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.
Você vai me seguir
Chico Buarque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aonde quer que eu vá
Você vai me servir
Você vai se curvar
Você vai resistir
Mas vai se acostumar
Você vai me agredir
Você vai me sorrir
Você vai se enfeitar
E vem me seduzir
Me possuir, me infernizar
Você vai me trair
Você vem me beijar
Você vai me cegar
E eu vou consentir
Você vai conseguir
Enfim me apunhalar
Você vai me velar
Chorar, vai me cobrir
E me ninar
Menina, ninar
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, ninar
Você vai me seguir
Aonde quer que eu vá
Você vai me servir
Você vai se curvar
Você vai resistir
Mas vai se acostumar
Você vai me agredir
Você vai me adorar
Você vai me sorrir
Você vai se enfeitar
E vem me seduzir
Me possuir, me infernizar
Você vai me trair
Você vem me beijar
Você vai me cegar
E eu vou consentir
Você vai conseguir
Enfim me apunhalar
Você vai me velar
Chorar, vai me cobrir
E me ninar, ninar
Menina, ninar
Ninar, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, menina
Menina, ninar
The song "Você vai me seguir" by Brazilian musician Chico Buarque is a haunting and enigmatic piece that outlines a relationship dynamic that is simultaneously alluring and toxic. The lyrics describe a pattern of behavior in which one person (presumably the singer) is followed and served by another (the listener). At first, the dynamic seems to be one of complete submission on the part of the listener, with the singer stating that they will "resist" but eventually "get used to" the fact that they are being followed. However, as the song progresses, the tone becomes more sinister, with the singer describing how the listener will both adore and abuse them, seducing them and ultimately betraying them. The song ends with the suggestion that the singer will be ultimately killed by the listener, but that even in death, they will be "ninar"- comforted and lulled to sleep.
It's not entirely clear what this song is meant to represent- it may be a metaphor for a relationship that has gone awry, or it could be a commentary on the power dynamics between different social classes or political factions. What is certain is that the song is an incredibly effective piece of storytelling, drawing listeners in with its gentle melody and then gradually increasing the tension until it becomes almost unbearable. The lyrics are full of contradictions and paradoxes- the singer is both victim and perpetrator, the listener both submissive and violent- which makes it hard to pin down exactly what is happening in the song.
Overall, "Você vai me seguir" is a deeply unsettling piece of music that will leave you with more questions than answers. It is a testament to Chico Buarque's skill as a songwriter that he is able to create such a powerful and mysterious work from seemingly simple ingredients.
Line by Line Meaning
Você vai me seguir
You will follow me
Aonde quer que eu vá
Wherever I may go
Você vai me servir
You will serve me
Você vai se curvar
You will bow down to me
Você vai resistir
You will resist me
Mas vai se acostumar
But you will get used to it
Você vai me agredir
You will attack me
Você vai me adorar
You will adore me
Você vai me sorrir
You will smile at me
Você vai se enfeitar
You will adorn yourself
E vem me seduzir
And you will seduce me
Me possuir, me infernizar
Possess me, torment me
Você vai me trair
You will betray me
Você vem me beijar
You will come to kiss me
Você vai me cegar
You will blind me
E eu vou consentir
And I will consent
Você vai conseguir
You will succeed
Enfim me apunhalar
And finally stab me
Você vai me velar
You will mourn me
Chorar, vai me cobrir
Cry, cover me
E me ninar
And lull me to sleep
Menina, ninar
Girl, lullaby
Menina, menina
Girl, girl
Menina, menina
Girl, girl
Menina, ninar
Girl, lullaby
Menina, ninar
Girl, lullaby
Menina, menina
Girl, girl
Menina, menina
Girl, girl
Menina, menina
Girl, girl
Menina, ninar
Girl, lullaby
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Francisco Buarque De Hollanda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind