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.
Luz Negra
Nara Leão Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eu vivo procurando alguém
Que sofra como eu também
E não consigo achar ninguém
Sempre só
E a vida vai seguindo assim
Não tenho quem tem dó de mim
Estou chegando ao fim.
Que ilumina este teatro sem cor
Onde estou desempenhando o papel
De palhaço do amor
Sempre só
E a vida vai seguindo assim
Não tenho quem tem dó de mim
Estou chegando ao fim.
The lyrics to Nara Leão's song Luz Negra speak of the feeling of loneliness, as the singer searches for someone who can understand and empathize with their pain. The lyrics showcase the struggles that come with feeling isolated and alone, as the singer laments their inability to find someone who can share the weight of their burdens. The figurative language used in the song, such as the "black light" that illuminates the colorless theater, adds depth and nuance to the feelings of isolation and despair the singer feels as they continue to play the role of the love clown.
The song highlights the universal theme of human connection, showcasing the pain that comes with feeling unloved and unwanted. The constant struggle of the human condition to connect with others is reflected in the lyrics, making it a relatable and impactful ballad. The melancholic nature of the melody also contributes to the theme, adding an emotional depth to the already poignant lyrics. Overall, Luz Negra is a powerful ode to the human experience and the yearning for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Sempre só
Always alone
Eu vivo procurando alguém
I live seeking someone
Que sofra como eu também
Who suffers like me too
E não consigo achar ninguém
And I can't find anyone
Sempre só
Always alone
E a vida vai seguindo assim
And life goes on like this
Não tenho quem tem dó de mim
I have no one to pity me
Estou chegando ao fim.
I'm reaching the end.
A luz negra de um destino cruel
The black light of a cruel fate
Que ilumina este teatro sem cor
That illuminates this colorless theater
Onde estou desempenhando o papel
Where I'm playing the role
De palhaço do amor
Of love's clown
Sempre só
Always alone
E a vida vai seguindo assim
And life goes on like this
Não tenho quem tem dó de mim
I have no one to pity me
Estou chegando ao fim.
I'm reaching the end.
Contributed by Jackson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.