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
Vida
Elza Soares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mas pra se saber é preciso morrer
Viver por viver, eu ficaria cá
Se pudesse escolher, mas não vai dar
Se pudesse escolher, mas não vai dar
Enfim o mistério da vida está na morte, transporte
É preciso que um dia o homem próprio suporte
Mergulhe nas sombras do infinito, em grito
Retome dizendo: eu sou a vida com vida
Se conhece a ciência da alquimia, filosofia
Tantas mutação, ocultismo, exoterismo
Se houve alguém que aqui ficasse, falasse
Até o momento não se sabe
Não cabe a mim nem a você provar
Então o melhor é esperar
Enquanto isso, amar, cantar
Viver esta parte que nos cabe
E depois, sei lá, sei lá, sei lá
Dizem que após esta vida há outra vida melhor
Mas pra se saber é preciso morrer
Viver por viver, eu ficaria cá
E se pudesse escolher, mas não vai dar
Se pudesse escolher, mas não vai dar
Enfim o mistério da vida está na morte, transporte
É preciso que um dia o homem próprio suporte
Resista mais tempo que o previsto, insisto
Mergulhe nas sombras do infinito, em grito
Retome dizendo: eu sou a vida com vida
Se conhece a ciência da alquimia, filosofia
Tantas mutação, ocultismo, exoterismo
Se houve alguém que aqui ficasse, falasse
Até o momento não se sabe
Não cabe a mim nem a você provar
Então o melhor é esperar
Enquanto isso, amar, cantar
Viver esta parte que nos cabe
E depois, sei lá, sei lá, sei lá
Sei lá, sei lá...
The lyrics to Elza Soares's song "Vida" speak to the mystery of life and death, and the question of whether there is something beyond this life. The opening lines acknowledge the belief in a better life after death, but ultimately concludes that one must die to find out for sure. The singer expresses a desire to stay in this life, but acknowledges that it ultimately isn't their choice.
The second verse continues this theme of mystery and the unknown, referencing various esoteric practices and questioning whether anyone truly knows what comes after we die. The singer emphasizes that it's not their place to prove or disprove these beliefs, and encourages living life to the fullest in the meantime.
In the final repetition of the chorus, the singer acknowledges that "I don't know" ("Sei lá" in Portuguese) is ultimately the only answer we have to the question of what happens after this life. The song ends with a sense of acceptance and a call to enjoy this life while we can.
Overall, "Vida" is a reflective and contemplative song that grapples with life's biggest questions. It offers no easy answers, but encourages listeners to embrace the mystery and enjoy the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Dizem que após esta vida há outra vida melhor
People say that after this life there is a better life
Mas pra se saber é preciso morrer
But to know it, one must die
Viver por viver, eu ficaria cá
To live just for the sake of living, I would stay here
Se pudesse escolher, mas não vai dar
If I could choose, but it's not possible
Enfim o mistério da vida está na morte, transporte
Finally, the mystery of life is in death, transition
É preciso que um dia o homem próprio suporte
It's necessary that one day the man himself endures
Resista mais tempo que o previsto, insisto
Endure longer than expected, I insist
Mergulhe nas sombras do infinito, em grito
Dive into the shadows of infinity, in a scream
Retome dizendo: eu sou a vida com vida
Resurface saying: I am life with life
Se conhece a ciência da alquimia, filosofia
If one knows the science of alchemy, philosophy
Tantas mutação, ocultismo, exoterismo
So many mutations, occultism, exoterism
Se houve alguém que aqui ficasse, falasse
If someone stayed here and spoke
Até o momento não se sabe
Until now it's not known
Não cabe a mim nem a você provar
It's not up to me or to you to prove
Então o melhor é esperar
So the best is to wait
Enquanto isso, amar, cantar
In the meantime, love, sing
Viver esta parte que nos cabe
Live this part that is ours
E depois, sei lá, sei lá, sei lá
And then, who knows, who knows, who knows
Sei lá, sei lá...
Who knows, who knows...
Writer(s): Jose Orlando
Contributed by Liliana N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.