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
Flores Horizontais
Elza Soares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flores da vida
Flores brancas de papel
Da vida rubra de bordel
Flores da vida
Afogadas nas janelas do luar
Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés
Escuras flores puras, putas
Flores horizontais
Que rezais?
Flores horizontais
Flores da vida
Flores brancas de papel
Da vida rubra de bordel
Flores da vida
Afogadas nas janelas do luar
Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés
Escuras flores puras, putas
Suicidas, sentimentais
Flores horizontais
Que rezais?
Flores horizontais
Flores da vida
Flores brancas de papel
Da vida rubra de bordel
Flores da vida
Afogadas nas janelas do luar
Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés
Escuras flores puras, putas
Suicidas, sentimentais
Flores horizontais
Que rezais?
Com Deus me deito
Com Deus me levanto
Com Deus me deito
Com Deus me levanto
The lyrics to Elza Soares's song "Flores Horizontais" (Horizontal Flowers) depict a haunting and poignant reflection on the lives of women who find themselves trapped in the cycle of prostitution. The repetition of the phrases "Flores horizontais" and "Flores da vida" (Horizontal flowers and flowers of life) serve as a metaphor for these women, who are seen as fragile and delicate like flowers, but whose existence is marked by pain and suffering.
The mention of "Flores brancas de papel" (White paper flowers) further emphasizes the vulnerability of these women, as paper flowers are artificial and easily destroyed. The contrast between the white flowers and the "vida rubra de bordel" (red life of a bordello) highlights the discrepancy between the innocence they may have once possessed and the harsh reality of their occupation.
The lines "Afogadas nas janelas do luar" (Drowned in the windows of the moonlight) and "Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés" (Carbonized by medicines, slaps, kicks) depict the tragic circumstances that these women endure. They are also described as "dark pure flowers, whores, suicidal, sentimental," indicating the complexity and depth of their experiences.
The repetition of the question "Que rezais?" (What do you pray?) adds a sense of introspection, prompting listeners to consider the hopes, dreams, and desires of these women who are often marginalized by society.
Overall, "Flores Horizontais" serves as a powerful commentary on the lives of women in prostitution, shedding light on their struggles and challenging the way society views and treats them.
Line by Line Meaning
Flores horizontais
Horizontal flowers
Flores da vida
Flowers of life
Flores brancas de papel
White paper flowers
Da vida rubra de bordel
From the red life of a brothel
Flores da vida
Flowers of life
Afogadas nas janelas do luar
Drowned in the windows of the moonlight
Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés
Charred by medications, slaps, kicks
Escuras flores puras, putas
Dark pure flowers, prostitutes
Suicidas, sentimentais
Suicidal, sentimental
Flores horizontais
Horizontal flowers
Que rezais?
What do you pray?
Com Deus me deito
With God I lay
Com Deus me levanto
With God I rise
Com Deus me deito
With God I lay
Com Deus me levanto
With God I rise
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jose Miguel Wisnik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fernando Graça
Poema do modernista seminal Oswald de Andrade musicalizado pelo grande músico e teórico Zé Miguel Wisniki, na voz potente e versátil de Elza. Genial.
miguinare
Esto hace que uno ame ser humano
Christian Erazo
Gracias!
gatofelixriodejaneir
Flores horizontais, flores da vida,
Flores brancas de papel da vida rubra de bordel,
Flores da vida afogadas nas janelas do luar,
Carbonizadas de remédios, tapas, pontapés,
Escuras flores puras, putas, suicidas, sentimentais,
Flores horizontais ... que rezais ...
Com Deus me deito, com Deus me levanto ...
Riquinhorico
Grato Elza por essa oração, faz minha noite neste instante mais bonita e transcendente ✨💐
Leandro Dativa
conheci semana passada. paixão. arte brasileira. vamos amar mais o que temos.
Gildésio Franco
Que pérola! Precisei da sensibilidade de Valter Hugo Mãe para descobri-la.
Adiel Dias
A maior interprete do Brasil. LINDA .LINDA . LINDA
Nina Alves Nina
Muita coragem para interpretar essa poesia em uma época não tão diferente dessa
Junior Couto
Me arrepiei todinho, maravilhosa </3