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.
Vaca profana
Gal Costa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mas ainda mais minha risada
Inscrevo assim minhas palavras
Na voz de uma mulher sagrada
Vaca profana, põe teus cornos
Pra fora e acima da manada
Ê
Êê dona das divinas tetas
E o leite mau na cara dos caretas
Segue a movida Madrileña
Também te mata Barcelona
Napoli, Pino, Pi, Pau, punks
Picassos movem-se por Londres
Bahia onipresentemente
Rio e belíssimo horizonte
Ê
Êê vaca de divinas tetas
La leche buena toda en mi garganta
La mala leche para los puretas
Quero que pinte um amor Bethânia
Steve Wonder, andaluz
Como o que tive em Tel Aviv
Perto do mar, longe da cruz
Mas em composição cubista
Meu mundo Thelonius Monk's blues
Ê
Êê vaca de divinas tetas
Teu bom só para o oco, minha falta
E o resto inunde as almas dos caretas
Sou tímido e espalhafatoso
Torre traçada por Gaudi
São Paulo é como o mundo todo
No mundo um grande amor perdi
Caretas de Paris, New York
Sem mágoas estamos aí
Ê
Êê dona das divinas tetas
Quero teu leite todo em minha alma
Nada de leite mau para os caretas
Mas eu também sei ser careta
De perto ninguém é normal
Às vezes segue em linha reta
A vida, que é meu bem, meu mal
No mais as ramblas do planeta
Orchata de chufa si us plau
Ê
Êê deusa de assombrosas tetas
Gota de leite bom na minha cara
Chuva do mesmo bom sobre os caretas
The lyrics to Gal Costa's song Vaca Profana paint a picture of a non-conformist, rebellious individual who is unapologetic about their beliefs and lifestyle. The opening lines express a respect for one's tears but a greater appreciation for their laughter, emphasizing the importance of joy and positivity. The lyrics also mention a "sacred woman's voice," insinuating a connection to spirituality and the divine.
The chorus refers to a "vaca profana," which literally translates to "profane cow," but is used as slang to describe someone who defies societal norms and expectations. The cow is encouraged to express itself openly, with its horns raised above the herd. The singer also asks for the cow's milk, both the good and the bad, on their face and on the faces of those who are seen as conventional or conservative.
The rest of the song mentions various cities and cultural movements, highlighting the singer's global outlook and appreciation for diversity. The lyrics express a desire for love similar to that experienced by famous musicians like Bethânia and Steve Wonder, and a reference to a composition by jazz legend Thelonius Monk. The song ends with the singer acknowledging their own duality, admitting to sometimes being "careta" or conventional, but also cherishing their individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Respeito muito minhas lágrimas
I value my tears deeply
Mas ainda mais minha risada
But I treasure my laughter even more
Inscrevo assim minhas palavras
So I write down my words
Na voz de uma mulher sagrada
In the voice of a sacred woman
Vaca profana, põe teus cornos
Profane cow, raise your horns
Pra fora e acima da manada
Above and beyond the herd
Dona das divinas tetas
Mistress of divine breasts
Derrama o leite bom na minha cara
Pour the good milk on my face
E o leite mau na cara dos caretas
And the bad milk on the faces of the squares
Segue a movida Madrileña
The Madrilenian scene goes on
Também te mata Barcelona
Barcelona also kills you
Napoli, Pino, Pi, Pau, punks
Naples, Pino, Pi, Pau, punks
Picasso movem-se por Londres
Picassos move across London
Bahia onipresentemente
Bahia is omnipresent
Rio e belíssimo horizonte
Rio and its beautiful horizon
Vaca de divinas tetas
Cow of divine breasts
La leche buena toda en mi garganta
All of the good milk in my throat
La mala leche para los puretas
The bad milk for the prudes
Quero que pinte um amor Bethânia
I want Bethânia to paint a love
Steve Wonder, andaluz
Steve Wonder, the Andalusian
Como o que tive em Tel Aviv
Like the one I had in Tel Aviv
Perto do mar, longe da cruz
Near the sea, far from the cross
Mas em composição cubista
But in a cubist composition
Meu mundo Thelonius Monk's blues
My world is Thelonius Monk's blues
Vaca de divinas tetas
Cow of divine breasts
Teu bom só para o oco, minha falta
Your good only for the hollow, my shortcoming
E o resto inunde as almas dos caretas
And let the rest flood the souls of the squares
Sou tímido e espalhafatoso
I am shy and flamboyant
Torre traçada por Gaudi
A tower designed by Gaudi
São Paulo é como o mundo todo
São Paulo is like the whole world
No mundo um grande amor perdi
In the world, I lost a great love
Caretas de Paris, New York
Squares from Paris, New York
Sem mágoas estamos aí
We're here without regrets
Deusa de assombrosas tetas
Goddess of astonishing breasts
Gota de leite bom na minha cara
Drop of good milk on my face
Chuva do mesmo bom sobre os caretas
Rain of the same good on the squares
Contributed by Ella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rafael Mendes
Ícone, voz perfeita. Quem está a ouvir em 2021 dê um alô.
Melque Mika
Vim do futuro (2022) kkk
Leah Liz
Em 2022 alô
Ivanice Rodrigues
2022😍
Mariano Rios
Serve 2022?
Bruno
@John Miller Leao ninguém quer saber SUA opinião
Wellingta Macêdo
No auge da criatividade de Caetano como compositor para o auge de uma cantora de voz única e de beleza única também que é Gal Costa. Para mim, essa fase de Gal é insuperável.
Glaci Andriotti
@Katia Barbosa Faltou o Gil!! Sem ele nao existiria tudo isto. Alias nada seria igual sem eles.
Célia Regina dos Santos
Voz maravilhosa!
Jeane Carlos
Caetano Veloso é uma obra prima, uma jóia rara. 😍