In 1963, a trio formed by Rui Alexandre Faria (Rui, the lead vocalist), Aquiles Rique Reis (Aquiles), and Milton Lima dos Santos (Miltinho) in Niterói (Rio de Janeiro) started to perform at the Popular Center of Culture (CPC) of the National Student League (UNE). The CPC of Niterói was founded in Aquiles' home. At the same time, Magro (Antônio José Waghabi Filho) had a bossa nova group with Miltinho and a flutist, bassist, and drummer, called MPB-5. With Magro (the group's lifelong musical director) invited to join the original vocal trio, the quartet became known as Quarteto do CPC. With the extinction of the CPC (and of the UNE) after the military coup in 1964, the group adopted the name of MPB-4, playing in local bars and doing a double single with the first recording of Zé Kéti/Elton Medeiros' "Mascarada" with "Samba Bem" (Luís José) and other songs.
With all of them as college students, they took a period of vacations in 1965 to go to São Paulo, where they did their professional debut at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica's Theater (Tuca). They met producer Chico de Assis and were invited by him for a season with Quarteto em Cy (which was already professional), on the condition that they abandon other aspirations to devote themselves full-time to their group. Deciding for the music, they opened with Quarteto em Cy at the show No Samba Que Eu Vou, when they met Chico Buarque, also introduced to them by de Assis. From 1969 to 1974, Buarque was almost the fifth member of MPB-4 as all of his shows were with the quartet. Together they toured several countries and were deeply influential on the Brazilian youth. de Assis also introduced them to Manoel Carlos, who was one of the directors of the O Fino da Bossa TV Record show hosted by Elis Regina. MPB-4 participated right on the first show singing together with Regina, which was their definitive consecration.
Back in Rio, they participated in the show Contraponto, together with Quarteto em Cy, Oscar Castro-Neves, and Rosinha de Valença. At the Opinião theater, MPB-4 participated in the historic show O Samba Pede Passagem with Aracy de Almeida, Baden Powell, Ismael Silva, and others. The show was recorded live and released in June 1966 as O Samba Pede Passagem. Also in 1966, they released their first LP, which had the first recording for Buarque's "Olê Olá." Having participated in Nara Leão's show Quem Tem Medo de Nara Leão?, in the same year they defended "Canção de Não Cantar" (Sérgio Bittencourt) at the II Festival de Música Popular Brasileira (Festival of Brazilian Popular Music, FMPB, TV Record of São Paulo), which won fourth place. In the next year's edition of the same festival, the group was consecrated definitively with "Gabriela" (Maranhão) and "Roda Viva" (Buarque), achieving, respectively, sixth and third places. Also in 1967, they participated in the II FIC (International Song Festival, TV Globo, Rio) with "O Sim Pelo Não" (Alcivando Luz/Carlos Coquejo) and "Cantiga" (Nelson Motta/Dori Caymmi), which reached sixth and ninth places. In 1968, they opened a show shared with Buarque at the Teatro Toneleros, and also had a season in São Paulo. Three years later, they did the historic show Construção at the Canecão with Buarque, Jacques Klein, and the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (Brazilian Symphony Orchestra) conducted by Isaac Karabtchevski. In the next year, MPB-4 toured Portugal and in 1973, Buenos Aires, Argentina, both with Buarque. In 1975, they participated, with Buarque, in the show República de Ugunga. In 1980, the group released, together with Quarteto em Cy, the children's LP Flicts/de Ziraldo e Sérgio Ricardo. Recording another children's LP in the next year with "O Pato" (Toquinho/Vinicius de Moraes), they had the song presented in the TV Globo musical A Arca de Noé. The LP Caminhos Livres (1983) had another of their hits with an Aldir Blanc song, "A Nível De..." (with João Bosco). In 1991, the quartet launched another of their themed albums, the CD Sambas da Minha Terra, dedicated to the works of Dorival Caymmi, Toquinho/Vinícius, Zé Kéti, and Ary Barroso, among others. Always doing shows and recording frequently, the group commemorated their 30-year career in 1995 with the show Arte de Cantar and the eponymous album. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi
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A Alegria Continua
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O samba tem magia
Não há quem possa resistir
Ao som de uma bateria
É lindo a gente vê
O samba amanhecer
Cheio de poesia
E a lua indo embora
E a lida tão sofrida
Vem pra rua
Mas enquanto houver samba
A alegria continua
A alegria continua
A alegria continua
MPB-4's song A Alegria Continua is a tribute to the power of samba, describing it as possessing enchantment and magic capable of captivating anyone within earshot of a percussion section. The opening lines "O samba tem feitiço / O samba tem magia" translate to "Samba has charm / Samba has magic," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics go on to paint a vivid picture of the beauty of the samba as it commences in the morning, permeating the air with its poetic nature.
The song speaks to the way that samba, despite its power to bring joy and happiness, has its roots in the struggle of oppressed people. As the sun comes up and the moon goes down, those who have faced hardship gather in the streets and embrace the cathartic experience of dancing to the music of the samba. The lyrics "E a lida tão sofrida / Vem pra rua" translate to "And the difficult work comes to the streets," and it signifies how samba brings together people who have undergone hardship, and they collectively rejoice in the joy that the music brings.
Line by Line Meaning
O samba tem feitiço
The samba has a magical quality or charm
O samba tem magia
The samba has a magical quality or power
Não há quem possa resistir
There is no one who can resist
Ao som de uma bateria
To the sound of a drum section
É lindo a gente vê
It's beautiful to see
O samba amanhecer
The samba come alive at daybreak
Cheio de poesia
Full of poetry
Com o sol aparecendo
With the sun appearing
E a lua indo embora
And the moon going away
E a lida tão sofrida
And the life so full of suffering
Vem pra rua
Comes to the streets
Mas enquanto houver samba
But as long as there's samba
A alegria continua
The joy keeps going
A alegria continua
The joy keeps going
A alegria continua
The joy keeps going
Contributed by Zoe L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Visite a Paraíba, antes que ela se acabe.
Eu gosto desses caras, simpatizo com eles, e adoro essa música do vídeo!
E pra mim o MPB4 é o melhor conjunto vocal masculino que o Brasil já teve até hoje!
Samuel Machado Filho
O Vilela que assina este samba em parceria com Mauro Duarte ficou mais conhecido como Noca da Portela.
Eduardo Machado
MPB4 quem não gosta? até por simpatia? edu