Current Formation
* Marcelo Falcão - vocals
* Xandão (Alexandre Menezes) - guitars
* Lauro Farias - bass
* Nelson Meirelles - keyboards
* Marcelo Lobato- drums
Origins
O Rappa got their start in 1993, when Jamaican reggae artist Papa Winnie arrived in Brazil for a series of show and needed a back up band to support him. Four people were immediately picked: Nelson Meirelles, a well-known Rio de Janeiro indie producer; Marcelo Lobato, former member of África Gumbe; Alexandre (Xandão) Menezes, a musician with African influences; and Marcelo Yuka, a prolific songwriter and member of KMD-5 at the time. After the shows with Winnie, the foursome decided to keep the band going and added a vocalist and fifth member, Marcelo Falcão, recruited through an ad in Rio’s main newspaper. In 1994, they released their first album, O Rappa, on the Warner label.
Tragedy
In 2001, Marcelo Lobato who was originally on keyboard had to take over drum duties after the band’s original drummer and main songwriter, Marcelo Yuka, was shot multiple times during a robbery near his house in Rio, which severely compromised movement in both his legs and one of his arms. Yuka has been the biggest contributor of the band's social projects for years, even after turning paralytic. He is currently working on other music projects such as F.Ur.T.O.
Discography
* O Rappa - 1994
* Rappa Mundi - 1996
* Lado B Lado A (Side B, Side A) - 1999
* Instinto Coletivo - ao vivo (Collective Instinct - Live) - 2001
* O Silêncio Que Precede o Esporro (The Silence Before the Scolding) - 2003
* Lual MTV - 2004
* Acústico MTV (MTV Unplugged) - 2005
* 7 Vezes - 2008
Bitterusso Champagne
O Rappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cheiro de asfalto no sangue
Um atalho com fuzil no caminho
No cardápio bitterusso champagne
Cordão de fé tirado do peito
E uma luz no fim do presídio
Mas um buraco cavado às pressas
A esperança no orifício
Na revolução
Quanto mais tiram de nós
Lá dentro corrupção
Os atentados civis
viram showmicio
Dos que não estão no controle
E vão crescendo os vícios
Caido por terra
Pela classe discurso
Sofrimento pr'alguns é ser feliz
Pra quem nunca teve nada
É tudo que sempre quis
The lyrics to O Rappa's song "Bitterusso Champagne" describe a world of violence, corruption, and struggle. The opening lines invite us to raise a glass of wine, as if to celebrate life, but the smell of asphalt in our blood reminds us of the harsh reality of our surroundings. We are then taken on a journey through a world of crime and danger, where the only way to survive is to take shortcuts with guns in hand. Even the menu includes a bitter and dangerous choice, as if there is no escape from the violence that surrounds us.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more spiritual tone. The cords of faith are pulled from our chests, and a light shines at the end of the prison sentence. But even as we try to dig ourselves out of the hole of suffering, we find corruption and injustice lurking within the revolution itself. The hope we cling to is but a small opening, and the more that is taken from us, the more we see the growth of corruption within the system.
The lyrics of "Bitterusso Champagne" paint a bleak picture of the world around us. They speak to the struggles of those who have never had anything and the enduring power of hope even in the face of darkness and despair. The song is a call to action, urging us to pay attention to the injustices around us, and to fight for a world that is more just and equitable.
Line by Line Meaning
Um brinde com taça de vinho
Let's toast with a glass of wine
Cheiro de asfalto no sangue
The smell of asphalt is in our blood
Um atalho com fuzil no caminho
A shortcut with a rifle on the way
No cardápio bitterusso champagne
On the menu, bitter champagne
Cordão de fé tirado do peito
A string of faith pulled from the chest
E uma luz no fim do presídio
And a light at the end of the prison
Mas um buraco cavado às pressas
But a hastily dug hole
Pra aliviar o suplício
To ease the suffering
A esperança no orifício
Hope in the hole
Na revolução
In the revolution
Quanto mais tiram de nós
The more they take from us
Lá dentro corrupção
Corruption inside
Os atentados civis
Civil attacks
viram showmicio
Become a sideshow
Dos que não estão no controle
From those who are not in control
E vão crescendo os vícios
And the vices keep growing
Caido por terra
Fallen to the ground
Pela classe discurso
By the discourse of the ruling class
Sofrimento pr'alguns é ser feliz
For some, suffering is being happy
Pra quem nunca teve nada
For those who never had anything
É tudo que sempre quis
It's all they ever wanted
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEXANDRE MENEZES, ALEXANDRE MONTE DE MENEZES, LAURO JOSE DE FARIAS, MARCELO LOBATO, MARCELO DE CAMPOS LOBATO, MARCELO FALCAO CUSTODIO
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