Sister of the also popular and renowned singer and composer Caetano Veloso, she began her artistic career in 1963, appearing in the play "Boca de Ouro" by Nelson Rodrigues. A song about the play was written by Caetano Veloso, who opened the show singing a samba track by Ataulfo Alves. That year she met Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Zé, Djalma Correa, Pitti, Alcivando Luz and Fernando Lona in Salvador, with whom she performed at the commemorations inaugurating the Vila Velha de Salvador theatre in 1964 in the shows "Nós por exemplo" and "Nova bossa velha, velha bossa nova". In 1964 she also appeared in "Mora na Filosofia", her first solo show, when she met Nara Leão. As 1965 she replaced the muse of bossa nova in the show at Teatro Opinião (Rio de Janeiro), sharing the stage with Zé Kéti and João do Vale. She stood out for her stirring interpretation of the song "Carcará". In 1965 she also recorded her first record, a single containing the tracks "Carcará" and "É de manhã", the first recording of Caetano Veloso’s composition. That same year she released a double single with the songs "Carcará", "No carnaval", "Mora na filosofia" and "Só eu sei", followed by her debut album "Maria Bethânia" and the record "Maria Bethânia canta Noel Rosa". That year she also performed in the show Arena canta Bahia, directed by Augusto Boal, alongside Gal, Gil, Caetano, Pitti and Tom Zé. Also under the direction of Boal, the same group performed the show Tempo de Guerra. In 1996 she shared the stage of Teatro Opinião with Vinícius de Moraes and Gilberto Gil, presenting the show "Pois é". In 1967 she released the album "Edu & Bethânia" with Edu Lobo. She appeared in the shows "Yes, nós temos Maria Bethânia" (Bolso theatre, Rio de Janeiro) and "Comigo me desavim" (Miguel Lemos theatre, Rio de Janeiro) and "Brasileiro profissão esperança", by Paulo Pontes, directed by Bibi Ferreira, at the Casa Grande theatre (Rio de Janeiro). In 1971 she recorded the album "A tua presença", which was praised by the select critics. In 1971 the show "Rosa dos ventos" premiered at Teatro da Praia (Rio de Janeiro), directed by Fauzi Arap and she released the album of the same name. In 1972 she appeared alongside Chico Buarque and Nara Leão in the film "Quando o carnaval chegar" by Cacá Diegues. After another trip to Europe, she launched the album "Drama - anjo exterminado" also that year. In 1973 the show Drama, luz da noite premiered at Teatro da Praia, directed by Antônio Bivar and Isabel Câmara, from which arose the record "Luz da noite". The following year she commemorated ten years in the music business with the show "A cena muda", directed by Fauzi Arap, at the Casa Grande Theatre (Rio de Janeiro). The show led to a live record of the same name. In 1975 she performed a lengthy season with Chico Buarque at the Canecão (Rio de Janeiro). In 1976 she recorded the album "Pássaro proibido" which earned her first gold record. Also that year she got together with Caetano, Gil and Gal, forming the group Os Doces Bárbaros. In 1977 she released the album "Pássaro da manhã", for which she received the second gold record of her career. That year she was considered one of the bestselling singers in Brazil, which opened new doors in the record industry. In 1978 she starred in the show "Maria Bethânia e Caetano Veloso ao vivo" alongside her brother. Also that year the album "Álibi" was released, which earned her third gold disk. In 1979 she recorded the album "Mel". She released a series of records in the following decades: "Alteza" (81), "Maria" (88), "Memória da pele" (89), "Olho d’água" (92), "As canções que você fez pra mim" (93), only recording records by Roberto and Erasmo Carlos Âmbar (96), "Imitação da vida" (97) and "A força que nunca seca" (99). In 1994 she performed alongside Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil, in the show "Doces Bárbaros na Mangueira", reference to the tribute made to them by this samba school, with the theme "Atrás da verde e rosa só não vai quem já morreu". In 2000, she recorded limited-edition album "Cânticos, preces, súplicas à Senhora dos Jardins do Céu". In 2001, she recorded the album "Maricotinha", containing the tracks "Moça do sonho" (Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque), from the musical "Cambaio, Primavera" (Carlos Lyra and Vinícius de Moraes), "Quando você não está aqui" (Herbert Vianna and Paulo Sérgio Valle), "Antes que amanheça" (Chico César and Carlos Rennó) and "Se eu morresse de saudade" (Gilberto Gil), among others, in addition to the title track, by Dorival Caymmi. She released the record a special show at the Canecão (Rio de Janeiro). The show included appearances by Caetano Veloso, Carlos Lyra, Chico Buarque, Nana e Danilo Caymmi, Adriana Calcanhoto and Gilberto Gil, among other artists. Also in 2001, in commemoration of her 35 years in the music business, she returned to the Canecão in the show "Maricotinha", which led to the double album "Maricotinha ao vivo". On December 8 that same year, she performed before 100,000 people on Copacabana beach alongside Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa in the show "Doces Bárbaros", which concluded the project Pão Music. In 2003 the show presented in 2001 at the Canecão was released on the DVD "Maricotinha ao vivo", directed by André Horta. In 2003 she was also nominated for the Multishow Award in the categories Best Show and Best Album for "Maricotinha ao vivo". Also that year she created her own label, Quitanda, in partnership with record company Biscoito Fino, inaugurated the company by releasing the album "Brasileirinho", containing songs about religion and Brazil, with guest appearances by Nana Caymmi, Miúcha, Denise Stoklos and Ferreira Gullar, in addition to the groups Tira Poeira and Uakti, and the album "Vozes da Purificação", the first song recorded by Dona Edith do Prato. In 2004 she received the Tim Award in the categories Best Singer, Best Record and best visual MPB project, the Rival BR Award in the category Best Album, and the Academia Brasileira de Letras Award in the category Best Singer, in addition to being nominated for the Latin Grammy. That same year she produced and appeared as a singer alongside other artists on the album "Namorando a Rosa", a tribute record to violinist Rosinha de Valença, released by her Quitanda label. In 2005 she released the album Que falta você me faz, recording works by Vincius de Moraes, in partnership with Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Carlos Lyra, Baden Powell, Toquinho, Adoniran Barbosa and Jards Macalé. That same year she appeared at Canecão (Rio de Janeiro) in the show "Tempo Tempo Tempo Tempo - Uma homenagem a Vinícius de Moraes". In 2005 she also received the Golden Music Dolphin Award from the Rio de Janeiro State Culture Council.
Gema
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na escuridão luz exata vejo você
Divina, ê! Diamantina presença
Na solidão de quem pensa só em você
Esquecer, não... Revelação...
Deixa eu ver pedra-clarão da floresta
Gema do olho da festa, deixa eu saber
Não, nunca desapareça do seu amor
Esquecer, não... Me perder, não...
Estrela, ê, na taça negra da selva
Gota de luz sobre a relva, meu bem-querer
Lua-Sol, ê, centro do meu pensamento
Meu canto dentro do vento busca você
Esquecer, não...
Esconder, não...
Brilhante, ê!
The song "Gema" by Maria Bethânia is a lyrical and romantic ode to a woman who the singer is absolutely infatuated with. The lyrics describe the allure and beauty of this woman, comparing her to a rare gemstone that shines brightly in the darkness of the forest. The singer acknowledges that they cannot forget this woman, that they are consumed by the thought of her and want to know more about every facet of her being.
There are various metaphors used throughout the song to describe the intensity of the singer's feelings. They compare the woman to a diamond, a star, and the moon and sun, all elements that are beautiful, precious, and unattainable. The language is poetic and flowing, creating a sense of depth and emotion that is both beautiful and overwhelming.
Overall, "Gema" is a song about the power of love and the way it can consume and overwhelm us. The woman in the song is portrayed as a rare and mystical creature, someone who is beyond reach but still so alluring that the singer cannot help but be drawn to her.
Line by Line Meaning
Brilhante, ê! De noite dentro da mata
Shining, oh! In the night inside the jungle
Na escuridão luz exata vejo você
In darkness, exact light, I see you
Divina, ê! Diamantina presença
Divine, oh! Diamantine presence
Na solidão de quem pensa só em você
In solitude, of who only thinks about you
Esquecer, não... Revelação...
Forget, no...Revelation...
Deixa eu ver pedra-clarão da floresta
Let me see the bright rock in the forest
Gema do olho da festa, deixa eu saber
Gem of the party's eye, let me know
Meu amor, dona da minha cabeça
My love, owner of my mind
Não, nunca desapareça do seu amor
No, never disappear from your love
Esquecer, não... Me perder, não...
Forget, No... Lose myself, no...
Estrela, ê, na taça negra da selva
Star, oh, in the black chalice of the jungle
Gota de luz sobre a relva, meu bem-querer
Drop of light on the grass, my beloved
Lua-Sol, ê, centro do meu pensamento
Moon-Sun, oh, center of my thoughts
Meu canto dentro do vento busca você
My song in the wind seeks for you
Esquecer, não...
Forget, no...
Esconder, não...
Hide, no...
Brilhante, ê!
Shining, oh!
Contributed by Lauren H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thescon Bertolotti
Achei foooooda a entrada, a música, o figurino, o tom de voz, como ela sustenta as notas...
Bárbara Oliveira
Não me canso de ver, essa entrada, esse brilho e essa voz. INIGUALÁVEL
Thescon Bertolotti
Sempre me pego assistindo a esse vídeo. Ela arrasa muuito. Sei que com o tempo, a idade, pode limitar seus movimentos, pode deixa-la lenta, mas ainda fico chocado que com 56 anos de carreira, a voz ainda está forte.
Carlos Cabezas
Que maravillosa voz de esta mujer. Increíble
Rodrigo Paiva
Essa entrada..🤗☺🤩
Ela relembrar esta canção 😍😊, que por falar nisso, é a que abre meu show predileto:" Diamante verdadeiro."
CANAL DO BRUNO MOCHILEIRO
Cantora de vdd essa .
Orgulho de ter esses talentos no nosso país.
Juarez Cerqueira
Sempre com postura profissional ,orgulho ter essa cantora brasileira
Thescon Bertolotti
Alguém em setembro de 2021 assistindo a essa entrada?
Ela começa Diamante verdadeiro com essa música tb. Me arrepio.
Incrível que décadas depois ela canta com o mesmo poder, notas, a cor da voz mudou, mas o timbre e tom estão presentes
Rafael Reis Gonçalo
estava ouvindo o diamante verdadeiro ontem e observei o mesmo, é impressionante como o tempo só consolidou a voz dela
Sun the moon and the truth
Eu estava nesse dia, amo essa abertura