Gal became one of Brazil's foremost Tropicália counterculture movement singers during the late 1960s and early 70s, quickly earning the title as one of the best and most acclaimed singers in Brazil, following a very succesful career with many hits and prestige over the years. During Tropicália, she became a political activist, coming into conflict with Brazil's government when dissent in music was censored, and later coming to represent the movement all alone in her country when her fellow Tropicália members and friends were exhiled to London due to the heavy dictatorship that was going on at the time.
Fellow musician Caetano Veloso, introduced her to Gilberto Gil and Tom Zé in 1963 (and later Maria Bethânia), who managed to secure her a recording deal in São Paulo for her debut album Domingo with Caetano Veloso. A bit before recording her first album, "Father of Bossa Nova" João Gilberto, met her and after a couple of hours hearing Gracinha (as she was known at the time) sing for him as he was playing the acoustic guitar, he said: "Gracinha, you're Brazil's greatest female singer". In the following years, Gal would prove his statement right with a fruitful and rewarding career, and with the encouragement of João Gilberto himself; her biggest idol.
Gal has recorded songs composed by a number of Brazil's most popular songwriters such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Jorge Ben Jor, Chico Buarque, Rita Lee and especially her close friends Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. She was also a member of the supergroup Doces Bárbaros, active in 1976, 1994 and 2002.
Linda Flor
Gal Costa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eu nasci pra sofrer
Fui oiá pra você
Meus óinho fechou
E quando os óio eu abri
Quis gritar, quis fugir
Mas você, não sei porque
Você me chamou
Ai, Ioiô
Tenha pena de mim
Meu Senhor do Bonfim
Pode inté se zangar
E se ele um dia souber
Que você é que é
O Ioiô de Iaiá
Chorei toda noite e pensei
No beijo de amor que te dei
Ioiô, meu benzinho do meu coração
Me leva pra casa, me deixa mais não
Chorei toda noite e pensei
No beijo de amor que te dei
Ioiô, meu benzinho do meu coração
Me leva pra casa, me deixa mais não
Ai, Ioiô
Eu nasci pra sofrer
Fui oiá pra você
Meus óinho fechou
E quando os óio eu abri
Quis gritar, quis fugir
Mas você, eu não sei porque
Você me chamou
Ai, Ioiô
Tenha pena de mim
Meu Senhor do Bonfim
Pode inté se zangar
E se ele um dia souber
Que você é que é
O Ioiô de Iaiá
Chorei toda noite e pensei
No beijo de amor que te dei
Ioiô, meu benzinho do meu coração
Me leva pra casa, me deixa mais não
Chorei toda noite e pensei
No beijo de amor que te dei
Ioiô, meu benzinho do meu coração
Me leva pra casa, me deixa mais não
Ai, Ioiô
Tenha pena de mim
Meu Senhor do Bonfim
Pode inté se zangar
E se ele um dia souber
Que você é que é
O Ioiô de Iaiá
E se ele um dia souber
Que você é que é
O Ioiô de Iaiá
The lyrics of "Linda Flor" tell the story of unrequited love, where Gal Costa sings about the pain and suffering caused by a love that is not reciprocated. The song begins with the lines "Ai, Ioiô, eu nasci pra sofrer" which translate to "Oh, Ioiô, I was born to suffer". The singer explains that she looked at her beloved and closed her eyes, only to open them and wish to run away. Despite this, the person called out to her, and she cannot understand why. The singer pleads for pity and mercy, asking the Senhor do Bonfim for guidance. She continues to lament her unrequited love, crying every night as she thinks about the love she gave.
Throughout the song, the singer refers to her beloved as "Ioiô" and herself as "Iaiá", which is a Brazilian term for a young woman. This reinforces the power dynamic of their relationship, with Ioiô being the dominant one. The song's melody is a fusion of traditional Brazilian rhythms and sentimental ballad styles, creating a nostalgic and melancholic atmosphere.
Overall, "Linda Flor" is a lament of unrequited love, with Gal Costa's powerful and emotional delivery conveying the depth of the singer's pain and heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
Ai, Ioiô
Expression of sorrow and frustration directed towards Ioiô
Eu nasci pra sofrer
The singer feels that they were born to suffer
Fui oiá pra você
The singer looked at Ioiô
Meus óinho fechou
The artist closed their eyes
E quando os óio eu abri
When the artist opened their eyes
Quis gritar, quis fugir
The singer had the urge to scream and run away
Mas você, não sei porque
The singer is unsure why Ioiô called out to them
Você me chamou
Ioiô called out to the artist
Tenha pena de mim
The artist requests mercy and compassion from Ioiô
Meu Senhor do Bonfim
The artist calls upon a powerful deity in Brazil to aid them
Pode inté se zangar
Even if the deity becomes angry
E se ele um dia souber
If the deity were to ever find out
Que você é que é
That Ioiô is the one
O Ioiô de Iaiá
The counterpart to the singer
Chorei toda noite e pensei
The singer cried and contemplated throughout the night
No beijo de amor que te dei
Reflecting on the kiss of love that was given to Ioiô
Ioiô, meu benzinho do meu coração
Pet name for Ioiô, signifying their affection
Me leva pra casa, me deixa mais não
The singer pleads for Ioiô to provide them with a home and not abandon them
Writer(s): Pedro Berrios, Henrique Vogeler
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.