In 1999, she was elected by BBC Radio London as the Brazilian singer of the millennium. The choice originated from the British radio project The Millennium Concerts, created to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. In addition, Soares appears on the list of the 100 greatest voices of Brazilian music prepared by Rolling Stone Brazil magazine.
Soares lived in extreme poverty throughout her childhood and teen, getting married at 12 and having her first child at 13. Soares had her first audition in radio at Ary Barroso's novice show when she was 16, winning first place. She was then hired as a crooner by the Orquestra Garam de Bailes (led by conductor Joaquim Naegli). She worked in the orchestra until 1954, when she became pregnant. In 1955, she was invited to star together with Grande Otelo in the play Jour-Jou-Fru-Fru, which was a smash.
Three years later, Soares toured Argentina, returning in the next year when she was hired by Rádio Vera Cruz. Also in 1959, she recorded a 78 rpm with "Se Acaso Você Chegasse" (Lupício Rodrigues/Felisberto Martins), one of her biggest hits. In 1960, she went to São Paulo where she performed regularly in the show I Festival Nacional de Bossa Nova and recorded her first LP, Se Acaso Você Chegasse.
In 1962, she represented Brazil in Chile during the World Soccer Cup, where she met Garrincha, one of the most genial soccer players ever, and also a chronic alcoholic. With Garrincha, Soares had a very troubled marriage (and the untimely demise of their son Garrinchinha in 1986 in a car accident didn't help her in any way).
The peak of her career was in the '60s, with albums like O Máximo em Samba (1967), Elza Soares & Wilson das Neves (1968), Elza, Miltinho e Samba (a three-album series shared with Miltinho). In that decade she had several hits like "Boato," "Edmundo" (a version of "In the Mood"), "Beija-me," "Devagar Com a Louça," "Mulata Assanhada," "O Mundo Encantado de Monteiro Lobato," "Bahia de Todos os Deuses," "Palmas no Portão," and "Palhaçada."
Having recorded several albums with the hits "Só Danço Samba" (Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes), "A Banca do Distinto" (Billy Blanco), "Pressentimento" (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho), and "Princesa Isabel" (Sérgio Ricardo), she moved to Italy in 1969, where she performed at the Sistina theater (Rome), returning to Brazil in 1972. In the same year, she opened the show Elza Em Dia de Graça at the Opinião theater (Rio) and participated in the Brasil Export Show (Canecão).
In the '70s, she still had success with "Salve a Mocidade" (1974), and "Malandro" (1977, this song launched Jorge Aragão as a composer). But it wasn't enough to prevent her from facing huge economical adversities and at the same time, she was being systematically turned away by recording companies.
Trying unsuccessfully to develop a career abroad, she returned to Brazil in 1994, poor and depressed. Finally, she was rediscovered in the '80s by the younger generations of Brazilian rockers (Os Titãs, Lobão) and MPB artists like Caetano Veloso
Soares was awarded a Sharp Prize award as the Best Samba Singer of 1997. In November 1999, Soares participated in the show Desde Que o Samba é Samba (at Royal Albert Hall, London, England), together with Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Virgínia Rodrigues.
In 2000, her life was depicted in the musical Crioula, which had several songs written specially for her by Chico Buarque, Chico César, Nei Lopes, and others. In 2000, she was appointed Singer of the Millennium by London's BBC. Soares continues to challenge her destiny, performing shows in every venue available.
Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
Coração do Mar
Elza Soares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É terra que ninguém conhece
Permanece ao largo
E contém o próprio mundo
Como hospedeiro
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
Tem por bandeira um pedaço de sangue
Onde flui a correnteza do canal do mangue
Por sentinelas equipagens, estrelas
Taifeiros madrugadas e escolas de samba
É um navio humano quente, negreiro do mangue
É um navio humano quente, guerreiro do mangue
The lyrics of Elza Soares's song "Coração do Mar" describe a place that is unknown to everyone, a vast and mysterious land that remains distant and hidden. This place contains its own world, like a host that embraces everything within it. The repetition of the line "Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor" (It would be called if I had a love) suggests that this hidden land would have a name if there was a love to give it meaning.
The song goes on to describe the emblem of this land as a piece of blood, symbolizing the flowing current of the mangroves. It is guarded by sentinels, crew members, stars, early morning workers, and samba schools. The lyrics present this place as a human ship, filled with warmth and strength, an embodiment of the spirit and struggles of the mangrove community.
Overall, "Coração do Mar" tells a story of an unknown land that holds within it a sense of pride, identity, and resilience. It portrays the mangrove community and its people as a force to be reckoned with, a symbol of strength and unity in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Coração do mar
Heart of the sea
É terra que ninguém conhece
It is a land that no one knows
Permanece ao largo
It stays at a distance
E contém o próprio mundo
And contains its own world
Como hospedeiro
Like a host
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
It would be named if I had a love
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
It would be named if I had a love
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
It would be named if I had a love
Tem por nome se eu tivesse um amor
It would be named if I had a love
Tem por bandeira um pedaço de sangue
Its flag is a piece of blood
Onde flui a correnteza do canal do mangue
Where the current of the mangrove canal flows
Por sentinelas equipagens, estrelas
Through sentinels, crews, and stars
Taifeiros madrugadas e escolas de samba
Caterers, early mornings, and samba schools
É um navio humano quente, negreiro do mangue
It is a warm human ship, a slave ship of the mangrove
É um navio humano quente, guerreiro do mangue
It is a warm human ship, a warrior of the mangrove
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jose Miguel Soares Wisnik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Akira Bia
quando toca coração do mar, eu imagino a Elzinha fazendo carinho em mim, cuidando como filho, "Coração do mar" é realmente um consolo para mim, dentro de casa minha mãe me trata mto mal, ela passa um tempo tratando bem, e depois destrata e é do nada, acho que é quando ela lembra que... eu não sigo a mesma religião, quando ela lembra que não sou cis e nem hetero, quando ela lembra essas coisas, eu não sou mais filho... mas a Elzinha mesmo sem querer, me consola, obrigado!
Aline Paixão
Akira a música salve. É uma prece!!! Nos conecta com Deus e com a Deusa!!!
Cássio Mesquita
Linda, Linda,Linda, uma verdadeira Diva Brasileira! Eu lhe adoro!!
Melo
Não acredito que você se foi minha rainha, infelizmente não pude te conhecer. te admirava muito, descanse em paz meu anjo
Lucas Maciel
Coração do mar é terra que ninguém conhece! {...}
Victor Cruz
JÁ IMAGINOU ESSAE MUSICA como trilha de um dos #PiratasDoCaribe? PERFEITA! #ElzaSoares 🐙🌊💦👌🏿👑
Victor Cruz
@Karina Soares Bom, levei um susto quando assisti #MoonLight e do nada começou a tocar #CaetanoVeloso (uma famosa lá fora) ..
Quem sabe o responsável pela trilha do #PiratasDoCaribe não presta atenção no Brasil também hahahah
Karina Soares
isso tb me veio a cabeça asjdiojda ia dar aquele arrepio!
Juliana Souza
Muito muito muito linda, arrepiante! Gratidão Rainha 👑🖤
Jhonny Russel
Maravilhosa.