Maria Rita began to sing professionally aged 24, even though she began to sing since she was 14. Her first CD, 'Maria Rita', launched her career, with the first cut on her first album, "A Festa (The Party)", written by Milton Nascimento, a Brazilian singer-songwriter. The CD was platinum and was a hit worldwide. After that album she became an international star. Her mother's career as a renowned singer had a major influence in Maria Rita's life as a singer; She was always conscious of being the single daughter of a great singer. Despite having her mother's vocal DNA, Maria Rita developed her own jazzy vocal style, influenced by singers, like among others, Ella Fitzgerald. She won the 2004 Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist in the General Area. Her debut album, 'Maria Rita', won the Best MPB (Popular Brasilian Music) Album award of that year. Rita is pronounced "HEE-taaa".
O Bêbado E A Equilibrista
Maria Rita Lyrics
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E um bêbado trajando luto
Me lembrou Carlitos...
A lua
Tal qual a dona de um bordel
Pedia a cada estrela fria
Um brilho de aluguel
E nuvens!
Lá no mata-borrão do céu
Chupavam manchas torturadas
Que sufoco!
Louco!
O bêbado com chapéu-coco
Fazia irreverências mil
Prá noite do Brasil.
Meu Brasil!...
Que sonha com a volta
Do irmão do Henfil.
Com tanta gente que partiu
Num rabo de foguete
Chora!
A nossa Pátria
Mãe gentil
Choram Marias
E Clarisses
No solo do Brasil...
Mas sei (ah eu sei!) que uma dor
Assim pungente
Não há de ser inutilmente
A esperança...
Dança na corda bamba
De sombrinha
E em cada passo
Dessa linha
Pode se machucar...
Azar!
A esperança equilibrista
Sabe que o show
De todo artista
Tem que continuar...
The lyrics of O Bêbado E A Equilibrista by Maria Rita are a deep commentary on the state of Brazil in the 70s. The song starts with a description of a drunk man in mourning clothes who reminded the singer of Charlie Chaplin. The comparison to Chaplin is significant as he was known for being an outsider who made his way in the world with humor and perseverance. The rest of the lyrics describe the current state of Brazil, with the moon likened to the owner of a brothel asking for stars to shine for her, and the clouds resembling blotches in the sky. The drunk man's antics are a symbol of the irreverence and humor that Brazilians used to cope with the oppressive political atmosphere of the time.
The Brazilian people are depicted as a family, with the dream of the return of the beloved political cartoonist Henfil's brother. The song then shifts to mourning for those who have left Brazil like Marias and Clarisses, possibly alluding to the large number of skilled workers who emigrated during the military dictatorship. However, the lyrics conclude with a message of hope for the future of the country. While acknowledging the pain of living on the edge, the lyrics celebrate those who can balance the precariousness of life with a lightness of being. The equilibrist, in this context, represents the hope that things will become better for Brazil.
Line by Line Meaning
Caía a tarde feito um viaduto
The afternoon was falling like a bridge
E um bêbado trajando luto
And a drunk man dressed in mourning clothes
Me lembrou Carlitos...
Reminded me of Charlie Chaplin...
A lua
The moon
Tal qual a dona de um bordel
Just like a brothel's owner
Pedia a cada estrela fria
Asked every cold star
Um brilho de aluguel
For a rented shine
E nuvens!
And clouds!
Lá no mata-borrão do céu
There in the ink blot of the sky
Chupavam manchas torturadas
They sucked in tortured spots
Que sufoco!
What a suffocation!
Louco!
Crazy!
O bêbado com chapéu-coco
The drunkard with a top hat
Fazia irreverências mil
Made a thousand irreverences
Prá noite do Brasil.
For the night of Brazil.
Meu Brasil!...
My Brazil!...
Que sonha com a volta
That dreams of the return
Do irmão do Henfil.
Of Henfil's brother.
Com tanta gente que partiu
With so many people who left
Num rabo de foguete
In a blaze of glory
Chora!
Cry!
A nossa Pátria
Our motherland
Mãe gentil
Gentle mother
Choram Marias
Mariass are crying
E Clarisses
And Clarissas
No solo do Brasil...
On the ground of Brazil...
Mas sei (ah eu sei!) que uma dor
But I know (oh, I know!) that a pain
Assim pungente
So poignant
Não há de ser inutilmente
Won't be in vain
A esperança...
The hope...
Dança na corda bamba
Dances on the tightrope
De sombrinha
With an umbrella
E em cada passo
And with each step
Dessa linha
On this line
Pode se machucar...
Could get hurt...
Azar!
Bad luck!
A esperança equilibrista
The balancing hope
Sabe que o show
Knows that the show
De todo artista
Of every artist
Tem que continuar...
Must go on...
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.