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.
O Que Será
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
Cantar a beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
Eu sei
Que a vida devia ser
Bem melhor e será
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
E é bonita
Viver
Viver
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
Cantar e cantar e cantar
A beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
(Ah meu Deus)
Eu sei
Que a vida devia ser
Bem melhor e será
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
É bonita, é bonita
E é bonita
E a vida
E a vida o que é?
Diga lá, meu irmão
Ela é a batida de um coração
Ela é uma doce ilusão
Êh oh
E a vida
Ela é maravilha ou é sofrimento?
Ela é alegria ou lamento?
O que é? O que é? Meu irmão
Há quem fale
Que a vida da gente
É um nada no mundo
É uma gota, é um tempo
Que nem dá um segundo
Há quem fale
Que é um divino
Mistério profundo
É o sopro do criador
Numa atitude repleta de amor
Você diz que é luta e prazer
Ele diz que a vida é viver
Ela diz que melhor é morrer
Pois amada não é
E o verbo é sofrer
Eu só sei que confio na moça
E na moça eu ponho a força da fé
Somos nós que fazemos a vida
Como der, ou puder, ou quiser
Sempre desejada
Por mais que esteja errada
Ninguém quer a morte
Só saúde e sorte
E a pergunta roda
E a cabeça agita
Eu fico com a pureza
Da resposta das crianças
É a vida, é bonita
E é bonita
Viver
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
E cantar e cantar e cantar
A beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
Eu sei
Que a vida devia ser
Bem melhor e será
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
É bonita, é bonita
E é bonita
Viver
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
E cantar e cantar e cantar
A beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
(Ah meu Deus)
Eu sei
Que a vida devia ser
Bem melhor e será
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
É bonita, é bonita
E é bonita
É bonita e é bonita
De viver
The lyrics to MPB-4's song "O Que Será" convey a profound and optimistic outlook on life. The singer reflects on the importance of living without shame, embracing happiness, and celebrating the beauty of continuous learning. The song expresses a belief that life should and will be better, but that doesn't stop the singer from acknowledging and appreciating its current beauty.
The lyrics explore the essence of life itself, posing questions to the listener about its nature. The singer asks whether life is the rhythm of a heartbeat, a sweet illusion, or a mixture of joy and sorrow. It reflects on the different perspectives people have on life, some considering it as insignificant, fleeting, and mysterious, while others see it as a divine creation full of love.
Amidst the contemplation, the singer shares their personal view. They trust in the power of faith and put their strength into believing in life's possibilities. They emphasize that it is up to us to make the most of life, regardless of how it unfolds. The innocence and purity of children's responses to life's questions resonate with the singer, reinforcing the belief that life is indeed beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
Viver
To live
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
And not be ashamed of being happy
Cantar a beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
To sing about the beauty of being an eternal learner
Eu sei
I know
Que a vida devia ser
That life should be
Bem melhor e será
Much better and it will be
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
But that doesn't stop me from repeating
É bonita, é bonita
It's beautiful, it's beautiful
E é bonita
And it's beautiful
E a vida
And life
E a vida o que é?
And what is life?
Diga lá, meu irmão
Tell me, my brother
Ela é a batida de um coração
It is the beat of a heart
Ela é uma doce ilusão
It is a sweet illusion
E a vida
And life
Ela é maravilha ou é sofrimento?
Is it wonder or suffering?
Ela é alegria ou lamento?
Is it joy or lament?
O que é? O que é? Meu irmão
What is it? What is it? My brother
Há quem fale
There are those who say
Que a vida da gente
That our life
É um nada no mundo
Is nothing in the world
É uma gota, é um tempo
Is a drop, is a moment
Que nem dá um segundo
That doesn't even last a second
Há quem fale
There are those who say
Que é um divino
That it is divine
Mistério profundo
A profound mystery
É o sopro do criador
It is the breath of the creator
Numa atitude repleta de amor
In an attitude filled with love
Você diz que é luta e prazer
You say it's struggle and pleasure
Ele diz que a vida é viver
He says that life is to live
Ela diz que melhor é morrer
She says that it's better to die
Pois amada não é
Because loved one is not
E o verbo é sofrer
And the verb is to suffer
Eu só sei que confio na moça
I only know that I trust the girl
E na moça eu ponho a força da fé
And in the girl I put the strength of faith
Somos nós que fazemos a vida
We are the ones who make life
Como der, ou puder, ou quiser
As we can, or want, or wish
Sempre desejada
Always desired
Por mais que esteja errada
Even if it's wrong
Ninguém quer a morte
Nobody wants death
Só saúde e sorte
Only health and luck
E a pergunta roda
And the question goes around
E a cabeça agita
And the head stirs
Eu fico com a pureza
I stick to the purity
Da resposta das crianças
Of the children's answer
É a vida, é bonita
It's life, it's beautiful
E é bonita
And it's beautiful
Viver
To live
E não ter a vergonha de ser feliz
And not be ashamed of being happy
E cantar e cantar e cantar
And sing and sing and sing
A beleza de ser um eterno aprendiz
The beauty of being an eternal learner
Eu sei
I know
Que a vida devia ser
That life should be
Bem melhor e será
Much better and it will be
Mas isso não impede que eu repita
But that doesn't stop me from repeating
É bonita, é bonita
It's beautiful, it's beautiful
E é bonita
And it's beautiful
É bonita e é bonita
It's beautiful and it's beautiful
De viver
Of living
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Luiz Gonzaga
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind