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.
Vera Cruz
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mas onde já nem sei
Em Vera me larguei
E deito nesta dor
Meu corpo sem lugar
Ah, quisera esquecer
A moça que se foi
É o pranto que ficou
Do norte que sonhei
Das coisas do lugar
Dos mimos me larguei
Correndo sem parar
Buscar Vera Cruz
Nos campos e no mar
Mas ela se soltou
No norte se perdeu
Se ela em outra mansidão
Um dia ancorar
E ao vento me esquecer
Ao vento me amarrei
E nele vou partir
Atrás de Vera Cruz
Ah, quisera encontrar
A moça que se foi
Do lar de Vera Cruz
E o pranto que ficou
Do norte que perdi
Das coisas do lugar
The lyrics of "Vera Cruz" by MPB-4 tell a story of loss, longing, and a search for something or someone that is no longer present. The singer expresses their pain and confusion, stating that they lost someone or something in Vera Cruz, a place that holds significance to them. They feel lost and displaced, with no place to call their own and a desire to forget this pain.
The mention of "moça que se foi" (the girl who left) refers to a person who has departed from their lives. This girl represents the essence of Vera Cruz, the place they long for. The singer laments her absence and the tears that remain as a reminder of the dreams and aspirations they had in this northern land.
They express their need to escape this pain and start a journey to search for Vera Cruz. The mention of running endlessly, searching in fields and seas, suggests a desperate attempt to find what has been lost. However, they admit that she has already been lost in the north, implying that the chances of finding her are slim. The lyrics end with a plea to find this girl and the tears of longing for the north and the things that were left behind.
Overall, "Vera Cruz" portrays a sense of nostalgia, longing, and a desire to find something that is no longer within reach. It reflects the feelings of loss and displacement that can occur when one's dreams and connections are severed.
Line by Line Meaning
Hoje foi que a perdi
Today was when I lost her
Mas onde já nem sei
But where, I do not even know anymore
Em Vera me larguei
In Vera, I let go
E deito nesta dor
And lie in this pain
Meu corpo sem lugar
My body without a place
Ah, quisera esquecer
Oh, I wish I could forget
A moça que se foi
The girl who went away
De nossa Vera Cruz
From our Vera Cruz
É o pranto que ficou
It is the crying that remained
Do norte que sonhei
Of the north that I dreamed
Das coisas do lugar
Of the things from that place
Dos mimos me larguei
From the affections, I let go
Correndo sem parar
Running without stopping
Buscar Vera Cruz
To search for Vera Cruz
Nos campos e no mar
In the fields and in the sea
Mas ela se soltou
But she set herself free
No norte se perdeu
In the north, she got lost
Se ela em outra mansidão
If she, in another tranquility
Um dia ancorar
One day, to anchor
E ao vento me esquecer
And to forget me in the wind
Ao vento me amarrei
I tied myself to the wind
E nele vou partir
And in it, I will depart
Atrás de Vera Cruz
In pursuit of Vera Cruz
Ah, quisera encontrar
Oh, I wish I could find
A moça que se foi
The girl who went away
Do lar de Vera Cruz
From the home of Vera Cruz
E o pranto que ficou
And the crying that remained
Do norte que perdi
Of the north that I lost
Das coisas do lugar
Of the things from that place
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marcio Hilton Fragoso Borges, Milton Silva Campos Do Nascimento
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joao Arminio
Performance perfeita.
Joao Arminio
VERA CRUZ
Milton Nascimento e Márcio Borges
Hoje foi que a perdi
Mas onde já nem sei
Me levo para o mar
Em Vera me larguei
E deito nessa dor
Meu corpo sem lugar
Ah! Quisera esquecer
A moça que se foi
De nossa Vera Cruz
E o pranto que ficou
Da morte que sonhei
Nas coisas de um olhar
Ah! nos rios me larguei
Correndo sem parar
Buscava Vera Cruz
Nos campos e no mar
Mas ela se soltou
No longe se perdeu
Quero em outra mansidão
Um dia ancorar
E aos ventos me esquecer
Que ao vento me amarrei
E nele vou partir
Atrás de Vera Cruz
Ah! Quisera encontrar
A moça que se foi
No mar de Vera Cruz
E o pranto que ficou
Do norte que perdi
Nas coisas de um olhar
(Colaboração enviada por Paulo Peres – site Poemas & Canções)