She has sold over 10 million albums and won numerous national and international awards, including five Latin Grammy Awards, seven Video Music Brasil, nine Multishow Brazilian Music Awards, five APCA and six TIM Music Awards. Marisa is considered by the American magazine Rolling Stone as the fourth greatest Brazilian singer, behind Elis Regina, Gal Costa and Maria Bethânia. She also has two albums on the list of the 100 best albums in Brazilian music.
In October 2021, Marisa was awarded at the 44th edition of the Tenco Award, for her work as a singer and songwriter, becoming the first Brazilian female artist to receive such an honor.
Panis Et Circenses
Marisa Monte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Laiê! Laiê! Laiê! Laiê
Bom! Bom! Bom
Uhuhuu! Uhuhuu!
Bom! Bom! Bom
Uhuhuu! Uhuhuu!
Eu quis cantar
Soltei os panos
Sobre os mastros no ar
Soltei os tigres
E leões nos quintais
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Mandei fazer
De puro aço luminoso punhal
Para matar o meu amor e matei
Às 5 horas na Avenida Central
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Mandei plantar
Folhas de sonho no jardim do solar
As folhas sabem procurar pelo sol
E as raízes, procurar, procurar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Essas pessoas da sala de jantar
São as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
Essas pessoas da sala de jantar
São as pessoas da sala de jantar
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
The song "Panis Et Circenses" by Marisa Monte and Os Mutantes is a critique of the Brazilian ruling class and their obsession with consumerism and superficiality. The chorus, "Laiê! Laiê! Laiê! Laiê!" is a reference to a Roman slave chant sung during gladiatorial games, emphasizing the idea that the people are being distracted and entertained while the ruling class remains in power.
In the first verse, the singer expresses a desire to share their "song illuminated by the sun," representing their artistic expression and creativity. However, they find that the people in positions of power and privilege are too caught up in their own lives to pay attention.
In the second verse, the singer takes violent action against their own romantic love, using a "purely luminous steel dagger" to kill them. This could be interpreted as a criticism of the violence and cruelty perpetuated by those in power.
In the third and final verse, the singer turns to nature and the beauty of the natural world, planting "dream leaves" in the garden. However, once again, the people in power are too preoccupied with their own lives to pay attention to the natural beauty around them.
Overall, "Panis Et Circenses" is a powerful commentary on the state of Brazilian society and the issues that arise when those in power become too distracted and disconnected from the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Laiê! Laiê! Laiê! Laiê!
Repetitive and meaningless sounds
Bom! Bom! Bom
Repetitive and meaningless sounds
Uhuhuu! Uhuhuu!
Repetitive and meaningless sounds
Eu quis cantar
I wanted to sing
Minha canção iluminada de sol
My song illuminated by the sun
Soltei os panos
I released the cloths
Sobre os mastros no ar
Onto the masts in the air
Soltei os tigres
I released the tigers
E leões nos quintais
And lions in the backyards
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Are occupied with being born and dying
Mandei fazer
I ordered to make
De puro aço luminoso punhal
A pure and shining steel dagger
Para matar o meu amor e matei
To kill my love and I did
Às 5 horas na Avenida Central
At 5 o'clock on Avenida Central
Mandei plantar
I ordered to plant
Folhas de sonho no jardim do solar
Dream leaves in the solar garden
As folhas sabem procurar pelo sol
The leaves know how to seek for the sun
E as raízes, procurar, procurar
And the roots seek, seek
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Essas pessoas da sala de jantar
Those people in the dining room
São as pessoas da sala de jantar
Are the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Are occupied with being born and dying
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
Essas pessoas da sala de jantar
Those people in the dining room
São as pessoas da sala de jantar
Are the people in the dining room
Mas as pessoas da sala de jantar
But the people in the dining room
São ocupadas em nascer e morrer
Are occupied with being born and dying
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, Caetano Emmanuel Viana Telles Veloso
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind