<… Read Full Bio ↴Collaboration of Brazilian musicians Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil .
Caetano Veloso
Birth name Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso
Born August 7, 1942 (1942-08-07) (age 66)
Origin Santo Amaro da Purificação, Bahia, Brazil
Genre(s) Música Popular Brasileira, Tropicalismo, Pop, Psicodelia, Standards
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, writer
Instrument(s) Voice, guitar
Years active 1967–present
Website http://www.caetanoveloso.com.br
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (born August 7, 1942), better known as Caetano Veloso, is a composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. He has been called "one of the greatest songwriters of the century"[1] and is sometimes considered to be the Bob Dylan of Brazil.[2] Veloso is most known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s, at the beginning of the Brazilian military dictatorship.
Veloso was born in Bahia, a state in the northeastern area of Brazil, but moved to Rio de Janeiro as a college student in the mid-1960s. Soon after the move, Veloso won a music contest and was signed to his first label. He became one of the founders of Tropicalismo with a group of several other musicians and artists—including his sister Maria Bethânia—in the same period. However the Brazilian government at the time viewed Veloso's music and political action as threatening, and he was arrested, along with fellow musician Gilberto Gil, in 1969. The two eventually were exiled from Brazil, and went to London, where they lived for two years. After he moved back to his home country, in 1972, Veloso once again began recording and performing, becoming popular outside of Brazil in the 1980s and 1990s. He has so far won five Latin Grammy Awards. He recorded his first all-English album, A Foreign Sound in 2004. The album contains many American standards.
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (born June 26, 1942), better known as Gilberto Gil (IPA: [ʒiu̯berto ʒiu̯]), is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and his political commitment. Since 2003, he has been serving as his country's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Gil began playing music as a child and was still a teenager when he joined his first band. He started out as a bossa nova musician, eventually writing songs that reflected a new focus on political awareness and social activism. He was a key figure in the Música Popular Brasileira and Tropicalismo movements of the 1960s, alongside artists such as longtime collaborator Caetano Veloso. The Brazilian military regime that took power in 1964 saw both Gil and Veloso as a threat, and the two were held for nine months in 1969 before they were told to leave the country. Gil moved to London, but returned to the Brazilian state of Bahia in 1972 and continued his musical career, as well as working as a politician and environmental advocate.
Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including rock, Brazilian genres including samba and forró, African music, and reggae.
As coisas
Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Massa, volume, tamanho
Tempo, forma, cor
Posição, textura, duração
Densidade, cheiro, valor
Consistência, profundidade
Contorno, temperatura
Função, aparência, preço
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas têm peso
Massa, volume, tamanho
Tempo, forma, cor
Posição, textura, duração
Densidade, cheiro, valor
Consistência, profundidade
Contorno, temperatura
Função, aparência, preço
Destino, idade, sentido
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
As coisas não têm paz
The lyrics to the song "As coisas" by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil delve into the physical properties of objects and the absence of peace within them. The opening lines lay out a list of characteristics that objects possess, from weight to texture to function. This list seems to paint a picture of objectivity and practicality, as if these tangible properties are the only things that truly define the purpose and essence of these objects.
But the repeated refrain that "as coisas não têm paz," meaning "things have no peace," challenges this notion that objects are simply inert and functional. The absence of peace could be interpreted as a lack of contentment or fulfillment, as if these objects are never truly satisfied or complete. It could also be interpreted as a warning against the pitfalls of consumerism and materialism – the tendency to place too much value and importance on objects that ultimately do not bring lasting happiness or fulfillment.
Ultimately, "As coisas" is a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of objects and the tension between practicality and meaning in our lives. It encourages us to think more deeply about the role that objects play in our lives and to cultivate a sense of peace and contentment that is less reliant on material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
As coisas têm peso
Things have weight
Massa, volume, tamanho
Mass, volume, and size
Tempo, forma, cor
Time, shape, and color
Posição, textura, duração
Position, texture, and duration
Densidade, cheiro, valor
Density, smell, and value
Consistência, profundidade
Consistency and depth
Contorno, temperatura
Outline and temperature
Função, aparência, preço
Function, appearance, and price
Destino, idade, sentido
Fate, age, and meaning
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas têm peso
Things have weight
Massa, volume, tamanho
Mass, volume, and size
Tempo, forma, cor
Time, shape, and color
Posição, textura, duração
Position, texture, and duration
Densidade, cheiro, valor
Density, smell, and value
Consistência, profundidade
Consistency and depth
Contorno, temperatura
Outline and temperature
Função, aparência, preço
Function, appearance, and price
Destino, idade, sentido
Fate, age, and meaning
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
As coisas não têm paz
Things do not have peace
Contributed by Brody T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.