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.
Só Eu Sei
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Por toda a minha vida, eu vou te amar
Em cada despedida, eu vou te amar
Desesperadamente
Eu sei que vou te amar
E cada verso meu será
Pra te dizer
Por toda a minha vida
Eu sei que vou chorar
A cada ausência tua, eu vou chorar
Mas cada volta tua há de apagar
O que esta tua ausência me causou
Eu sei que vou sofrer
A eterna desventura de viver
À espera de viver ao lado teu
Por toda a minha vida
Vinicius de Moraes
São demais os perigos desta vida
Para quem tem paixão, principalmente
Quando uma lua surge de repente
E se deixa no céu, como esquecida
E se ao luar que atua desvairado
Vem se unir uma música qualquer
Aí então é preciso ter cuidado
Porque deve andar perto uma mulher
Deve andar perto uma mulher que é feita
De música, luar e sentimento
E que a vida não quer, de tão perfeita
Uma mulher que é como a própria Lua
Tão linda que só espalha sofrimento
Tão cheia de pudor que vive nua
The song "Só Eu Sei" by Maria Bethania is a cover of a song originally written by Vinicius de Moraes. The lyrics express an intense love for someone, declaring that the singer will love the person for their entire life, even during the hard times like saying goodbye or enduring absences. While the singer acknowledges that they will cry and suffer during these times, they are willing to bear it because they believe their love will ultimately overcome any obstacles. The lyrics also convey a sense of uncertainty and anxiety, hinting at the danger of being vulnerable in love. In the final stanza, the song's author suggests that a woman who embodies the beauty of the moon, music, and emotion might pose the greatest danger to someone with a passionate heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu sei que vou te amar
I know I'll love you
Por toda a minha vida, eu vou te amar
For my entire life, I'll love you
Em cada despedida, eu vou te amar
At every parting, I'll love you
Desesperadamente
Desperately
E cada verso meu será
And every verse of mine will be
Pra te dizer
To tell you
Que eu sei que vou te amar
That I know I'll love you
Por toda a minha vida
For my entire life
Eu sei que vou chorar
I know I'll cry
A cada ausência tua, eu vou chorar
With every absence of yours, I'll cry
Mas cada volta tua há de apagar
But every return of yours will erase
O que esta tua ausência me causou
What your absence caused me
Eu sei que vou sofrer
I know I'll suffer
A eterna desventura de viver
The eternal misfortune of living
À espera de viver ao lado teu
Waiting to live by your side
Por toda a minha vida
For my entire life
São demais os perigos desta vida
The dangers of this life are too many
Para quem tem paixão, principalmente
Especially for those who have passion
Quando uma lua surge de repente
When a moon suddenly appears
E se deixa no céu, como esquecida
And leaves in the sky, as if forgotten
E se ao luar que atua desvairado
And if the wild-acting moonlight
Vem se unir uma música qualquer
Joins with any music
Aí então é preciso ter cuidado
Then it's necessary to be careful
Porque deve andar perto uma mulher
Because a woman must be nearby
Deve andar perto uma mulher que é feita
A woman must be nearby who is made
De música, luar e sentimento
Of music, moonlight, and feelings
E que a vida não quer, de tão perfeita
And life doesn't want, because she's too perfect
Uma mulher que é como a própria Lua
A woman who is akin to the moon itself
Tão linda que só espalha sofrimento
So beautiful that she only spreads suffering
Tão cheia de pudor que vive nua
So full of modesty that she lives naked
Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda.
Written by: Tom Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind