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.
Pra Que Mentir
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nas rondas da maravilha
Cortando a faca e facão
Os desatinos da vida
Gritando para assustar
A coragem da inimiga
Pulando pra não ser preso
Pelas cadeias da intriga
A vida como inimiga
A ter na morte da vida
Minha sorte decidida
Sou viramundo virado
Pelo mundo do sertão
Mas inda viro este mundo
Em festa, trabalho e pão
Virado será o mundo
E viramundo verão
O virador deste mundo
Astuto, mau e ladrão
Ser virado pelo mundo
Que virou com certidão
Ainda viro este mundo
Em festa, trabalho e pão
In "Viramundo," Maria Bethânia sings about being a wanderer or a traveler who mainly lives a nomadic life. She describes being turned upside down by the wonders of the world and using knives and machete to slice through the absurdities of life. She screams to intimidate her enemies and leaps to avoid being trapped in the chains of intrigue. Bethânia believes that in life, it is better to have it as an adversary than to have fate decided at death. She is determined to continue living as a wanderer for the rest of her life.
The chorus of the song translates to "I am a turned-world wanderer, cutting through the wonderlands, shouting to scare away my enemy's courage, jumping so as not to be caught up in the chains of intrigue." Bethânia's lyrics convey a deep sense of resilience, a refusal to be held down by societal norms, and the courage to reject tradition and embrace one's uniqueness. She is urging her listeners to embrace the concept of the wanderer, to appreciate the unique perspective it provides and the freedom that it brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Sou viramundo virado
I am a wanderer turned, transformed by the marvels of life, traveling through the ups and downs of existence.
Nas rondas da maravilha
In the rounds of wonder, I search for meaning and purpose.
Cortando a faca e facão
With a knife and machete, I cut through the craziness of life.
Os desatinos da vida
The madness and chaos of life that I must navigate.
Gritando para assustar
I shout to intimidate my enemies, to show them my courage.
A coragem da inimiga
The bravery of my foes, who challenge me in battles.
Pulando pra não ser preso
I jump, to avoid getting trapped in gossip and lies.
Pelas cadeias da intriga
The chains of jealousy and intrigue that bind me to negativity and drama.
Prefiro ter toda a vida
I would rather have my entire life as an enemy, to face it with strength and resilience.
A vida como inimiga
I see life itself as an opponent and partner, to be tackled with wisdom and love.
A ter na morte da vida
I prefer to face life as a foe, rather than surrendering to death or giving up on my dreams.
Minha sorte decidida
My destiny is already determined, and I am ready to face it with courage and passion.
Sou viramundo virado
I am a wanderer, an explorer on this journey called life, always adapting to the changing landscapes of the world.
Pelo mundo do sertão
I travel through the vast countryside, exploring the mysteries and wonders of the world.
Mas inda viro este mundo
I can still turn this world around, through celebration, hard work, and nourishment.
Em festa, trabalho e pão
Through joy, diligence, and sustenance, I can transform the world and make it a better place for all.
Virado será o mundo
The world will turn, spin and evolve, and we must be ready to adapt and change with it.
E viramundo verão
And the world will see that I am a true wanderer, a traveler, and a seeker of truth.
O virador deste mundo
The one who turns, swirls, and reinvents this world, always with intelligence, cunning, and honesty.
Astuto, mau e ladrão
Cunning, wicked and thieving, the traits of the one who changes the course of history, the one who defies the norms and conventions.
Ser virado pelo mundo
To be turned, transformed, and molded by the world, to become one with the universe and its mysteries.
Que virou com certidão
The world that spins, twists, and turns as a natural phenomenon, as a fact of life that we must accept and embrace.
Ainda viro este mundo
I can still turn this world around, with my passion, my skills, and my desire to create a better future.
Em festa, trabalho e pão
Through joy, diligence, and sustenance, I can transform the world and make it a better place for all.
Contributed by Katherine F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.