In the '60s, Elis was a leader and a standard-bearer in defense of Brazilian popular music, heavily contributing to the formation of the MPB label, with commercial and ideological characteristics at the same time. She was the first major artist to emerge from music festivals in the 1960s and detached herself from the Bossa Nova aesthetic through the use of her vocal range and drama. Initially, her style was influenced by radio singers, especially Ângela Maria. After four unsuccessful studio albums — Viva a Brotolândia (1961), Poema de Amor (1962), Elis Regina (1963), O Bem do Amor (1963) — Elis was the biggest revelation of the TV Excelsior festival in 1965, when he sang "Arrastão" by Vinícius de Moraes and Edu Lobo. This feat would guarantee him the invitation to act on television and, shortly afterwards, the title of first star of Brazilian popular song, when he started to command, alongside Jair Rodrigues, one of the two most important Brazilian popular music programs, O Fino da bossa. In 1967, she married Ronaldo Bôscoli, then director of O Fino da Bossa. From 1972, Elis began a relationship with César Camargo Mariano, which would last until 1981, in one of the most successful partnerships in Brazilian Popular Music.
She sang many genres: MPB, bossa nova, samba, rock and jazz. Interpreting songs like "Madalena", "Águas de Março", "Atrás da Porta", "Como Nosso Pais", "O Bêbado e a Equilibrista" and "Querellas do Brasil", he recorded moments of happiness, love, sadness and patriotism. Throughout his career, he stood out for also singing songs by artists, still little known, such as Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Belchior, Renato Teixeira, Aldir Blanc, João Bosco, helping to launch them and publicize their works. , boosting them in the Brazilian music scene. Among other partnerships, the duets she had with Jair Rodrigues, Tom Jobim and Rita Lee are famous. With her second husband, pianist César Camargo Mariano, she consecrated a long work of great creativity and musical consistency and, in technical terms, was considered the best brazilian singer. His most memorable artistic presence is perhaps registered on the albums Em Pleno Verão (1970), Elis (1972), Elis (1973), Elis & Tom (1974), Elis (1974), Falso Brilhante (1976), Transversal do Tempo (1978). ), Essa Mulher (1979), Saudade do Brasil (1980) and Elis (1980). She was the first person to inscribe her own voice as if it were an instrument, in the Order of Musicians of Brazil. In 2013, she was elected the best female voice in Brazilian music by Rolling Stone Magazine. Elis was also mentioned in the list of the greatest artists in Brazilian music, ranking 14th, being the best-placed woman. In November of the same year, a musical was premiered in honor of her Elis, the musical.
Elis Regina died prematurely at the age of 36, at the height of her career, causing strong commotion in the country and leaving a vast body of work in Brazilian popular music. Although there were controversies and disputes as to the cause of death, the tests showed that the cause was the consumption of cocaine associated with alcohol, which caused a cardiac arrest.
Altos e baixos
Elis Regina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De sombra em teus cílios
Foi ou não meu poema no chão
Ou talvez nossos filhos
As sandálias de saltos tão altos,
O relógio batendo, o sol posto
O Relógio, as sandálias, e eu batendo em seu rosto
E a queda dos saltos tão altos
Como um raio de sangue no chão
Do risco em teus cílios
Foram discos demais, desculpas demais
Já vão tarde essas tardes e mais
Tuas aulas, meus táxis, uísque,dietil,dienpax...
Ah, mas há que se louvar
Entre altos e baixos o amor quando traz
Tanta vida que até pra morrer leva tempo demais...
The lyrics of Elis Regina's song "Altos e baixos" speak to the ups and downs of a relationship, and the complicated feelings that arise when trying to make sense of it all. The song begins by suggesting that perhaps it was the "disco" or the "risco" (a Portuguese word meaning "risk") that led to the challenges in the relationship. This is followed by references to the poet's words on the ground and the couple's children. The mention of high-heeled sandals, a ticking watch, and the sun setting creates a sense of urgency and desperation, before the violence of "batendo em seu rosto" (beating against your face) further emphasizes the chaos and discord in the relationship. Finally, the imagery of "a queda dos saltos tão altos" (the fall of the high heels) suggests a sudden and painful end to the relationship, with the aftermath resembling "um raio de sangue no chão" (a ray of blood on the ground).
However, the song also acknowledges that despite the difficulties, there is something worth celebrating about the love between these two people. The lines "Ah, mas há que se louvar / Entre altos e baixos o amor quando traz / Tanta vida que até pra morrer leva tempo demais" (But we must praise / The love that brings so much life between the highs and lows / That even to die takes too much time) suggest that even though the relationship may have ended painfully, it was still worth the struggle and challenges that came along the way.
Overall, "Altos e baixos" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the complexities of love and relationships, and reminds us that even when things get tough, there is still beauty and meaning to be found in the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Foi, quem sabe, esse disco, esse risco
Maybe it was this album, this chance we took
De sombra em teus cílios
Adding shadows to your eyelashes
Foi ou não meu poema no chão
Was it my poetry on the ground or not
Ou talvez nossos filhos
Or maybe it was our children
As sandálias de saltos tão altos,
High heeled sandals
O relógio batendo, o sol posto
Clock ticking, sun setting
O Relógio, as sandálias, e eu batendo em seu rosto
The clock, the sandals, and me hitting your face
E a queda dos saltos tão altos
And the fall of such high heels
Sobre nossos filhos
Onto our children
Como um raio de sangue no chão
Like a blood ray on the ground
Do risco em teus cílios
From the chance on your eyelashes
Foram discos demais, desculpas demais
Too many albums, too many apologies
Já vão tarde essas tardes e mais
Those afternoons are already late, and more
Tuas aulas, meus táxis, uísque,dietil,dienpac...
Your classes, my taxis, whiskey, dietil, dienpac...
Ah, mas há que se louvar
Oh, but we must praise
Entre altos e baixos o amor quando traz
Love brings so much life through ups and downs
Tanta vida que até pra morrer leva tempo demais...
So much life that even dying takes too long...
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.