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.
Samba da Pergunta
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Essa grande figura, esse anjo
Eu conheci muito bem o Dorival Caymmi
Uma sabedoria enorme
Uma coisa angelical mesmo
Eu li uma matéria logo que ele faleceu
Tinha uma frase muito bonita e muito justa
Falava que ele era o compositor fundamental
Marina, morena
Marina, você se pintou
Marina, você faça tudo
Mas faça um favor
Não pinte esse rosto que eu gosto
Que eu gosto e é só meu
Marina, você já é bonita
Com o que deus lhe deu
Já me aborreci, me zanguei
Já não posso falar
E quando eu me zango, Marina
Eu não sei perdoar
Eu já desculpei tanta coisa
Você não arranjava outra igual
Desculpe, Marina, morena
Mas eu estou de mal
De mal com você
De mal com você
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quem não gosta do samba bom sujeito não é
Ou é ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé
Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei
E do danado do samba nunca me separei
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
Ai, que saudade eu tenho da Bahia
Ai, se eu escutasse o que mamãe dizia
"Bem, não vá deixar a sua mãe aflita
A gente faz o que o coração dita
Mas esse mundo é feito de maldade e ilusão"
Ai, se eu escutasse hoje eu não sofria
Ai, esta saudade dentro do meu peito
E se ter saudade é ter algum defeito
Eu pelo menos, mereço o direito
De ter alguém com quem eu possa me confessar
Ponha-se no meu lugar
E veja como sofre um homem infeliz
Que teve que desabafar
Dizendo a todo mundo o que ninguém diz
Vejam que situação
E veja como sofre um pobre coração
Pobre de quem acredita
Na glória e no dinheiro para ser feliz
"Samba da Pergunta" by MPB-4 is a tribute song to the renowned Brazilian composer Dorival Caymmi, who had recently passed away. The lyrics express the admiration and love for Caymmi's music, describing him as a great figure and an angel. The singer emphasizes their personal connection with Caymmi, stating that they knew him well and appreciated his immense wisdom and angelic nature.
The song also mentions an article the singer read when Caymmi died, which highlighted his importance as the fundamental composer of necessary Brazilian music. This phrase reflects Caymmi's significant contribution to Brazilian music, recognizing his influence and impact on the country's cultural heritage.
The second part of the song is a love letter to Marina, where the singer addresses their grievances and frustrations in the relationship. They express their affection for Marina's natural beauty and plea for her to not change it. The singer acknowledges their inability to forgive easily when angry but also admits to having forgiven many things before. However, they express frustration and a desire to distance themselves from Marina, declaring they are upset with her.
Line by Line Meaning
Dorival Caymmi, morreu
Dorival Caymmi, a great figure, an angel, passed away
Essa grande figura, esse anjo
He was an enormous wisdom, a truly angelic being
Eu conheci muito bem o Dorival Caymmi
I had the privilege of knowing Dorival Caymmi very well
Uma sabedoria enorme
He had vast wisdom
Uma coisa angelical mesmo
He truly had an angelic nature
Eu li uma matéria logo que ele faleceu
I read an article right after he passed away
Tinha uma frase muito bonita e muito justa
There was a beautiful and very fair phrase
Falava que ele era o compositor fundamental
It said he was the fundamental composer
Das musicas necessárias do Brasil
Of the necessary songs for Brazil
Marina, morena
Marina, a brunette
Marina, você se pintou
Marina, you changed your appearance
Marina, você faça tudo
Marina, you can do anything
Mas faça um favor
But do me a favor
Não pinte esse rosto que eu gosto
Don't change that face I love
Que eu gosto e é só meu
That I love and is only mine
Marina, você já é bonita
Marina, you are already beautiful
Com o que deus lhe deu
With what God has given you
Já me aborreci, me zanguei
I am annoyed, I am angry
Já não posso falar
I can no longer speak
E quando eu me zango, Marina
And when I get angry, Marina
Eu não sei perdoar
I don't know how to forgive
Eu já desculpei tanta coisa
I have forgiven so many things
Você não arranjava outra igual
You would not find another like me
Desculpe, Marina, morena
Sorry, Marina, my brunette
Mas eu estou de mal
But I am upset
De mal com você
Upset with you
O samba da minha terra deixa a gente mole
The samba from my homeland makes us weak
Quando se canta todo mundo bole
When people sing, everyone dances
Quem não gosta do samba bom sujeito não é
If someone does not like samba, they are not a good person
Ou é ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé
Either they are crazy or have bad feet
Eu nasci com o samba no samba me criei
I was born with samba and it raised me
E do danado do samba nunca me separei
And I never separated from the damn samba
Ai, que saudade eu tenho da Bahia
Oh, how I miss Bahia
Ai, se eu escutasse o que mamãe dizia
Oh, if only I had listened to what my mother said
Bem, não vá deixar a sua mãe aflita
Well, don't leave your mother distressed
A gente faz o que o coração dita
We do what our hearts command
Mas esse mundo é feito de maldade e ilusão
But this world is made of cruelty and illusion
Ai, se eu escutasse hoje eu não sofria
Oh, if only I had listened today, I wouldn't suffer
Ai, esta saudade dentro do meu peito
Oh, this longing in my heart
E se ter saudade é ter algum defeito
And if having longing is to have a flaw
Eu pelo menos, mereço o direito
At least I deserve the right
De ter alguém com quem eu possa me confessar
To have someone to confess to
Ponha-se no meu lugar
Put yourself in my shoes
E veja como sofre um homem infeliz
And see how an unhappy man suffers
Que teve que desabafar
Who had to vent
Dizendo a todo mundo o que ninguém diz
Saying to everyone what no one says
Vejam que situação
Look at this situation
E veja como sofre um pobre coração
And see how a poor heart suffers
Pobre de quem acredita
Pity those who believe
Na glória e no dinheiro para ser feliz
That glory and money are necessary for happiness
Lyrics © Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorival Sen Caymmi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind