An uncommon artist with an uncommon sopranino voice, Ney Matogrosso fell in the Brazilian popular music scene like a bomb in the '70s aboard the Secos & Molhados. The end of the group marked the beginning of a fertile and successful solo career in which he began exploring his sensuous and charismatic persona through satiric and ironic repertories. As time passed, he substituted self-contained and deeply sensitive interpretations of classics for the popular and classical Brazilian music. Along with his representative and prolific solo discography, for which he received three platinum and three gold records, Matogrosso recorded in Itália with Astor Piazzola, performed in Argentina, Uruguay, participated in two Montreux Jazz Festivals (Switzerland), and toured Portugal several times. He also performed in Israel and the U.S., but always refused invitations to develop an international career. Matogrosso also worked as an actor in Sonho de Valsa (by Ana Carolina, the director, not the singer/composer) and Caramujo Flor (short subject by Joel Pizzini), and directed shows by RPM, Cazuza, and Simone.
Arriving in Rio de Janeiro in 1966, Matogrosso became a hippie leather artisan and divided his time between Rio, São Paulo, and Brasília, where he was a close friend of singer/composer Luli. Through her he met João Ricardo, who had a vision for a groundbreaking group and was searching for a high-pitched male voice. Invited by Ricardo, Matogrosso moved to São Paulo where he spent one year dedicating himself to exhaustive rehearsals, artisanship, and theater plays. With the explosive success of Secos e Molhados and the group's final dissolution, Matogrosso started his solo career exploring his unusual voice timbre, his mesmerizing scenic persona, and his androgynous visuals, enhanced by innovative and exotic costumes. A second solo album, Água do Céu - Pássaro, was supported by the show Homem de Neanderthal, in 1975, with which Matogrosso opened in Rio de Janeiro, drawing both raves and packed houses. "Barco Negro" and "Homem com H" appeared amongst considerable polemics aroused by the usual conservatives on duty. In that period, he worked with Astor Piazzola in Milan, Italy, where he recorded a double single with the Argentinean composer. A cleaner Matogrosso recorded Bandido in 1976, having his first national hit as a solo artist with "Bandido Corazón," written especially for him by Rita Lee.
Mais Além
Ney Matogrosso Lyrics
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Meu limite é aqui, infelizmente
Deixo a vida decidir, o que devo fazer
Abriria mão de tudo se você fizesse, o mesmo por mim
Não deixaria você
Refrão
Bem maior que sonhei
Só de tempo ao tempo, deve estar
Escrito em algum lugar
As coisas nunca são como a gente quer
Sei que só tem coragem, quem tem medo
Deixo a vida decidir, o que devo fazer
Abriria mão de tudo se você fizesse, o mesmo por mim
Não deixaria você
Refrão
Talvez, Deus tenha um plano pra mim,
Bem maior que sonhei
Só de tempo ao tempo, deve estar
Escrito em algum lugar
Horas, dias, meses, que se vão
O passado esta presente no mesmo lugar
O futuro esta escrito meu irmão
Nunca é tarde de mais
Pra tentar terminar o que começou
Disser o que não disse, sem medo
Iria mais além,
Se você fizesse, o mesmo por mim
Não deixaria você
Talvez, Deus tenha um plano pra mim,
Bem maior que sonhei (que sonhei)
Só de tempo ao tempo, deve estar (deve estar)
Escrito em algum lugar
The song "Mais Além" by Ney Matogrosso explores themes of personal limitations, surrendering control, and the belief in a higher power. The lyrics reflect a sense of longing to go beyond one's current boundaries but acknowledging that one's limit is reached, unfortunately. The singer expresses a willingness to let life decide what they should do and would give up everything if the person they are addressing does the same. This demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice and prioritize the relationship.
The refrain suggests that perhaps God has a bigger plan for the singer, one that surpasses their dreams. It encourages them to have patience and believe that everything is written somewhere, implying that destiny will unfold at the right time. This reflects a sense of trust in a divine plan and the idea that things may not always go as one desires.
The song then delves into the idea that things never turn out how we want them to. The singer acknowledges that courage comes from facing one's fears, and they surrender control to life, once again emphasizing a willingness to let circumstances decide. The lyrics also imply that they would give up everything for the addressed person if the same were done for them, emphasizing reciprocity and commitment to the relationship.
In the last verse, the passage of time is highlighted, with references to hours, days, and months. The past is said to be present in the same place, suggesting the lingering effects of past experiences. However, the future is described as being written, indicating a sense of predetermined fate. The lyrics encourage taking action regardless of the time that has passed, asserting that it is never too late to try to finish what was started. The singer expresses a desire to speak without fear and go beyond their current limitations, reinforcing the theme of pushing boundaries and taking risks for love.
Overall, "Mais Além" portrays a sense of longing to go beyond personal limitations, surrendering control to life, and a belief in a higher power guiding one's path. The lyrics emphasize the importance of reciprocity in relationships, patience in waiting for a greater plan, and the courage to overcome fear and take decisive action.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu iria mais além se pudesse
I would go further if I could
Meu limite é aqui, infelizmente
My limit is here, unfortunately
Deixo a vida decidir, o que devo fazer
I let life decide what I should do
Abriria mão de tudo se você fizesse, o mesmo por mim
I would give up everything if you did the same for me
Não deixaria você
I wouldn't let you go
Refrão
Chorus
Talvez, Deus tenha um plano pra mim
Maybe God has a plan for me
Bem maior que sonhei
Much bigger than I dreamed
Só de tempo ao tempo, deve estar
Just give it time, it must be
Escrito em algum lugar
Written somewhere
As coisas nunca são como a gente quer
Things are never how we want them to be
Sei que só tem coragem, quem tem medo
I know that only the ones who are afraid have courage
Horas, dias, meses, que se vão
Hours, days, months, that go by
O passado esta presente no mesmo lugar
The past is present in the same place
O futuro esta escrito meu irmão
The future is written, my brother
Nunca é tarde de mais
It's never too late
Pra tentar terminar o que começou
To try to finish what started
Disser o que não disse, sem medo
To say what I didn't say, without fear
Iria mais além
I would go further
Se você fizesse, o mesmo por mim
If you did the same for me
Não deixaria você
I wouldn't let you go
Talvez, Deus tenha um plano pra mim
Maybe God has a plan for me
Bem maior que sonhei (que sonhei)
Much bigger than I dreamed
Só de tempo ao tempo, deve estar (deve estar)
Just give it time, it must be
Escrito em algum lugar
Written somewhere
Writer(s): Lula Queiroga, Braulio Tavares, Oswaldo Lenine Pimental, Ivan Dos Santos
Contributed by Jeremiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.