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.
Volta Por Cima
Maria Bethânia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eu torno-me sempre, mais tarde ou mais cedo,
Aquilo com quem simpatizo, seja uma pedra ou uma ânsia,
Seja uma flor ou uma idéia abstrata,
Seja uma multidão ou um modo de compreender Deus.
E eu simpatizo com tudo, vivo de tudo em tudo.
E são-me simpáticos os homens inferiores porque são superiores também,
Porque ser inferior é diferente de ser superior,
E por isso é uma superioridade a certos momentos de visão.
Simpatizo com alguns homens pelas suas qualidades de caráter,
E simpatizo com outros pela sua falta dessas qualidades,
E com outros ainda simpatizo por simpatizar com eles,
E há momentos absolutamente orgânicos em que esses são todos os homens.
Sim, como sou rei
Como sou rei absoluto na minha simpatia,
Basta que ela exista para que tenha razão de ser.
Chorei, não procurei esconder
Todos viram, fingiram
Pena de mim, não precisava
Ali onde eu chorei
Qualquer um chorava
Dar a volta por cima que eu dei
Quero ver quem dava
Um homem de moral não fica no chão
Nem quer que mulher
Venha lhe dar a mão
Reconhece a queda e não desanima
Levanta, sacode a poeira
E dá a volta por cima
The lyrics to Maria Bethânia's song Volta Por Cima express the idea of sympathy and the power it has in shaping our lives. The singer reflects on how she becomes what she sympathizes with, whether it be an object, an idea, or a group of people. She emphasizes that she sympathizes with everything and lives through everything, from superior to inferior beings, from those with good character to those without, and even with those she simply sympathizes with for no apparent reason. She sees herself as the absolute king of sympathy, which gives her a reason to exist.
The second part of the song is about resilience and the ability to overcome difficult situations. The singer talks about a moment of weakness in which she cried in front of others, and how everyone saw it, but only pretended not to. She emphasizes that she didn't need anyone's pity, and that anyone in that situation would have also cried. She then talks about how a person with morals doesn't stay down after falling, nor does he want a woman to help him get up. Rather, he recognizes the fall, doesn't lose hope, and bounces back stronger. The singer uses the metaphor of shaking off the dust and giving the situation a turnaround, portraying a message of strength against adversity.
Overall, Volta Por Cima talks about the power of empathy and resilience, inspiring listeners to seek comfort in their own sympathy and never give up, no matter the obstacle.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu quero ser sempre aquilo com quem simpatizo,
I aspire to always become the person I like and admire.
Eu torno-me sempre, mais tarde ou mais cedo,
Eventually, I always become like the people I admire.
Aquilo com quem simpatizo, seja uma pedra ou uma ânsia,
The people I admire can be things as solid as a rock or as intangible as a longing.
Seja uma flor ou uma idéia abstrata,
I am drawn to people as delicate as a flower or ideas as abstract as a concept.
Seja uma multidão ou um modo de compreender Deus.
Whether it's a crowd or a way of understanding God, I can find something and someone to admire.
E eu simpatizo com tudo, vivo de tudo em tudo.
I have a sympathetic heart and can find something to admire in everything and everyone I come across.
São-me simpáticos os homens superiores porque são superiores,
I am attracted to superior men because of their superior qualities and abilities.
E são-me simpáticos os homens inferiores porque são superiores também,
I am also drawn to inferior men because of their unique qualities that may be superior in certain contexts.
Porque ser inferior é diferente de ser superior,
Being inferior is not necessarily a flaw, it's simply a different state of being compared to being superior.
E por isso é uma superioridade a certos momentos de visão.
This different state of being can have its own advantages, depending on the perspective and context.
Simpatizo com alguns homens pelas suas qualidades de caráter,
I am attracted to some men for their admirable character qualities.
E simpatizo com outros pela sua falta dessas qualidades,
I am also attracted to other men for the qualities they lack, perhaps because their personality is refreshing or unique in some way.
E com outros ainda simpatizo por simpatizar com eles,
I may simply have a natural attraction to some men simply because I do, without any specific reason or specific quality to highlight.
E há momentos absolutamente orgânicos em que esses são todos os homens.
Sometimes, in a completely natural and organic way, I am drawn to all men, regardless of their specific qualities.
Sim, como sou rei
Yes, I am like a king in my ability to sympathize with and admire others.
Como sou rei absoluto na minha simpatia,
My ability to admire others is absolute, and I can always find something to admire in anyone or anything.
Basta que ela exista para que tenha razão de ser.
The mere existence of someone or something is enough to give me a reason to admire them.
Chorei, não procurei esconder
I cried and didn't try to hide it.
Todos viram, fingiram
Everyone saw it, but pretended not to.
Pena de mim, não precisava
They felt sorry for me, but I didn't need their pity.
Ali onde eu chorei
Where I cried.
Qualquer um chorava
Anyone would have cried in that situation.
Dar a volta por cima que eu dei
To overcome that situation like I did.
Quero ver quem dava
I would like to see who else could have done it.
Um homem de moral não fica no chão
A person with moral values doesn't stay on the ground.
Nem quer que mulher
And doesn't want a woman
Venha lhe dar a mão
To come and give him a hand.
Reconhece a queda e não desanima
He acknowledges the fall but doesn't lose heart.
Levanta, sacode a poeira
He picks himself up, dusts himself off
E dá a volta por cima
And gets back on top
Contributed by Lily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Genino Samuddio
Chorei, não procurei esconder...
Todos viram, fingiram!
Pena de mim, não precisava!
Ali onde eu chorei
Qualquer um chorava
Dar a volta por cima que eu dei
Quero ver quem dava....
Um homem de moral não fica no chão
Nem quer que mulher
Venha lhe dar a mão
Reconhece a queda e não desanima
Levanta, sacode a poeira
E dá a volta por cima
Marcelo Henkin
que insanidade esse instrumental, tá louco. quando entra tudo aos 0:39 principalmente, foda demais
Rodrigo Freire
Esse contrabaixo é top demais!
Diogo Severo
maior voz feminina brasileira que se encontra viva: maria bethânia. maior voz masculina brasileira que se encontra viva (empate): milton nascimento e ney matogrosso.
Dj Rossy Garopaba
Maravilhosa produção, junção perfeita entre vocal e instrumental!
Natalia Carvalho
Etaaaaa! Essa aí tem dendê na garganta ... voz mágica! Amoooo 😍😍😍
Matheus Cardoso
Não é à toa que paulo vanzollini é influência do kiko dinucci & cia. Olha esse espetáculo!
Genino Samuddio
Chorei, não procurei esconder...
Todos viram, fingiram!
Pena de mim, não precisava!
Ali onde eu chorei
Qualquer um chorava
Dar a volta por cima que eu dei
Quero ver quem dava....
Um homem de moral não fica no chão
Nem quer que mulher
Venha lhe dar a mão
Reconhece a queda e não desanima
Levanta, sacode a poeira
E dá a volta por cima
Wanderley Orias Rocha
ESSA MÚSICA TEM ENDEREÇO CERTO !!!
Wanderley Orias Rocha
ESSA MÚSICA TEM ENDEREÇO CERTO !!!
Nathalia Machado Moutinho
Eu sou apaixonada nesse baixo