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.
Wave
Gal Costa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Meus olhos já não podem ver
Coisas que só o coração pode entender
Fundamental é mesmo o amor
É impossível ser feliz sozinho
O resto é mar
É Tudo que eu não sei contar
O amor se deixa surpreender
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
Da primeira vez, era a cidade
Da segunda o cais, a eternidade
Agora eu já sei
Da onda que se ergueu no mar
E das estrelas que esquecemos de contar
O amor se deixa surpreender
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
(Tareremdá-ré, tereremdê-rô)
Da primeira vez, era a cidade
Da segunda o cais, a eternidade
Agora eu já sei
Da onda que se ergueu no mar
E das estrelas que esquecemos de contar
O amor se deixa surpreender
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
Vem nos envolver
Vem nos envolver
(Thank you)
(Ok, I will sing a song that was written by Carlos Lyra)
(Everybody knows him, yeah, wonderful composer, let's go)
Gal Costa's song "Wave" is a beautiful expression of the power of love and the mystery of human connection. The lyrics suggest that there are some things in life that cannot be explained by the rational mind, but only felt in the heart. The opening lines "Vou te contar, meus olhos já não podem ver, coisas que só o coração pode entender" (I'm going to tell you, my eyes can no longer see things that only the heart can understand) emphasize the idea that love goes beyond our sensory experiences and reason.
Gal Costa goes on to say that "fundamental é mesmo o amor, é impossível ser feliz sozinho" (fundamentally, love is what matters, it's impossible to be happy alone). Love is presented as a force that brings us out of our isolation and connects us with others. The rest of the lyrics describe the beauty of nature, with the ocean and stars standing in for the mysterious and sublime aspects of existence that we can never fully comprehend. The chorus repeats the idea that "o amor se deixa surpreender, enquanto a noite vem nos envolver" (love lets itself be surprised, while the night envelops us).
Line by Line Meaning
Vou te contar
I will tell you
Meus olhos já não podem ver
My eyes can no longer see
Coisas que só o coração pode entender
Things that only the heart can understand
Fundamental é mesmo o amor
Love is truly essential
É impossível ser feliz sozinho
It is impossible to be happy alone
O resto é mar
The rest is the sea
É Tudo que eu não sei contar
It’s everything I cannot tell you
São coisas lindas que eu tenho pra te dar
Beautiful things that I have to offer you
O amor se deixa surpreender
Love lets itself be surprised
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
While the night envelops us
Da primeira vez, era a cidade
The first time, it was the city
Da segunda o cais, a eternidade
The second time, it was the pier and eternity
Agora eu já sei
Now I know
Da onda que se ergueu no mar
About the wave that arose in the sea
E das estrelas que esquecemos de contar
And the stars we forgot to count
O amor se deixa surpreender
Love lets itself be surprised
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
While the night envelops us
Vem nos envolver
Come and envelop us
Vem nos envolver
Come and envelop us
Lyrics © CORCOVADO MUSIC CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Antonio Carlos Jobim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@toniperullesrull4916
13-08-2016
Vou te contar, os olhos já não podem ver
Coisas que só o coração pode entender
Fundamental é mesmo o amor
É impossível ser feliz sozinho
O resto é mar, e tudo que eu não sei contar
São coisas lindas que eu tenho pra te dar
Vem de mansinho a brisa e me diz
É impossível ser feliz sozinho
Da primeira vez era a cidade
Da segunda o cais e a eternidade
Agora eu já sei, da onda que se ergueu no mar
E das estrelas que esquecemos de contar
O amor se deixa surpreender
Enquanto a noite vem nos envolver
@ninafisher6067
They'll never be another Gal, heard her for the first time sitting on a mountaintop, overlooking. My husband and I fell in love with her voice, 1984, 85. ❤
@johnbeckett1401
Portuguese is not one of the languages I am learning, but, it is the best language for singing. I love hearing Portuguese lyrics. Jobim and Ivan Lins..... goooooood music.
@laudemar-A.B.6386
Relaxing, isn't it?
@CosimaPerrone
😢
@CosimaPerrone
Che dolcissima voce aveva ❤
@ricardomosquera3601
❤❤
@benjijss
Gran pérdida para la musica . Una voz celestial . Muy querida en Argentina !!!
@catholicdad
Perhaps the most beautiful song ever written.
@amezcarl
Eu sou do Mexico e acabo de me enterar que ela morreu. Uma parte do meu coracao morreu com voces. Abraco a tudo o Brasil 😪
@deisecristinasiqueli3779
Gracias!