The youngest of the five children of José Fares, Lebanese immigrant to Brazil, and Dona Francisca, Fagner was born in Fortaleza, the capital of the state of Ceará, although his birth was recorded in Orós.
At the age of five years he won a youth competition at a local radio station. As a teen, he formed vocal and instrumental groups and began to compose his own music. In 1968 he won the Festival de Música Popular do Ceará (Popular Music Festival of Ceará) with his song "Nada Sou" (I am Nothing).
In 1971 he moved to the capital Brasília, taking first place in the Festival de Música Popular do Centro de Estudos Universitários de Brasília (Popular Music Festival of the University Studies Center of Brasília) with his piece "Mucuripe" (with collaborator Belchior), which was later recorded by artist Elis Regina, and became Fagner's first notable success as a composer. He won prizes in other categories with additional pieces, as well.
He has had a distinguished career as a performer, singer, songwriter and composer for over 3 decades, and is also known for his collaborations with other MPB artists such as Caetano Veloso, Roberta Miranda, Chico Buarque and others.
Cariribe
Fagner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sou lá do sertão de Orós
De lá e daqui
Em todo canto e lugar eu solto a voz
Sou Zé de baixo, Zé de riba
Paraíba e cantador
Trabalhador da construção civil
Sou operário, ele é doutor
Construí São Paulo e Rio
A capital e o interior
'Tá bom, 'to, pra que dizer
'Tá bom, mas não 'to
Tanto como tu
'Tá bom, 'to que nem tatu
Debaixo do buraco do Metrô
Sou bom de farra, bom de briga
Fruta seca, cai no chão
Sou a cigarra e a formiga
A seca e a inundação
Ronco de fome e a barriga
Eu vou à luta, eu quero pão
Sou lá do sertão Cariri
Sou lá do sertão Caicó
'To na contramão
'To de volta do meu Bodocó
The lyrics of Fagner’s song “Cariribe” describe the singer's proud and versatile identity. He is from the Cariri and Orós regions of the Brazilian sertão (backlands) and, regardless of where he is, he raises his voice to be heard. He is known by different names, such as Zé de Baixo and Zé de Riba, and he is a troubadour from Paraíba. He works as a construction worker and has helped build major cities in Brazil, from Rio to São Paulo.
The singer speaks of his humility and the challenges he has faced, such as hunger, poverty, and both drought and flooding. Throughout his struggles, he has remained tenacious, striving for his basic needs, such as bread. He is a person of contrast, known for his outgoing personality, his ability to stand up for himself, yet he is also at his core, a hard worker. Ultimately, the singer finds his way back to his roots in the small town of Bodocó.
Overall, the song “Cariribe” is about identity, pride, versatility, and survival against all odds. The singer has remained true to himself, no matter the situation, and continues to persevere.
Line by Line Meaning
Sou lá do sertão Cariri
I am from the countryside region of Cariri
Sou lá do sertão de Orós
I am also from the countryside region of Orós
De lá e daqui
From there and here
Em todo canto e lugar eu solto a voz
I sing my heart out everywhere I go
Sou Zé de baixo, Zé de riba
I am both Zé from down below and up above
Paraíba e cantador
A singer from Paraíba
Trabalhador da construção civil
I am a construction worker
Sou operário, ele é doutor
I am a laborer and he is a doctor
Construí São Paulo e Rio
I helped build São Paulo and Rio
A capital e o interior
Both the capital and the countryside
'Tá bom, 'to, pra que dizer
It's okay, I'm good, no need to say it
'Tá bom, mas não 'to
It's okay, but not great
Tanto como tu
As much as you
'Tá bom, 'to que nem tatu
It's okay, I'm fine like an armadillo
Debaixo do buraco do Metrô
Under the subway hole
Sou bom de farra, bom de briga
I am good at parties, good at fighting
Fruta seca, cai no chão
Dry fruit falls to the ground
Sou a cigarra e a formiga
I am both the grasshopper and the ant
A seca e a inundação
Both the drought and the flood
Ronco de fome e a barriga
The sound of hunger and the belly
Eu vou à luta, eu quero pão
I'll fight for it, I want bread
Sou lá do sertão Cariri
I am from the countryside region of Cariri
Sou lá do sertão Caicó
I am also from the countryside region of Caicó
'To na contramão
I am going against the flow
'To de volta do meu Bodocó
I am returning to my hometown of Bodocó
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO PIRES, LOCO POR TI SOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leandro Augusto
Essa música é sensacional
Francisco Moura
Letra do grande Morais moreira que infelizmente, partiu ontem pra outro plano descanse em paz gênio, belíssima interpretação do grande Raimundo Fagner!
Marcos Antônio
Moraes Moreira e Luisão Paiva
Josemar Silva
Fagner e um cara que nunca negou as suas orgens
Eugenia Correia
Adoooooro! ❤❤❤
Josemar Silva
mim identifico muito co esssa música
Edvane Jesus
Amo essa música alguém escutando em 2021 🥰
MARIA AUGUSTA
Estou aqui, escutando essa bela canção do meu conterrâneo
Josemar Silva
sou do Kariri mesmo
Francisco Alves
Região Centro Sul do Ceará Orós linda Cidade