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.
Guerra No Mar
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eu tenho em mim.
Eu tenho em mim a Felicidade
Eu tenho em mim.
E a mentira é uma tola verdade
Eu tenho em mim.
Se tenho o não e o sim
Eu tenho em mim a Felicidade
Eu tenho em mim.
Você pode me bater
Ai, Ai, Ai
E até me provocar
Ai, ai, ai
Mas não manche as minhas águas
E se rouba a minha terra
É guerra no mar, é guerra
Guerreira, guerra é guerra no mar
Se eu não ganho nessa, eu perco
Mas na outra eu vou ganhar.
É guerra no mar.
É guerra no mar, é guerra
Guerreira, guerra é guerra no mar
Se você me der eu como
Não lhe deixo no penar
É guerra no mar.
É guerra no mar, é guerra
Guerreira, guerra é guerra no mar
É guerra no Mar hoje, Amor
É guerra no mar
É guerra no Mar hoje, Amor
É guerra no mar
The lyrics of Maria Bethânia's song Guerra No Mar express the idea of an inner strength that allows the person to be happy despite facing adversity. The repetition of the phrase "Eu tenho em mim a Felicidade" ("I have Happiness inside of me") emphasizes the importance of this internal source of joy, which cannot be taken away even by external actions of aggression or theft. The second verse introduces the concept of duality, with the singer acknowledging their ability to feel both pleasure and pain, saying "Se tenho o dom da delícia/ Se tenho o não e o sim" ("If I have the gift of delight/ If I have both yes and no within me").
The second stanza shifts to a more confrontational tone, where the singer warns that if their waters are stained or their land is stolen, there will be war at sea. The repetition of "guerra no mar" ("war at sea") highlights the seriousness of the threat. However, this fight is one that the singer is willing to engage in, stating that even if they lose one battle, they will win the next. The final repetition of "é guerra no mar hoje, Amor" ("it's war at sea today, my love") adds a touch of ambiguity to the song, leaving open the possibility that the confrontation is not only an external one, but also an internal one, a battle with oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu tenho em mim a Felicidade
I have happiness within me
Eu tenho em mim.
I have it in myself
E a mentira é uma tola verdade
And lies are foolish truths
Se tenho o dom da delícia
If I have the gift of delight
Se tenho o não e o sim
If I have both yes and no
Você pode me bater
You can hit me
Ai, Ai, Ai
Oh, oh, oh
E até me provocar
And even provoke me
Mas não manche as minhas águas
But don't stain my waters
E se rouba a minha terra
And if you steal my land
É guerra no mar, é guerra
It's war on the sea, it's war
Guerreira, guerra é guerra no mar
Warrior, war is war on the sea
Se eu não ganho nessa, eu perco
If I don't win this one, I lose
Mas na outra eu vou ganhar.
But in the next one I'll win.
É guerra no mar.
It's war on the sea.
Se você me der eu como
If you give me, I'll eat it
Não lhe deixo no penar
I won't leave you in pain
É guerra no Mar hoje, Amor
It's war on the sea today, my love
É guerra no mar
It's war on the sea.
Contributed by Hudson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mauricio Cardim Fotógrafo
Outra grande cantora e ótima música.