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.
Molambo
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que é tudo mentira, que não pode ser
Que depois de tudo o que ele me fez
Eu jamais poderia aceitá-lo outra vez
Eu sei que assim procedendo
Me exponho ao desprezo de todos vocês
Lamento, mas fiquem sabendo
Que ele voltou e comigo ficou
A tremenda saudade que não me deixou
Que não me deu sossego um momento sequer
Desde o dia em que ele me abandonou
Voltou pra impedir que a loucura
Fizesse de mim um molambo qualquer
Ficou dessa vez para sempre
Se Deus quiser
The lyrics of Maria Bethânia's song "Molambo" tell the story of a woman who has taken back her partner after he left her. She knows that others will judge her for taking him back, and believes that everyone will think she is lying when she says that he has returned. Despite the fact that he hurt her deeply, she has decided to forgive him and let him back into her life. She acknowledges that this decision may cause others to have contempt for her, but she is willing to accept their disdain. She explains that he came back to kill the intense longing that had taken over her since he left, and to prevent her from becoming a broken and forgotten "molambo" (meaning "rag," or "tatter").
The singer describes how her partner's return has finally given her peace, allowing her to move on from her heartbreak. She is confident in her decision to take him back, stating that he has come back to her for good. The lyrics reflect a complicated relationship that is more than what meets the eye, full of contradictions and emotions that are difficult to explain.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu sei que vocês vão dizer
I'm aware that you will say
Que é tudo mentira, que não pode ser
That it's all a lie, and it can't be
Que depois de tudo o que ele me fez
That after everything he did to me
Eu jamais poderia aceitá-lo outra vez
I could never accept him again
Eu sei que assim procedendo
I know that by doing so
Me exponho ao desprezo de todos vocês
I expose myself to all of your contempt
Lamento, mas fiquem sabendo
I regret it, but know this
Que ele voltou e comigo ficou
He came back and stayed by my side
Voltou pra matar a saudade
He came back to ease the longing
A tremenda saudade que não me deixou
The immense longing that didn't let me go
Que não me deu sossego um momento sequer
That never gave me peace for even a moment
Desde o dia em que ele me abandonou
Since the day he left me
Voltou pra impedir que a loucura
He came back to stop the madness
Fizesse de mim um molambo qualquer
From turning me into a complete mess
Ficou dessa vez para sempre
This time, he stayed forever
Se Deus quiser
God willing
Contributed by Sophie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Johnny John
Madlib such a genius. Only hip hop in its purest form can introduce you to such beautiful worldwide music.
El Bananito Amarillo
This song is a classic of Brazilian popular music. Maria Bethânia is one of the most talented women our music has ever had. Madlib was in Brazil looking for inspiration to produce Madvillainy and used several samples of Brazilian music, especially from the Tropicalismo movement. For me who am Brazilian and a regular listener of rap and a big fan of MF DOOM, Madvillainy is very special. RIP DOOM!
Fernando Ferro
Um registro ao vivo, talvez o primeiro, da nossa maior interprete da MPB!
Nair Moraes
Essa música é linda....Maria Bethânia interpreta ...lindamente...gosto de sua voz marcante e doce...
Poeta das Calçadas
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Tyler M
hold a cold one like he hold the old gun
boguscat
such a DOOM sample