The firstborn son of Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived at several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome. He wrote and studied literature as a child and found music through the bossa nova compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He performed as a singer and guitarist in the 1960s as well as writing a play that was deemed dangerous by the Brazilian military dictatorship of the time. Buarque, along with several Tropicalist and MPB musicians, was threatened by the Brazilian military government and eventually left Brazil for Italy in 1969. However, he came back to Brazil in 1970, and continued to record, perform, and write, though much of his material was suppressed by government censors. He released several more albums in the 1980s and published three novels in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2019, Buarque was awarded the Camões Prize, the most important prize for literature in the Portuguese language.
Cálice
Chico Buarque Lyrics
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Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice
Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice
De vinho tinto de sangue
Como beber dessa bebida amarga
Tragar a dor, engolir a labuta
Mesmo calada a boca, resta o peito
De que me vale ser filho da santa
Melhor seria ser filho da outra
Outra realidade menos morta
Tanta mentira, tanta força bruta
Como é difícil acordar calado
Se na calada da noite eu me dano
Quero lançar um grito desumano
Que é uma maneira de ser escutado
Esse silêncio todo me atordoa
Atordoado eu permaneço atento
Na arquibancada pra a qualquer momento
Ver emergir o monstro da lagoa
De muito gorda a porca já não anda
De muito usada a faca já não corta
Como é difícil, pai, abrir a porta
Essa palavra presa na garganta
Esse pileque homérico no mundo
De que adianta ter boa vontade
Mesmo calado o peito, resta a cuca
Dos bêbados do centro da cidade
Talvez o mundo não seja pequeno
Nem seja a vida um fato consumado
Quero inventar o meu próprio pecado
Quero morrer do meu próprio veneno
Quero perder de vez tua cabeça
Minha cabeça perder teu juízo
Quero cheirar fumaça de óleo diesel
Me embriagar até que alguém me esqueça
The song "Cálice" by Chico Buarque has religious and political themes. The title "Cálice" ("Chalice" in English) refers to the Biblical story of the Last Supper, where Jesus asks God to take away the cup of suffering, symbolizing his impending death. The song's lyrics use this religious metaphor to criticize the Brazilian military dictatorship, which ruled the country from 1964 to 1985. The repeated plea to God - "Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice" ("Father, take away this cup from me") - is also an appeal to end the violence and oppression of the regime.
The second verse begins with the question of how to bear the bitter drink, how to endure the pain and struggle, even when one is silenced and afraid. The singer wonders if it would be better to deny one's faith or principles and join the oppressors. The word "labuta" (labor) refers to the daily struggles of ordinary people, who are often forgotten or ignored by those in power. The mention of "silêncio na cidade não se escuta" (silence in the city is not heard) highlights the pervasive fear and censorship that characterized life under the dictatorship. The singer declares that the truth is suppressed by lies and brute force.
In the final verses, the singer expresses his frustration and desire for rebellion. He wants to scream out against the silence and ignorance that surrounds him. He feels overwhelmed and disoriented by the chaos of the world, but he remains watchful and ready for any opportunity to resist. The image of the "monstro da lagoa" (monster from the lagoon) suggests a lurking danger or threat, which could arise at any moment. The line "Quero lançar um grito desumano / Que é uma maneira de ser escutado" (I want to launch a inhuman cry / That's a way to be heard) is a powerful declaration of the need for disobedience and protest in the face of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice
Father, keep away from me this chalice
De vinho tinto de sangue
Of red wine and blood
Como beber dessa bebida amarga
How to drink this bitter drink
Tragar a dor, engolir a labuta
To swallow the pain, to gulp down the struggles
Mesmo calada a boca, resta o peito
Even with a closed mouth, the heart remains
Silêncio na cidade não se escuta
In the city, silence is unheard
De que me vale ser filho da santa
What good is it to be the child of a saint
Melhor seria ser filho da outra
It would be better to be the child of another
Outra realidade menos morta
Another reality less dead
Tanta mentira, tanta força bruta
So many lies, so much brute force
Como é difícil acordar calado
How difficult it is to wake up in silence
Se na calada da noite eu me dano
If in the silence of the night, I harm myself
Quero lançar um grito desumano
I want to scream an inhuman scream
Que é uma maneira de ser escutado
Which is a way to be heard
Esse silêncio todo me atordoa
This whole silence unnerves me
Atordoado eu permaneço atento
Dazed, I remain attentive
Na arquibancada pra a qualquer momento
On the bleachers at any moment
Ver emergir o monstro da lagoa
To see the monster from the lagoon emerge
De muito gorda a porca já não anda
The pig is too fat to walk
De muito usada a faca já não corta
The knife, worn out, no longer cuts
Como é difícil, pai, abrir a porta
How difficult it is, father, to open the door
Essa palavra presa na garganta
This word stuck in the throat
Esse pileque homérico no mundo
This Homeric drunk in the world
De que adianta ter boa vontade
What good does it do to have good intentions
Mesmo calado o peito, resta a cuca
Even with a silent heart, the mind remains
Dos bêbados do centro da cidade
Of the drunks in the city center
Talvez o mundo não seja pequeno
Maybe the world isn't small
Nem seja a vida um fato consumado
Nor is life a done deal
Quero inventar o meu próprio pecado
I want to invent my own sin
Quero morrer do meu próprio veneno
I want to die from my own poison
Quero perder de vez tua cabeça
I want to lose your head once and for all
Minha cabeça perder teu juízo
My head to lose your reason
Quero cheirar fumaça de óleo diesel
I want to smell diesel smoke
Me embriagar até que alguém me esqueça
To get drunk until someone forgets me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, Chico Buarque
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind