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
Sites: MusicBrainz & Discogs.
Canto dos homens
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Queria lembrá-los aqui, é
Um deles uma dignidade enorme
Adorava musica de bar
Ele me falava sempre se Deus tem uma voz
A voz de Deus é a musica de Johann Sebastian Bah
'To falando de Paulinho Nogueira
Que nos deixou a pouco tempo
E a maneira que ele viveu de forma tão limpa sua vida toda
These lyrics are from the song "Estudo No. 1" by MPB-4. The song is a tribute to two great guitar teachers that the singer had. In these lines, the singer reflects on their influence and seeks to honor their memory.
The first teacher mentioned is portrayed as having great dignity and a deep love for bar music. This teacher used to say that if God had a voice, it would be the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The lyrics then shift to focus on the second teacher, Paulinho Nogueira, who recently passed away. The singer wants to remember Paulinho and the way he lived his life so cleanly.
These lyrics express gratitude towards the two teachers who had an impact on the singer's musical journey. They highlight the reverence for music and the inspiration that these teachers provided. The mention of God and Bach's music suggests a deep respect for the art form and the belief in its transcendental qualities.
Line by Line Meaning
Tive dois grandes professores de violão
I had two great guitar tutors
Queria lembrá-los aqui, é
I want to mention them here, you know
Um deles uma dignidade enorme
One of them had immense dignity
Adorava musica de bar
He loved bar music
Ele me falava sempre se Deus tem uma voz
He used to say if God has a voice
A voz de Deus é a musica de Johann Sebastian Bah
The voice of God is Johann Sebastian Bach's music
'To falando de Paulinho Nogueira
I'm talking about Paulinho Nogueira
Que nos deixou a pouco tempo
Who left us not long ago
Ei queria lembrar Paulinho
Hey, I wanted to remember Paulinho
E a maneira que ele viveu de forma tão limpa sua vida toda
And how he lived his whole life so pure
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Reinaldo Arias Gomes, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
adriano rubim
muito forte
Marcello Sá Natividade
Obrigado por postar essa música maravilhosa. Trata-se de uma composição de Miltinho, um dos integrantes do MPB4, e de Paulo César Pinheiro, uma obra-prima, na minha modesta opinião.
Ronaldo Chagas
EXCELENTE...NOTA 10!!!
João Guimarães
Sem dúvida o melhor grupo vocal do BRASIL
Vagner Augusto
A letra faz uma relação inteligente entre pai e filho e empregado e patrão. Compreensível a época por conta da censura. Genial para este tempo onde o trabalhador retrocede em todas as suas conquistas e estamos as portas de voltar para o tempo onde chamaremos novamente o patrão de painho.
Márcio di Lucca
Dá pra postar o álbum completo??? se puder agradeço!!!
Vagner Augusto
Ouvia horas a Radio Eldorado apenas para ouvir esta musica lá nos idos de 1980.
Ronaldo Chagas
Bons tempos em que se ligava o rádio e era possível ouvir músicas e artistas de primeira qualidade...ABRAÇOS!!!!
Ronaldo Chagas
Vágner,parabéns por lembrar a eterna Rádio Eldorado!Eu também ouvia esta inesquecível emissora nesta mesma época-mesmo quando eu já tinha Rádio FM em casa,pois naquele tempo havia excelentes emissoras nas 02 frequências-e eles sempre tocavam esta maravilhosa música.Saudades de um tempo em que a Música Brasileira e o Rádio eram sinônimos de qualidade e bom gosto,ao contrário dos tristes tempos atuais...Assim que puder,mantenha contato para conversarmos mais sobre Música - acho que valerá a pena!ABRAÇOS!!!
Flavio Wilner
Desde cedo... Conheci a música em torno de 1988 na Globo FM RJ que ousava tocá-la. Pedrada de letra e arranjo. Paulo César Pinheiro é sempre um craque. MPB-4 com o capitão Magro.