Born into a poor family in Maceió (capital of Alagoas, Northeast Brazil), Djavan formed the group Luz, Som, Dimensão (LSD - "Light, Sound, Dimension"), playing Beatles covers. In 1973 Djavan moved to Rio de Janeiro and started singing in local nightclubs. After competing in several festivals he gained attention and recorded the album A Voz, o Violão e a Arte de Djavan in 1976. The album included the song "Flor de Lis" which became one of his most memorable hits. Albums that followed included his other musical influence, African music, and additional hits followed like "Açaí", "Sina" and "Samurai", which featured Stevie Wonder's harmonica. His best known compositions are: "Meu Bem Querer", "Oceano", "Faltando um Pedaço", "Esquinas", "Seduzir", "Pétala", "Lilás", "A Ilha", "Fato Consumado", "Álibi", "Azul" and "Serrado".
His songs have been recorded by Al Jarreau, Carmen McRae, The Manhattan Transfer, and, in Brazil by Gal Costa, Dori Caymmi, Nana Caymmi, Lenine, João Bosco, Chico Buarque, Daniela Mercury, Ney Matogrosso, Dominguinhos, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Johnny Alf, and other artists. The 1988 Epic Records single, "Stephen's Kingdom", featured a guest appearance from Stevie Wonder.
In 1999, his live concert double-volume album, Ao Vivo, has sold 1.2 million copies and the song, "Acelerou" became the Best Brazilian song of the year at 2000 Latin Grammy Awards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djavan
Being Cool
Djavan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every moment I am with you
I'm only going on a feeling
But I'm going under
You shake me up and I would
Be a liar if I denied
This is all new to me
I'm not too excitable as a rule
Why is it so hard to be cool
Why have you taken me so far beyond
Where I'd even want to be cool
You seem to light a fire
Simply talking, walking with me
You smile as if you know you've got me
'Round your little finger
The air becomes electric
It's a force that won't be defied
I stare and stare at you
With no way of hiding that I'm a fool
But I can't bother being cool
Why is it so hard to be cool
Why have you taken me so far beyond
Where I'd even want to be cool
The song Being Cool by Djavan talks about being swept away by the irresistible charm of someone, to the point that trying to maintain a cool demeanor becomes impossible. The lyrics express a feeling of being out of control, of being dazzled and made to feel intensely alive by the other person's mere presence.
The song opens with the singer acknowledging that he is reading signals from the person that he is with, and that these signals are having an extraordinary effect on him. He then goes on to say that he is usually not an excitable person, but with this person, he can't help but feel overwhelmed. The chorus of the song reiterates this sentiment, with the question "Why is it so hard to be cool?" indicating the impossible task of trying to maintain a sense of emotional distance from the situation.
The second verse describes how the person's smile and their mere presence have a magnetic pull on the singer, in a way that seems almost supernatural. The lyrics convey a sense of being completely taken over by this force, with the singer staring and staring at the other person, with no way of hiding that he has been completely captivated.
In essence, the song Being Cool is about the dizzying experience of falling head over heels in love, to the point that trying to maintain any sort of emotional composure becomes redundant. It's a song that speaks to the overwhelming power of attraction and the joy that comes from letting oneself be consumed by it.
Line by Line Meaning
You seem to send a signal
I feel that you are communicating with me in a way that is important
Every moment I am with you
Whenever I am around you
I'm only going on a feeling
I do not know the reason, but I believe what I feel
But I'm going under
I am becoming powerless in your presence
You shake me up and I would
You are affecting me, and I cannot deny it
Be a liar if I denied
If I said I was not affected by you, I would be lying
This is all new to me
I have never experienced anything like this before
I'm not too excitable as a rule
Normally, I am not easily excited
But I can't bother being cool
But I am not concerned with appearing nonchalant
Why is it so hard to be cool
Why is it difficult to maintain a sense of composure?
Why have you taken me so far beyond
Why have you brought me outside my comfort zone?
Where I'd even want to be cool
Where I would normally be concerned with appearing unaffected.
You seem to light a fire
I feel as though you ignite a passion in me
Simply talking, walking with me
Just by spending time with me
You smile as if you know you've got me
You have a knowing smile that suggests you have power over me
'Round your little finger
I am easily swayed by your influence
The air becomes electric
I feel a palpable energy between us
It's a force that won't be defied
It is a power that cannot be ignored or denied
I stare and stare at you
I cannot help but look at you
With no way of hiding that I'm a fool
I cannot make it seem as though I am not affected by you
But I can't bother being cool
But I do not care about appearing indifferent
Why is it so hard to be cool
Why is it difficult to remain composed?
Why have you taken me so far beyond
Why have you taken me beyond my limits?
Where I'd even want to be cool
Where I would normally value composure above all else.
Contributed by Kaitlyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.