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.
Epigrama Nº 9
Fagner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A noite se atordoa, a folha cai
A noite inteira se atordoa, a folha cai
Folha cai, vento voa
Haverá mesmo algum pensamento ?
Sobre esta noite, sobre este vento
Sobre está folha que se vai
The lyrics of Fagner's song Epigrama Nº 9 are rich with symbolism and metaphor. The first stanza describes the motion of the wind, the confusion of the night, and the falling of a leaf. The repetition of the line "A noite inteira se atordoa, a folha cai" (the whole night is confused, the leaf falls) creates a sense of cyclical movement, highlighting the impermanence of life and nature. The image of the falling leaf is often associated with mortality and the transience of human existence.
The second stanza introduces a question, asking if there is any thought or meaning behind the events described in the first stanza. The imagery of the night and the wind is contrasted with the specific image of a single leaf falling, suggesting that even in the chaos and confusion of life, there may be individual moments of significance. The repetition of the phrase "que se vai" (that goes away) emphasizes the theme of impermanence and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
O vento voa, voa
The wind flies, flies away.
A noite se atordoa, a folha cai
The night gets dizzy, the leaf falls down.
A noite inteira se atordoa, a folha cai
All night long the night gets dizzy, the leaf falls down.
Folha cai, vento voa
Leaf falls down, wind flies away.
Haverá mesmo algum pensamento ?
Is there really any thought?
Sobre esta noite, sobre este vento
About this night, about this wind.
Sobre está folha que se vai
About this leaf that goes away.
Que se vai, que se vai
That goes away, that goes away.
Contributed by Ethan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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O vento voa, voa
A noite se atordoa, a folha cai
A noite inteira se atordoa, a folha cai
Folha cai, vento voa
Haverá mesmo algum pensamento ?
Sobre esta noite, sobre este vento
Sobre está folha que se vai
Que se vai, que se vai cecília meireles
Ademar Amâncio
Não sabia que havia mais Cecília na discografia de Fagner.
Luciana Soares
Nem eu