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.
Réquiem Por Um Amor
Nara Leão Lyrics
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Devagar morrias era inútil o meu imenso espanto e a tua cor ganhou o tom mais triste do nosso eterno adeus
Eu vim te ver mais uma vez uma flor te deixo neste adeus...
The lyrics of Nara Leão's song "Réquiem Por Um Amor" are an emotional reflection on lost love and death. The singer describes the moment of their lover's passing, as they watch their eyes slowly close and their gaze fade away. The sense of helplessness and disbelief is palpable as they realize the inevitability of their loved one's death. The final farewell is rendered in the imagery of a flower, symbolizing both the beauty and fragility of life. With this final parting gesture, the singer bids a poignant and painful farewell to their beloved.
What makes these lyrics especially poignant is their reference to death as a process rather than a sudden event. The gradual fading of the lover's gaze and the slow progression towards death heightens the sense of loss and sorrow. The use of the word "Réquiem" in the title also adds a solemn tone, referring to a mass for the dead commonly played during funerals. The lyrics also hint at the singer's struggle to come to terms with the death of their loved one, as they observe their color becoming progressively sadder and more muted. The final image of the flower as a symbol of farewell adds a bittersweet note to the song, suggesting the beauty and transience of all things.
Line by Line Meaning
Quando eu vi teus olhos se fechar
As I saw you close your eyes
Teu olhar aos poucos se perder
Your gaze gradually fading away
Devagar morrias era inútil o meu imenso espanto
You were slowly dying and my immense shock was useless
E a tua cor ganhou o tom mais triste do nosso eterno adeus
And your color took on the saddest tone of our eternal farewell
Eu vim te ver mais uma vez
I came to see you one more time
Uma flor te deixo neste adeus...
A flower I leave you in this goodbye...
Contributed by Joshua B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.