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.
Arrastão
Elis Regina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eh! eh! eh! Hoje tem arrastão
Eh! Todo mundo pescar
Chega de sombra e João Jôvi
Olha o arrastão entrando no mar sem fim
É meu irmão me traz Iemanjá prá mim
Olha o arrastão entrando no mar sem fim
Minha Santa Bárbara me abençoai
Quero me casar com Janaína
Eh! Puxa bem devagar
Eh! eh! eh! Já vem vindo o arrastão
Eh! É a rainha do mar
Vem, vem na rede João prá mim
Valha-me meu Nosso Senhor do Bonfim
Nunca, jamais se viu tanto peixe assim
Valha-me meu Nosso Senhor do Bonfim
Nunca, jamais se viu tanto peixe assim
The lyrics of Elis Regina's song Arrastão tell the story of a fishing trip. The first lines set the scene, as we see a raft in the sea and hear people getting ready for an "arrastão", which is a kind of fishing technique where a boat drags a net through the water to catch as many fish as possible. Everyone is excited to go fishing, and the song tells us that there's no more time for relaxation or hanging out in the shade - it's time to work and catch some fish.
As the music builds, we see the net being cast into the water and the "arrastão" getting underway. The singer watches in amazement as the net fills up with fish and helpfully identifies the patron saint of fishermen, Saint Barbara. We also hear a mention of Janaína, who is a goddess in the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé and is often associated with the ocean. Finally, we're encouraged to pull in the net slowly, as it's bringing us a great catch.
Line by Line Meaning
Eh! tem jangada no mar
Hey! There are boats on the sea
Eh! eh! eh! Hoje tem arrastão
Hey! hey! hey! Today, there's a big fishing haul
Eh! Todo mundo pescar
Hey! Everyone go fishing
Chega de sombra e João Jôvi
Enough of lounging around and wasting time
Olha o arrastão entrando no mar sem fim
Look at the big fishing boats entering the vast sea
É meu irmão me traz Iemanjá prá mim
It's my brother bringing me a gift from the sea goddess Iemanjá
Minha Santa Bárbara me abençoai
My patron saint (Santa Bárbara) bless me
Quero me casar com Janaína
I want to get married to the sea goddess Janaína
Eh! Puxa bem devagar
Hey! Pull it slowly
Eh! eh! eh! Já vem vindo o arrastão
Hey! hey! hey! Here comes the big fishing haul
Eh! É a rainha do mar
Hey! It's the queen of the sea
Vem, vem na rede João prá mim
Come, come to me in the net, João
Valha-me meu Nosso Senhor do Bonfim
My Lord of Bonfim, help me
Nunca, jamais se viu tanto peixe assim
Never, ever have we seen so many fish like this
Contributed by Oliver R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.