After his second departure from TNT, Basso began to perform solo, under the moniker "Woody Apple". It wasn't until 1995 when he adopted the stage name he became famous for, Júpiter Maçã, and formed the very short-lived project Os Pereiras Azuiz alongside Ubirajara Guimarães, Rogério Campos and Luiz Wilfrido. In 1997 he signed with independent label Antídoto to release his first solo full-length album, A Sétima Efervescência; with a heavily psychedelic and experimental sonority comparable to Pink Floyd's 1967 debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, the album was critically acclaimed at the time of its release and in 2007 was ranked 96th at Rolling Stone Brasil's list of 100 Greatest Brazilian Music Records.
Its follow-up from 1999, Plastic Soda, unlike its predecessor, was fully sung in English; to reflect this, Basso signed the album as Jupiter Apple. It was characterized by an increase in the experimental elements already present in A Sétima Efervescência, mixing psychedelic rock with bossa nova and jazz. Even though it also had a good reception, critics considered it a very hard album to listen to. After the album's release Basso temporarily moved to England, returning to Brazil in 2002.
Hisscivilization, his third album, was released soon afterwards, and was his most ambitious and elaborate work, composed of 13 mostly instrumental tracks, the longest of which opens the album and is over 11 minutes long. Basso experimented more with electronic music elements in this album, what polarized critics and fans alike. In 2003 he moved to Europe once again – this time to Spain – alongside his then-domestic partner Bibiana "Bibmo" Morena to work on further material; after a 4-year hiatus, both returned to Brazil and he released alongside her the collaborative album Bitter. In the same year he released his fourth (and ultimately last) album, Uma Tarde na Fruteira.
Alongside Tatá Aeroplano, he wrote and directed the short film Apartment Jazz, which was broadcast for the first time by MTV in 2010. In 2015 he began work on a second short, Jane's Nightmare; a trailer was uploaded to YouTube on July 15, but the film was left unfinished. He also hosted the short-lived talk show Júpiter Maçã Show on MTV.
Known for his extravagant lifestyle, Basso struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse throughout most of his life, and was undergoing a treatment for cirrhosis on his later years. On December 21, 2015, he was found dead on the bathroom floor in his apartment; his cause of death was later revealed as being multiple organ failure. His wake was held at the Teatro Renascença in Porto Alegre, and he was buried the following day at the Cemitério Ecumênico João XXIII
Tema de Júpiter Maçã
Júpiter Maçã Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Paixões em Liverpool, saudades do Jacaranda
A chuva bem fininha da doce Inglaterra
Bastardo da psicodelia, pictures and paintings
Direto do acqualung, sonares de Moby Dick
De Charles Dickens o Natal, simpatia no undersound
A couple of ideas da Moóca à Pompéia
Júpiter Maçã
Júpiter Maçã
Júpiter Maçã
As tortas e as cucas desconcertadas
O brandy e a noiva, a Miss Lexotan
Freak you and fuck you em Saturno
Bossa nova a seguir e o som medieval
Júpiter Maçã
Júpiter Maçã
Júpiter Maçã
The lyrics to Júpiter Maçã's song Tema de Júpiter Maça are a collage of evocative images and cultural references that create a psychedelic and nostalgic atmosphere. The first verse invokes exotic and exciting places and people, from "lugares do caralho" (roughly, "damn cool places") to "paixões em Liverpool" (loves in Liverpool), and "saudades do Jacaranda" (longing for the Jacaranda club, a famed spot for artists and musicians in São Paulo). The rain of "sweet England" adds to the dreamy quality of the lyrics, which also hint at the influence of British pop culture on the musician. The "bastardo da psicodelia" (illegitimate child of psychedelia) seems to be Júpiter Maçã himself, an artist who blended rock, pop, folk, and electronic sounds with a trippy sensibility.
The second verse continues the stream-of-consciousness style, weaving literary and musical allusions with personal and urban motifs. The reference to the album Aqualung by Jethro Tull, with nods to Moby Dick and Charles Dickens, suggests a fascination with classic literature and rock music of the 60s-70s. The "couple of ideas" from Moóca to Pompéia and from Cidade Baixa to Bom Fim (neighborhoods in São Paulo and Porto Alegre, respectively) reflect a sense of belonging to the underground scenes of those cities. The chorus, repeating Júpiter Maçã's name three times, reinforces the idea of a personal brand or persona that encompasses all those associations and influences.
Overall, the lyrics to Tema de Júpiter Maça can be seen as a manifesto of sorts for an artistic and cultural movement that emerged in Brazil in the 90s and 2000s, characterized by a DIY aesthetic, experimental music, and a rejection of mainstream values. Júpiter Maçã, who passed away in 2015, remains a cult figure and an inspiration for many musicians and fans who share his vision.
Line by Line Meaning
Lugares do caralho e gente afudê
Amazing places where everything is crazy and filled with vibrant people
Paixões em Liverpool, saudades do Jacaranda
Memories of love in Liverpool and missing the Jacaranda, a famous club in the city
A chuva bem fininha da doce Inglaterra
The gentle rain of sweet England
Bastardo da psicodelia, pictures and paintings
A maverick of psychedelic art, creating pictures and paintings
Direto do acqualung, sonares de Moby Dick
Directly from the Acqualung, the sounds of Moby Dick
De Charles Dickens o Natal, simpatia no undersound
Christmas inspired by Charles Dickens and kindness in the undersound
A couple of ideas da Moóca à Pompéia
A few ideas from Mooca to Pompeia
A couple of ideas da Cidade Baixa ao Bom Fim
A few ideas from Cidade Baixa to Bom Fim
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
As tortas e as cucas desconcertadas
The disconcerting pies and cakes
O brandy e a noiva, a Miss Lexotan
The brandy and the bride, Miss Lexotan
Freak you and fuck you em Saturno
Letting loose and being unconventional on Saturn
Bossa nova a seguir e o som medieval
Bossa nova coming next, followed by medieval sounds
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
Júpiter Maçã
Jupiter Apple
Contributed by London J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.