When she was twelve, her father gave her a guitar since he was worried about her being shy. Popular musician and composer Patricio Teixeira and classical guitarist Solon Ayala were her teachers. While still a teenager, she met a number of singers and composers who took part of Bossa Nova's musical revolution, in late 50s and early 60s, including Roberto Menescal, Carlos Lyra, Ronaldo Bôscoli, João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim.
By 1963, after singing as an amateur for a few years, she became a professional and toured with Sergio Mendes. In the mid-1960s, the institution of military dictatorship in Brazil led her to sing increasingly political lyrics. Her show "Opinião" reflected her political beliefs and she had largely switched to political music by this point. In 1964, she even spoke against bossa nova as a movement, calling it "alienating". In 1968, being part of the Tropicália movement, she appeared on the album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses, performing "Lindonéia."
She later left Brazil for Paris and in the 1970s abandoned music to focus on her family. She returned to music later and when she discovered, in 1979, that she had an inoperable brain tumor she increased her productivity as much as possible. She died in 1989, leaving a great legacy behind her succesful years of career.
Diz Que Fui Por Ai
Nara Leão Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Diz que fui por aí
Levando o violão debaixo do braço
Em qualquer esquina eu paro
Em qualquer botequim eu entro
Se houver motivo
É mais um samba que eu faço
Se quiserem saber se eu volto
Diga que sim
Mas só depois que a saudade se afastar de mim
Tenho um violão para me acompanhar
Tenho muitos amigos eu sou popular
Tenho a madrugada como companheira
A saudade me dói o meu peito me rói
Eu estou na cidade eu estou na favela
Eu estou por aí
Sempre pensando nela
The lyrics of Nara Leão's song "Diz Que Fui Por Aí" convey a sense of wandering and longing for someone. The singer, speaking in the third person, tells others that if they ask about them, they should say that they have been roaming around, carrying their guitar under their arm. The singer stops at any corner and enters any botequim (a small Brazilian bar) along their way. If there is a reason, they will make yet another samba song.
The lyrics show a willingness to return if asked, but only after the pain of longing has subsided. The singer points out that they have a guitar to accompany them, many friends, and the companionship of the late-night hours. However, they also confess that they are haunted by saudade, a deep longing or nostalgia, which hurts and gnaws at their chest. The singer is present everywhere, both in the city and the favelas (Brazilian slums), constantly thinking of the person they long for.
This song captures the spirit of a wanderer, someone who chooses to embrace a free and nomadic lifestyle while carrying the weight of unrequited love. It speaks of the bittersweetness of longing, the solace found in music, and the constant presence of the absent beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Se alguém perguntar por mim
If someone asks about me
Diz que fui por aí
Say that I've gone around
Levando o violão debaixo do braço
Carrying my guitar under my arm
Em qualquer esquina eu paro
I stop at any corner
Em qualquer botequim eu entro
I enter any bar
Se houver motivo
If there's a reason
É mais um samba que eu faço
It's another samba that I make
Se quiserem saber se eu volto
If they want to know if I'll come back
Diga que sim
Say yes
Mas só depois que a saudade se afastar de mim
But only after the longing fades away from me
Tenho um violão para me acompanhar
I have a guitar to accompany me
Tenho muitos amigos eu sou popular
I have many friends, I'm popular
Tenho a madrugada como companheira
I have the dawn as my companion
A saudade me dói o meu peito me rói
The longing hurts me, my chest gnaws at me
Eu estou na cidade eu estou na favela
I am in the city, I am in the slum
Eu estou por aí
I am out there
Sempre pensando nela
Always thinking about her
Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda.
Written by: H. Rocha, Ze Keti
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
fender jazz bass
Como me he perdido la oportunidad de conocer personalmente a esta increíble cantante. Única por su sensibilidad y afinación . Que tristeza saber que nos dejara tan pronto .De excelencia Nara por siempre vivirá en la música de Brasil.
Carlos Roberto Rocha III
Grande sucesso de Zé Kéti na voz de Nara com aquelw violão esperto do maestro e compositor Geraldinho Vespar ..A introdução do violão de Vespar viralizou na época...Obra prima
Carlos Cidrão
Concordo plenamente. Violão Show!
Rúben Pereira
Lindeza! Esse é o Brasil Brasileiro, entendem?
Nilza Jacira Mendes dos Santos - Gestão Pública
Siiiimmmmm 💚💛
Alexandre Reis
Nara, linda... volte que a saudade já se afastou de vc.
josé darío Sarmiento Romero
Hermosa , desde Colombia 🌹
Agnaldo herminio da silva Herminio
Típico samba BRASILEIRO simples mais com um IMPACTO..... A LETRA PODE SER INTERPRETADA DE ALGUMAS FORMAS... A MINHA É A SEGUINTE ... ELE FALA DO SAMBA EM SI QUE PARA EM QUALQUER,esquina E ENTRA em qualquer botiquin .. O SAMBA ENTRA EM LUGAR ATRAVESSA FRONTEIRAS...
Xurxo Ferreiro MonteAlegre
Por favor, meu camarada, seja mais preciso. Samba típico nao é, nao. Isto nao é samba de raiz. O que acha se definimos como "Samba Bossa Nova"? Isto é uma Bossa, homem! Como um templo de grande.
Qdude10
Fucking hell, what a beautiful song.