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.
De Frente Pro Crime
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Em vez de rosto uma foto de um gol
Em vez de reza uma praga de alguém
E um silêncio servindo de amém
O bar mais perto depressa lotou
Malandro junto com trabalhador
Um homem subiu na mesa do bar
Veio o camelô vender
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Baiana pra fazer pastel
E um bom churrasco de gato
Quatro horas da manhã
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
E a moçada resolveu
Parar e então
'Tá lá o corpo estendido no chão
Em vez de rosto uma foto de um gol
Em vez de reza uma praga de alguém
E um silêncio servindo de amém
Sem pressa foi cada um pro seu lado
Pensando numa mulher ou no time
Olhei o corpo no chão e fechei
Minha janela de frente pro crime
Veio o camelô vender
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Baiana pra fazer pastel
E um bom churrasco de gato
Quatro horas da manhã
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
E a moçada resolveu
Parar e então
Veio o camelô vender
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Baiana pra fazer pastel
E um bom churrasco de gato
Quatro horas da manhã
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
E a moçada resolveu
Parar, e então
Veio o camelô vender
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Baiana pra fazer pastel
E um bom churrasco de gato
Quatro horas da manhã
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
E a moçada resolveu
Parar e então
Veio o camelô vender
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Baiana pra fazer pastel
E um bom churrasco de gato
Quatro horas da manhã
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
E a moçada resolveu
Parar e então
'Tá lá o corpo estendido no chão
De Frente Pro Crime is a song by MPB-4 and Quarteto em Cy that addresses social issues and the notion of acceptance of crime in Brazil. The song begins by describing a crime scene with a body lying on the ground and a photograph of a goal instead of a face. The lyrics then go on to describe the scene as a gathering place where people from all walks of life come together, including criminals and laborers, and even a politician who delivers a speech. The chorus of the song provides a strong social commentary, stating that instead of prayers being offered for the victim, people curse and swear instead. The scene is then described as a moment of silence, an amen in recognition of the brutality and harshness of the situation.
Throughout the song, there is a dispassionate and accepting tone that conveys a sense of resignation towards the issue of crime. The characters in the song are described as casually buying goods from the street vendors and indulging in cheap food and drinks, even though there is a corpse lying on the ground. The final lines of the song show a person closing their window and looking away, as if to say that they have accepted the reality of the situation and choose to ignore it.
Overall, De Frente Pro Crime is a powerful song that communicates a feeling of acceptance and resignation towards the problems that plague Brazilian society, particularly the issue of crime. The lyrics and tone of the song suggest that the people have become desensitized to violence and the disregard for human life, which is both a poignant and insightful commentary on the state of the country.
Line by Line Meaning
Tá lá o corpo estendido no chão
There lies a body lying on the ground
Em vez de rosto uma foto de um gol
Instead of a face, there's a picture of a goal
Em vez de reza uma praga de alguém
Instead of a prayer, there's a curse from someone
E um silêncio servindo de amém
And a quietness serving as an amen
O bar mais perto depressa lotou
The nearest bar quickly filled up
Malandro junto com trabalhador
Malignant people along with workers
Um homem subiu na mesa do bar
A man climbed onto the bar table
E fez discurso pra vereador
And made a speech to the councilman
Veio o camelô vender
The street vendor came to sell
Anel, cordão, perfume barato
Rings, necklaces, cheap perfume
Baiana pra fazer pastel
A Bahian woman to make pastries
E um bom churrasco de gato
And a good cat barbecue
Quatro horas da manhã
Four o'clock in the morning
Baixou o santo na porta bandeira
The saint came down to the flagpole
E a moçada resolveu
And the young folk decided
Parar e então
To stop, then
Sem pressa foi cada um pro seu lado
Without haste, everyone went their own way
Pensando numa mulher ou no time
Thinking about a woman or the team
Olhei o corpo no chão e fechei
I looked at the body on the ground and closed
Minha janela de frente pro crime
My window facing the crime
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joao Bosco De Freitas Mucci, Aldir Blanc Mendes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J. Franco
R. I. P. Aldir Blanc !!! Obrigado !!!
1hoytema
Very cool! This was a superb concert and the CD is great, but I so wish had been there myself! Beautiful voices. Their musicianship is superb! Thank you for sharing!
Maria Luiza Duarte Mendes
muito bom!
Guilherme Vieira
Airton vilar
Fábio Sa
Uau!!!
eunice araujoeunice
Espetacular 👏👏👏👏👏 👏 👏👏👏👏
Francisco Henrique Santana da Costa
Música brasileira de verdade na sua planitude !
quim brugues
molt bé! que bons!
DIREITO CONSTITUCIONAL 10 MINUTOS PROF CALDEIRA
Amo
Carlos Falcão
Obrigado por postar!