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
Dura Na Queda
Elza Soares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na avenida
Canta seu enredo
Fora do carnaval
Perdeu a saia
Perdeu o emprego
Desfila natural
Esquinas
Mil buzinas
Imagina orquestras
Samba no chafariz
Viva a folia
A dor não presta
Felicidade, sim
O sol ensolará e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
Bambeia
Cambaleia
É dura na queda
Custa a cair em si
Largou a família
Bebeu veneno
E vai morrer de rir
Vagueia
Devaneia
Já apanhou à beça
Mas para quem sabe olhar
A flor também é
Ferida aberta
E não se vê chorar
O sol ensolará e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
The song "Dura Na Queda" by Elza Soares tells the story of a woman who has lost everything but still manages to find happiness and joy in life. She is a parade singer who sings her story on the streets, outside of the carnival. She has lost her job and her dignity - she has even lost her skirt but still she walks down the street with pride and grace, and she continues to sing her song with passion and strength.
She remembers the joy and energy of the carnival, but she knows that the pain and suffering still exist beyond the party. She has been knocked down many times, and she has lost everything, even her family. She has been abused and hurt, but still, she continues to wander and dream, finding beauty in the brokenness of the world. The sun will shine on her path, and the moon will guide her through the rough waters.
Ultimately, the message of the song is that life may be hard, but it is also beautiful. Even in the face of adversity, we can find hope and happiness, and we can continue to create and sing our own story.
Line by Line Meaning
Perdida
Lost
Na avenida
On the avenue/street
Canta seu enredo
Sings her story
Fora do carnaval
Outside of carnival
Perdeu a saia
Lost her skirt
Perdeu o emprego
Lost her job
Desfila natural
Walks naturally (without the costumes)
Esquinas
Corners
Mil buzinas
Thousands of horns/honking
Imagina orquestras
Imagines orchestras playing
Samba no chafariz
Dances samba by the fountain
Viva a folia
Long live the party
A dor não presta
Pain is useless/not good
Felicidade, sim
Happiness, yes
O sol ensolará e estrada dela
The sun will shine and light her way
A lua alumiará o mar
The moon will light up the sea
A vida é bela
Life is beautiful
O sol, estrada amarela
The sun, yellow road
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
And the waves, the waves, the waves, the waves
Bambeia
Sways
Cambaleia
Stumbles
É dura na queda
Is tough when falling
Custa a cair em si
Takes a while to realize
Largou a família
Left her family
Bebeu veneno
Drank poison
E vai morrer de rir
And will die laughing
Vagueia
Wanders
Devaneia
Daydreams
Já apanhou à beça
Has already suffered a lot
Mas para quem sabe olhar
But for those who know how to look
A flor também é
The flower also is
Ferida aberta
An open wound
E não se vê chorar
And doesn't show she's crying
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cliver Honorato
Perdida
Na avenida
Canta seu enredo
Fora do carnaval
Perdeu a saia
Perdeu o emprego
Desfila natural
Esquinas
Mil buzinas
Imagina orquestras
Samba no chafariz
Viva a folia
A dor não presta
Felicidade, sim
O sol ensolara e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
Bambeia
Cambaleia
É dura na queda
Custa a cair em si
Largou a família
Bebeu veneno
E vai morrer de rir
Vagueia
Devaneia
Já apanhou à beça
Mas para quem sabe olhar
A flor também é
Ferida aberta
E não se vê chorar
O sol ensolará e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
Compositores: Francisco Buarque de Hollanda
pcguimaraes
www.discosdobrasil.com.br tem tudo!
Compositor(es):
Chico Buarque
Músico(s):
Carlos Malta : Flautas
José Miguel Wisnik : Piano
Josino Eduardo (Jó) : Pandeiro Agudo
Luiz Brasil : Violão
Marcos Suzano : Cajón
Marcos Suzano : Pandeiro Grave
Marcos Suzano : Ganzá
Arranjador(es):
Alê Siqueira
José Miguel Wisnik
Wilmar Menezes
Vou sentir muita falta dessa grande cantora! Descanse em paz Elza Soares a grande voz da MPB
José Roberto Barbieri
Ensolarará é uma das tantas "tiradas" do Chico. A Elza dispensa comentários. Sempre encarou qualquer desafio vocal com a firmeza de quem sabe o que faz.
Cliver Honorato
Perdida
Na avenida
Canta seu enredo
Fora do carnaval
Perdeu a saia
Perdeu o emprego
Desfila natural
Esquinas
Mil buzinas
Imagina orquestras
Samba no chafariz
Viva a folia
A dor não presta
Felicidade, sim
O sol ensolara e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
Bambeia
Cambaleia
É dura na queda
Custa a cair em si
Largou a família
Bebeu veneno
E vai morrer de rir
Vagueia
Devaneia
Já apanhou à beça
Mas para quem sabe olhar
A flor também é
Ferida aberta
E não se vê chorar
O sol ensolará e estrada dela
A lua alumiará o mar
A vida é bela
O sol, estrada amarela
E as ondas, as ondas, as ondas, as ondas
Compositores: Francisco Buarque de Hollanda
Evilin Santos
O sol ensolorará a estrada dela *
Renilde Rodrigues
0004770404707007447047000770447007447474700477444470
alejandro Miranda
Gracias y obrigado,
Dom Rafael
Essa música do Chico é perfeita na voz da Elza. Feita pra ela.
Érica Leonardo de Souza
letra perfeita; cabe a todas as mulheres livres
Foco Sistema de Ensino
Confesso que é uma delícia tocar esta música no violão neste ritmo de gingado e virtuosismo com os mais belos acordes dissonantes ao acompanhamento do instrumento de batucada (percussão). Maravilhosa harmonia e ritmo.
Samuel Hum
ESPETACULAR! VOE ELZA!