when he was younger, but now he is struggling and can't do it alone. As the song progresses, he expresses his appreciation for the person who is willing to help him, saying "Help me if you can I'm feeling down, And I do appreciate you being round, Help me get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me?"
The chorus is repeated throughout the song and emphasizes the singer's vulnerability and need for support. The song creates a sense of empathy and unity with its listeners, as it acknowledges that everyone goes through tough times and needs help from time to time.
Line by Line Meaning
Help!
The singer is urgently requesting assistance.
I need somebody
The singer is acknowledging their own inability to solve their problems on their own.
Not just anybody
The singer is seeking help specifically from someone they trust and value.
You know i need someone
The artist is emphasizing the important role that the person they are addressing plays in their life.
When i was younger, so much younger than today
The artist reflects on a time in their past when they were more self-sufficient and did not need as much help from others.
I never needed anybody's helping anyway
The singer is acknowledging their past independence and self-sufficiency.
But now these days are gone
The singer recognizes that their current circumstances are different from their past and they require more help.
I'm not so self-assured
The artist acknowledges that they are feeling uncertain and lack confidence in their own abilities.
And now i find i've changed my mind
The artist realizes that they need help, despite their previous reluctance to accept it.
And opened up the doors
The artist is now open to receiving assistance from others.
Help me if you can i'm feeling down
The singer is expressing their current emotional state and requesting help to improve it.
And i do appreciate you being around
The artist is expressing gratitude and appreciation towards the person they are addressing for their presence and willingness to help.
Help me get my feet back on the ground
The singer is seeking help to feel more grounded and stable.
Won't you please, please help me?
The singer is making a plea for help, emphasizing its importance.
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
The singer is acknowledging that their circumstances have shifted and they require more assistance than before.
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
The artist is recognizing that their independence has been clouded by their current struggles and they need help to regain it.
And every now and then i feel so insecure
The artist is expressing vulnerability and insecurity related to their current situation.
I know that i just need you like i've never done before
The singer recognizes that they need help more than ever before and is emphasizing the importance of the person they are addressing.
Help me
The singer is once again making a direct request for assistance.
Help me, oohhhh!
The artist is emphasizing the urgency and importance of their request for help.
Contributed by John N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.