Nara Lofego Leão (January 19, 1942, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil — June … Read Full Bio ↴Nara Lofego Leão (January 19, 1942, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil — June 7, 1989, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), best known as Nara Leão, was a diverse MPB singer, acoustic guitarist and occasional actress and songwriter, associated with many genres and movements, such as bossa nova, samba de morro, protest song, Tropicália, música nordestina and others, quickly gaining the title of "Musa da Bossa Nova" (Muse of Bossa Nova) ever since the beginning of her career.

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.

Samba de uma nota só
Nara Leão Lyrics

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Eis aqui este sambinha feito numa nota só
Outras notas vão entrar, mas a base é uma só
Esta outra é consequência do que acabo de dizer
Como eu sou a consequência inevitável de você
Quanta gente existe por aí
Que fala tanto e não diz nada
Ou quase nada

Já me utilizei de toda a escala
E no final não sobrou nada
Não deu em nada
E voltei pra minha nota como eu volto pra você
Vou contar com a minha nota como eu gosto de você
E quem quer todas as notas
Ré, mi, fá, sol, lá, si, dó
Fica sempre sem nenhuma
Fique numa nota só

Eis aqui este sambinha feito numa nota só
Outras notas vão entrar, mas a base é uma só
Esta outra é consequência do que acabo de dizer
Como eu sou a consequência inevitável de você
Quanta gente existe por aí
Que fala tanto e não diz nada
Ou quase nada

Já me utilizei de toda a escala
E no final não sobrou nada
Não deu em nada
E voltei pra minha nota como eu volto pra você
Vou contar com a minha nota como eu gosto de você
E quem quer todas as notas
Ré, mi, fá, sol, lá, si, dó

Fica sempre sem nenhuma
Fique numa nota só

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nara Leao & Elis Regina's song "Samba de uma Nota so" speak about the beauty and simplicity of staying true to oneself, with a minimalist approach to life and love. The song starts with a simple samba melody, made of just one note, and the lyrics explain that although there will be other notes that will enter the song throughout, the base will remain the same. This serves as a metaphor for relationships, highlighting the importance of staying grounded and true to oneself, even in the midst of change and outside influence.

The second half of the lyrics serves as a commentary on the many people in the world who talk a lot but say very little. The singer speaks of having tried to utilize the entire musical scale (all the notes), but finding that they ultimately did not lead to anything meaningful. Instead, they returned to that one note, which represents the person they love, and which brings them the most joy.

Overall, "Samba de uma Nota so" celebrates simplicity and the power of staying true to oneself, while also cautioning against getting caught up in the noise and complexity of the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Eis aqui este sambinha feito numa nota só
This samba is made up of just a single note.

Outras notas vão entrar, mas a base é uma só
Though other notes may be introduced, the foundation remains the same.

Esta outra é consequência do que acabo de dizer
This next line is a result of what I have just said.

Como eu sou a consequência inevitável de você
Just as I am an inevitable product of you.

Quanta gente existe por aí
There are so many people out there

Que fala tanto e não diz nada
Who talk so much and say nothing

Ou quase nada
Or almost nothing

Já me utilizei de toda a escala
I have already used the entire scale

E no final não sobrou nada
And in the end, there was nothing left

Não deu em nada
It led to nothing

E voltei pra minha nota como eu volto pra você
So I return to my original note, just as I return to you

Vou contar com a minha nota como eu gosto de você
I will rely on my one note, just as I love being with you

E quem quer todas as notas
And those who want all the notes

Ré, mi, fá, sol, lá, si, dó
D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Fica sempre sem nenhuma
End up with none at all

Fique numa nota só
Stick to just one note