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.
Cicatrizes
MPB-4 Lyrics
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Amor que nunca cicatriza
Ao menos ameniza a dor
Que a vida não amenizou.
Que a vida a dor domina
Arrasa e arruína
Depois passa por cima a dor
Acho que estou pedindo uma coisa normal
Felicidade é um bem natural.
Uma
Qualquer uma
Que pelo menos dure enquanto é carnaval
Apenas uma
Qualquer uma
Não faça bem mais que também não faça mal.
Meu coração precisa...
The song "Cicatrizes" by MPB-4 talks about love that never heals, but at least it eases the pain that life did not ease. Love is shown as the only force that can make someone forget the pain of past relationships, but it could be temporary since life has a way of destroying everything in its path. The lyrics mention the domination of pain and how it ruins everything in its way, leaving behind scars that never heal fully. The hope for finding love that lasts at least during the carnival season is highlighted in the lyrics but it's not necessary that it does more good or bad.
The song captures the essence of love in times of despair where people depend on love to heal the wounds left by harsh realities of life. The lyrics display the conflicting emotions that come with love and how people learn to deal with them as they grow older. The song's meaning may differ from person to person, depending upon their experiences and the stage of life they are in.
Line by Line Meaning
Amor
Love
Amor que nunca cicatriza
Love that never heals
Ao menos ameniza a dor
At least eases the pain
Que a vida não amenizou.
That life did not ease.
Que a vida a dor domina
That pain dominates life
Arrasa e arruína
It deals destruction and ruin
Depois passa por cima a dor
And then pain is left behind
Em busca de outro amor.
In search of another love.
Acho que estou pedindo uma coisa normal
I think I am asking for something normal
Felicidade é um bem natural.
Happiness is a natural good.
Uma
One
Qualquer uma
Any one
Que pelo menos dure enquanto é carnaval
That at least lasts until Carnival
Apenas uma
Just one
Qualquer uma
Any one
Não faça bem mais que também não faça mal.
Does not do more good than harm.
Meu coração precisa...
My heart needs...
Contributed by Brayden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.