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.
Maria Maria
Elis Regina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É um dom, uma certa magia,
Uma força que nos alerta
Uma mulher que merece viver e amar
Como outra qualquer do planeta
Maria, Maria
É o som, é a cor, é o suor
É a dose mais forte e lenta
E não vive, apenas agüenta
Mas é preciso ter força
É preciso ter raça
É preciso ter gana sempre
Quem traz no corpo a marca
Maria, Maria
Mistura a dor e a alegria
Mas é preciso ter manha
É preciso ter graça
É preciso ter sonho sempre
Quem traz na pele essa marca
Possui a estranha mania
De ter fé na vida
In Elis Regina's song "Maria Maria," she sings about the strength and resilience of women. The lyrics describe Maria as having a certain magic and force that alerts those around her. She deserves to live and love like any other woman on the planet. Maria represents the struggles and joys of everyday people. The chorus mentions the power of Maria, which is a mix of pain and joy experienced by individuals who often have to endure their hardships. However, despite these struggles, there is a need for strength, a fighting spirit, and perseverance to have faith in life.
Throughout the song, Elis Regina highlights the importance of having grace, skillfulness, and having constant dreams to achieve. These attributes are essential to have while enduring life's struggles. Maria has a mysterious obsession with life, which is reflected in her skin. She possesses the unique quality of having faith in life. The song's message is that Maria represents the everyday person who keeps moving forward, dealing with challenges and still believes in life's potential. Elis Regina sings in a way that creates a sense of passion, emotion and the indomitable spirit of Maria.
Line by Line Meaning
Maria, Maria
Elis Regina begins her iconic song by emphasizing the name of the singer, Maria, repeated twice for emphasis.
É um dom, uma certa magia,
Maria is not just any ordinary woman, her existence is special and mystical, a gift from the heavens.
Uma força que nos alerta
Maria emits a powerful energy that wakes us up to the world around us.
Uma mulher que merece viver e amar
Maria is a woman who deserves to live and love just as any other woman on the planet does.
Como outra qualquer do planeta
Elis Regina emphasizes that Maria is just like any other woman on Earth, no less deserving of life and love.
É o som, é a cor, é o suor
Maria is not just a physical entity, but a sensory experience encompassing sound, color, and sweat.
É a dose mais forte e lenta
Maria is a feeling, a powerful yet gentle force that can intoxicate us slowly over time.
De uma gente que ri quando deve chorar
Maria comes from a people who have learned to laugh in tough times when tears would be more appropriate.
E não vive, apenas agüenta
These same people learn to endure hardship without really living in it, merely surviving.
Mas é preciso ter força
However, to truly live and make an impact in the world, one needs strength of character and spirit.
É preciso ter raça
One must also have pride in oneself and one's cultural heritage to overcome and succeed.
É preciso ter gana sempre
Furthermore, one must always have a strong desire to succeed and make a difference in the world.
Quem traz no corpo a marca
The ones who carry the scars and wounds of their struggles physically and emotionally are the ones who will have what it takes.
Mistura a dor e a alegria
Maria represents a blending of pain and joy, the yin and yang of life.
Mas é preciso ter manha
To navigate life's ups and downs successfully, one must have cunning and street smarts.
É preciso ter graça
In addition to being street smart, one must also possess an effortless grace to carry oneself elegantly through life's challenges.
É preciso ter sonho sempre
Elis Regina emphasizes the importance of always having a dream, a guiding light to strive towards, to make life more meaningful.
Quem traz na pele essa marca
Maria's strength comes from the scars and marks she has endured.
Possui a estranha mania
Those who carry these marks almost have an addiction to life and an unbreakable faith in its possibilities.
De ter fé na vida
These people possess an unwavering faith in the power of life itself and all its possibilities.
Writer(s): Milton Silva Campos Nascimento, Fernando Brant Copyright: Tres Pontas Edicoes Musicais Ltda, Nascimento Edicoes Musicais
Contributed by Katherine F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.