Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento (Exu, Pernambuco, December 13, 1912 — Recife, Pe… Read Full Bio ↴Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento (Exu, Pernambuco, December 13, 1912 — Recife, Pernambuco, August 2, 1989) was a prominent Brazilian folk singer, songwriter, musician and poet. Born in the countryside of Pernambuco, he is considered to be responsible for the promotion of Northeastern ("nordeste") music throughout the rest of the country. He is also known as the "king of baiao" and "Gonzagão".

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.

Reis Do Baião
Luiz Gonzaga Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando a moça quer se casar
Não reza somente não
Ela arranja um namorado
E entrega o coração
Há sempre um beijo escondido
Uma promessa, uma oração
Aos namorados queridos
Ofereço este baião

Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados
Tu estás em todos os lados
Dos corações em alegria
Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados
Os que estão apaixonados
Vivem a cantar esta melodia
Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados
Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados
Quando a moça quer se casar
Não reza somente não
Ela arranja um namorado
E entrega o coração
Há sempre um beijo escondido
Uma promessa, uma oração
Aos namorados queridos
Ofereço este baião
Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados
Tu estás em todos os lados
Dos corações em alegria
Ai, baião
Baião dos namorados

Os que estão apaixonados
Vivem a cantar esta melodia

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Reis Do Baião" by Luiz Gonzaga capture the essence of love and courtship in a traditional Brazilian setting. The song describes the process a young woman goes through when she decides she wants to get married. It emphasizes that simply praying is not enough; she takes action by finding a boyfriend and giving him her heart. This act of commitment and devotion is portrayed as an integral part of the romantic journey.

The lyrics further delve into the nuances of romance, depicting hidden kisses, promises, and prayers exchanged between the lovers. These intimate gestures symbolize the depth of emotion and connection shared between the couple. The idea of secrecy and privacy in their exchanges adds a layer of mystique and passion to their relationship, highlighting the sacred nature of their love.

The mention of "baião" in the song refers to a traditional Brazilian music and dance style, known for its lively rhythms and celebratory nature. The baião is presented as a soundtrack to the love story, suggesting that it accompanies the emotions and experiences of those who are in love. The repetition of the phrase "Baião dos namorados" reinforces the central theme of love and courtship, emphasizing that this musical genre is intertwined with the journey of romantic relationships.

Overall, "Reis Do Baião" celebrates the joys and tribulations of love, portraying it as a universal experience that brings happiness and harmony to people's lives. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a young couple in love, navigating the path towards marriage with devotion, passion, and music as their companions. It resonates with audiences by capturing the essence of romance and the vibrant cultural heritage of Brazil.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando a moça quer se casar
When a girl wants to get married

Não reza somente não
She doesn't just pray

Ela arranja um namorado
She finds a boyfriend

E entrega o coração
And gives her heart

Há sempre um beijo escondido
There is always a hidden kiss

Uma promessa, uma oração
A promise, a prayer

Aos namorados queridos
To dear lovers

Ofereço este baião
I offer this baião

Ai, baião
Oh, baião

Baião dos namorados
Baião of lovers

Tu estás em todos os lados
You are everywhere