The son of a peasant and accordion player, he was attracted to the 8-bass accordion at an early age, although he started out by accompanying his father by playing the zabumba (a type of bass drum) and singing at parties and religious celebrations. He left home in 1930 to join the army, and toured Brazil with an army band until 1939. Gonzaga decided to remain in Rio de Janeiro with a recently purchased accordion. He performed in the streets and in bars, playing boleros, waltzes and tangos.
After noticing that the Northeastern immigrants missed the music from their hometowns, he started to give listeners the sort of music they craved to hear: xaxados, baiões, chamegos and cocos. At Ary Barroso’s talent show, Luiz Gonzaga played his chamego "Vira e Mexe" and was acclaimed by the audience and by the dreaded host, who gave him the highest score.
In 1943, he dressed up in typical Northeastern costumes for the first time to perform live, and got hyped. Later on, as well as playing popular tunes on the accordion, he began to sing his own material, and his skills as a songwriter were revealed.
Gonzaga's son, Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior, known as Gonzaguinha, born 1945, was also a noted Brazilian singer and composer.
His greatest hit ever, "Asa Branca" (written with Humberto Teixeira), was recorded in 1947 and was covered countless times by many different artists. He worked on the radio until 1954, enjoying huge popularity. He is widely recognized for singlehandedly taking the baião style and the accordion to a wide audience. For a time RCA (now BMG), his recording label, was almost exclusively dedicated to printing his singles and albums. During the 60's, as the public taste shifted to bossa nova and iê-iê-iê, he found himself increasingly stranded from big city stages, so he toured the countryside, where his popularity never abated.
In the 70s and 80s, he slowly re-emerged, partly due to covers of his songs by famous artists like Geraldo Vandré, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, his son Gonzaguinha and Milton Nascimento. Some of his greatest hits are "Vozes da Seca" ("Voices From Drought"), "Algodão" ("Cotton"), "A Dança da Moda" ("The Dance In Fashion"), "ABC do Sertão" ("The ABC of Sertão"), "Derramaro o Gai" ("They Spilt the Gas"), "A Letra I" ("The 'i' letter"), "Imbalança" ("Shake It"), "A Volta da Asa-Branca" ("The Return Of The Picazuro Pigeon"), "Cintura Fina" ("Slender Waist"), "O Xote das Meninas" ("The Girls' Schottische", written with Zé Dantas, and "Juazeiro", "Paraíba", "Mangaratiba", "Baião-de-Dois", "No Meu Pé de Serra" ("There In My Homeland"), "Assum Preto" ("Blue-back Grassquit"), "Légua Tirana" ("Tyrannical league"), "Qui Nem Jiló" ("Like Solanum gilo", written with Humberto Teixeira. Other successful collaborations resulted in "Tá Bom Demais" ("It's Very Good") (with Onildo de Almeida), "Danado de Bom" ("Very Good") (with João Silva), "Dezessete e Setecentos" ("Seventeen And Seven hundred") and "Cortando o Pano" ("Cutting Cloth") (both with Miguel Lima).
Gonzaga died of natural causes at the age of 76.
Faz Força Zé
Luiz Gonzaga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ra, raí!!! É hoje!!!
Quem quiser vida folgada
De viver sem trabalhar
Que procure moça rica
Ou butija pra arrancar
Oi!
Faz força Zé para melhorar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
Quem não gosta do trabalho
Diz que camisa não dá
Encontrando bolso aberto
É capaz de aproveitar
Tipo perigoso ate no falar
Oi!
Faz força Zé para melhorar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
Homem que tem a mão fina
Torce o rosto no falar
Pinta unha faz de conta
E capricha no andar
Cuidado nele
Por que dá azar
Oi!
Faz força Zé para melhorar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
Faz força Zé para melhorar
O homem não vai sem trabalhar.
The song "Faz Força Zé" by Luiz Gonzaga is a commentary on the importance of hard work and the dangers of laziness. The opening lines of the song encourage the celebration of the forró music of Zé Lagoa, creating a festive and energetic atmosphere. However, the rest of the song takes a more serious tone, warning listeners against the temptation of an easy life without work. The lyrics caution against seeking out a rich partner or relying on gambling to improve one's situation, instead urging listeners to make an effort to improve themselves.
The chorus, "Faz força Zé para melhorar," which translates to "Make an effort, Zé, to improve," is repeated throughout the song as a rallying cry for hard work and self-improvement. The verses reinforce this message by referencing those who shirk work and the potential consequences of idleness. Those who avoid work are described as dangerous, clever, and even dishonest, with the song warning the listener to beware of those who try to take shortcuts.
Overall, "Faz Força Zé" is a passionate call to action, exhorting listeners to resist complacency and strive for a better life through hard work and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Quem quiser vida folgada
If anyone wants an easy life
De viver sem trabalhar
Without working for it
Que procure moça rica
They should find a rich lady
Ou butija pra arrancar
Or a piggy bank to break into
Tirar sorte grande para se arrumar
And hope to win a fortune to live comfortably
Faz força Zé para melhorar
Come on, Zé, make an effort to improve
O homem não vai sem trabalhar
No man can succeed without working hard
Quem não gosta do trabalho
Those who dislike working
Diz que camisa não dá
Say that a shirt won't give them anything
Encontrando bolso aberto
But when they find an open pocket
É capaz de aproveitar
They can't resist the temptation to take advantage
Tipo perigoso ate no falar
They're even dangerous in their speech
Homem que tem a mão fina
A man with delicate hands
Torce o rosto no falar
Twists his face when he speaks
Pinta unha faz de conta
Paints his nails as if he's pretending
E capricha no andar
And walks with extra flair
Cuidado nele
Beware of him
Por que dá azar
He brings bad luck
Contributed by Caden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.