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.
rio de janeiro
Ney Matogrosso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Enxuguei nesse sol
E nele um rio virei
Pedra de rio
Pedra de cais
Pedra de casa e de pó
Pedra de muro e de mó
Beijo a testa
Afago a morte encurvada
Cansada de tanto tempo viver
E no meu rio
Rio de pedra navego
Meu barco voa sem vela
Rio e navego sozinho
Perdido rio
De você, ah meu rio
Você é meu rio
E eu, pedra de rio
The lyrics of Ney Matogrosso's song "Pedra do rio" convey a deep sense of introspection and transformation. The first part of the song talks about drying his tears and finding solace in the sun, which leads to a personal metamorphosis. He becomes a stone, a stone from the river.
The following lines describe different forms and functions of stones: stones from the dock, from homes, from dust, from walls, and from riverbeds. These metaphoric references embody the multifaceted aspects of life and experiences. The stone from the river particularly stands out, representing resilience, constant change, and the ability to adapt and flow.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a more intimate and philosophical turn. "Kiss the forehead, caress the curved death, tired of living for so long." This line suggests a profound acceptance and understanding of mortality, symbolized by the act of embracing death itself. It reflects a contemplation on the passing of time and the acknowledgement of life's transitory nature.
The final lines create a multidimensional image of the singer sailing on a river made of stones. His boat flies without a sail, conveying a sense of freedom and self-reliance. He navigates this lost river alone, emphasizing individuality and self-discovery. The last line brings it all together, expressing an inseparable connection between the singer and the river. He is the stone of the river, finding his identity, strength, and purpose within its constant and transformative flow.
Overall, "Pedra do rio" explores themes of personal growth, resilience, mortality, and the search for identity. Through vivid and thought-provoking metaphors, Ney Matogrosso invites listeners to reflect on their own journey and find solace in embracing change and becoming like a river stone.
Line by Line Meaning
Sequei o meu pranto
I dried my tears
Enxuguei nesse sol
I dried them in this sun
E nele um rio virei
And in it, I became a river
Pedra de rio
A stone from the river
Pedra de cais
Stone from the dock
Pedra de casa e de pó
Stone from home and dust
Pedra de muro e de mó
Stone from walls and grindstone
Pedra rolada de rio
Pebble rolled by the river
Beijo a testa
I kiss the forehead
Afago a morte encurvada
I caress the bent death
Cansada de tanto tempo viver
Tired from living so long
E no meu rio
And in my river
Rio de pedra navego
I sail a stone river
Meu barco voa sem vela
My boat flies without a sail
Rio e navego sozinho
I sail and navigate alone
Perdido rio
Lost river
De você, ah meu rio
From you, oh my river
Você é meu rio
You are my river
E eu, pedra de rio
And I, a stone from the river
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Heloisa Fonseca, Lucia Silva
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind