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.
Folha Morta
Fagner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sei que zombam de mim, oh! Deus
Como eu sou infeliz
Vivo à margem da vida
Sem amparo ou guarida
Oh! Deus,
Como eu sou infeliz
Já tive amores,
Já tive sonhos,
Os dissabores
Levaram minha alma
Por caminhos tristonhos
Hoje sou folha morta
Que a corrente transporta
Oh! Deus,
Como eu sou infeliz, infeliz
Eu queria um minuto apenas
Pra mostrar minhas penas
Oh! Deus,
Como sou infeliz!...
The lyrics to Fagner's song Folha Morta express feelings of loneliness, desperation, and a sense of being an outcast. The singer acknowledges that people talk about him and laugh at him, and he feels incredibly unhappy with his life. He lives on the margins of society, without any support or shelter. He has had loves, affection, and dreams in the past, but the difficulties he has faced have led him down a path of sadness. He feels like a dead leaf that is being carried away by the current of the river, with no control or purpose. The singer is crying out to God, citing how unhappy he is and how he just wishes for a single moment to share his pain with others.
The song's melancholic tone, combined with the lyrics, captures the raw emotions of someone who feels misunderstood and alone in the world. It speaks to the universal human experience of feeling disconnected and lost at times. The lyrics also highlight the societal pressures to fit in and be successful, and the consequences of failure.
Line by Line Meaning
Sei que falam de mim
I am aware that people speak about me
Sei que zombam de mim, oh! Deus
I am aware that people mock me, oh God
Como eu sou infeliz
I am so unhappy
Vivo à margem da vida
I live on the outskirts of life
Sem amparo ou guarida
Without help or shelter
Oh! Deus, Como eu sou infeliz
Oh God, I am so unhappy
Já tive amores, Tive carinhos, Já tive sonhos
I once had love, affection, and dreams
Os dissabores Levaram minha alma Por caminhos tristonhos
But the hardships have led my soul down a melancholic path
Hoje sou folha morta Que a corrente transporta
Today, I am a dead leaf carried by the current
Oh! Deus, Como eu sou infeliz, infeliz
Oh God, I am so unhappy, unhappy
Eu queria um minuto apenas Pra mostrar minhas penas
I wish for just a minute to show my sorrows
Oh! Deus, Como sou infeliz!...
Oh God, how unhappy I am!...
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nilton Barros da Costa Costa
Um BOM disco, meio nostálgico, mas um BOM disco!
Rubenita Ferreira
Esse Fagner é surpreendente massa. Cantar Ary Barroso e ficar essa perfeição ele é único parabéns RAIMUNDO FAGNER!!!🐛🦋🌻(Deus me livre do ódio dos amores abandonandos)( as).🐛🦋🌻
Marina Peres
Eu queria um minuto apenas .... Linda composição nos entre tantos trabalho de Raimundo Fagner Esse vinil e demais!!😍
João Silva
Linda poesia numa linda interpretação!
Francisco Mororo
KD VOCÊ kARA ???