Her history is linked with the developing of important escolas de samba (samba schools) from Rio de Janeiro, such as Prazer da Serrinha and Império Serrano. Her repertoire is comprised of mostly romantic sambas inspired by rootsy African music. Until 2000, she recorded only these 5 LPs and one CD. Dona Ivone Lara is the godmother of the group of composers at Império Serrano and participates in the carnival parades every year.
Dona Ivone Lara was born in Rio de Janeiro. She graduated in nursing, with specialization in Occupational Therapy, and worked as a social worker until she retired in 1977. With this professional background, she worked in psychiatric hospitals, where she knew Dr. Nise da Silveira.
With the death of her mother when she was three, and of her father when she was twelve, Dona Ivone was raised by aunts and uncles and with them she learned to play the cavaquinho. She was exposed to samba music at the side of her cousin Mestre Fuleiro; she took singing lessons from Lucília Villa-Lobos and was praised by Dona Lucília's husband, the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.
At the age of 25, she married Oscar Costa, son of Afredo Costa, the president of the Prazer da Serrinha samba school. At Prazer da Serrinha she met several composers who later became her partners in several compositions, among them Mano Décio da Viola e Silas de Oliveira.
Dona Ivone composed the samba Nasci para sofrer (Born To Suffer), which became the theme song of the samba school. When the samba school Império Serrano was founded in 1947, she began to parade in the ala das baianas (Wing of the Baianas) during carnaval parades. There she composed the samba Não me perguntes (Don't Ask Me),. Her consecration as a composer came in 1965, with Os cinco bailes da história do Rio (The Five Balls of the History of Rio) qwhen she became the first woman to become part of the ala de compositores (Wing of the Composers) of a samba school.
Retiring from nursing in 1977, she began to dedicate herself to her musical career. She continues to record and to perform before live audiences today. Among the interpreters of her songs are such singers and artists as Clara Nunes, Roberto Ribeiro, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Paula Toller, Paulinho da Viola, Beth Carvalho, Mariene de Castro e Roberta Sá.
Confesso
Dona Ivone Lara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É um direito que me assiste
Vou recorrer à justiça divina
Pra aliviar meu sofrer
Tenham de mim compaixão
Meu coração magoado
Só sabe pedir perdão
Errei
Ignorando a verdade
Impulsos de crueldade
Levaram-me à prática de uma traição
Choro
Choro de arrependimento
Sofro
Peço a todo momento
Perdão
Recorri a Deus, de coração
Pra me tirar desta aflição
E me dar salvação
Leigos como eu têm que aprender
Que neste mundo de ilusão
Eu vou ter de sofrer
{bis}
In "Confesso," Dona Ivone Lara confesses to her wrongdoings and seeks forgiveness from a higher power. The lyrics speak of her desire to turn to divine justice to alleviate her pain and suffering. She acknowledges her mistakes and implores for compassion towards her heart, which is full of regret and remorse. The song continues with Dona Ivone Lara admitting to ignoring the truth and acting on impulses of cruelty, which led to her betrayal of someone's trust. She expresses her deep remorse and sorrow, hoping for forgiveness from the divine and seeking salvation from her affliction. The last verse of the song suggests that Dona Ivone Lara recognizes the inevitability of suffering in this world of illusion and accepts her responsibility in her current state.
The lyrics of "Confesso" demonstrate Dona Ivone Lara's deep understanding of human nature and her willingness to accept her wrongdoings. She effectively communicates her pain and asks for forgiveness while also acknowledging that she may have to suffer as a consequence of her actions. The song is an expression of vulnerability and reflection, as she shines a light on her own flaws and seeks to rectify the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Confesso
I confess
É um direito que me assiste
It is my right
Vou recorrer à justiça divina
I will seek divine justice
Pra aliviar meu sofrer
To relieve my pain
Tenham de mim compaixão
Have compassion for me
Meu coração magoado
My wounded heart
Só sabe pedir perdão
Only knows how to ask for forgiveness
{bis}
Errei
I made a mistake
Ignorando a verdade
Ignoring the truth
Impulsos de crueldade
Impulses of cruelty
Levaram-me à prática de uma traição
Led me to commit betrayal
Choro
I cry
Choro de arrependimento
Tears of repentance
Sofro
I suffer
Peço a todo momento
I ask constantly
Perdão
For forgiveness
Recorri a Deus, de coração
I turned to God, with all my heart
Pra me tirar desta aflição
To relieve me from this affliction
E me dar salvação
And grant me salvation
Leigos como eu têm que aprender
Laypeople like me have to learn
Que neste mundo de ilusão
In this world of illusion
Eu vou ter de sofrer
I will have to suffer
{bis}
Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.