Tempo No Tempo
Os Mutantes Lyrics
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Eu quero estar com meu Senhor
Há sempre um tempo no tempo em que o corpo do homem apodrece
E sua alma cansada, penada, se afunda no chão
E o bruxo do luxo baixado o capucho chorando num nicho capacho do lixo
Caprichos não mais voltarão
Já houve um tempo em que o tempo parou de passar
E um tal de homo sapiens não soube disso aproveitar
Chorando, sorrindo, falando em calar
Pensando em pensar quando o tempo parar de passar
Há sempre um tempo no tempo em que o corpo do homem apodrece
E sua alma cansada, penada, se afunda no chão
E o bruxo do luxo baixado o capucho chorando num nicho capacho do lixo
Caprichos não mais voltarão
Mas se entre lágrimas você se achar e pensar que está a chorar
Este era o tempo em que o tempo é
O song Tempo no Tempo by Os Mutantes explores the passing of time and the transience of life. The lyrics begin with a proclamation of faith, as the singer declares "Aleluia, Eu quero estar com meu Senhor" (Hallelujah, I want to be with my Lord). The song then goes on to describe the inevitable decay of the human body, and the sinking of the weary soul. The imagery of a witch, weeping in a trash heap, underscores the idea of decay and decayed dreams. The lyrics then imagine a time in the past where humanity failed to recognize the importance of time, and squandered opportunities for growth and enlightenment. As the song progresses, the lyrics suggest that there is a moment in time where we may find ourselves weeping, only to realize that it is this very moment that truly matters.
The song's imagery is skillfully woven together to create a complex commentary on the human condition, with a recognition that even in our darkest moments, we are still ultimately part of the larger fabric of life. The song encourages us to embrace our mortality, and to make the most of the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Aleluia
Praise be
Eu quero estar com meu Senhor
I want to be with my Lord
Há sempre um tempo no tempo em que o corpo do homem apodrece
There is always a time within time when a man's body decays
E sua alma cansada, penada, se afunda no chão
And his tired, tormented soul sinks into the ground
E o bruxo do luxo baixado o capucho chorando num nicho capacho do lixo
And the wizard of luxury with his hood lowered crying in a lowly garbage niche
Caprichos não mais voltarão
Fancies will no longer return
Já houve um tempo em que o tempo parou de passar
There was a time when time stopped passing
E um tal de homo sapiens não soube disso aproveitar
And this so-called Homo sapiens failed to take advantage of it
Chorando, sorrindo, falando em calar
Crying, laughing, talking without being silent
Pensando em pensar quando o tempo parar de passar
Thinking about thinking when time stops passing
Mas se entre lágrimas você se achar e pensar que está a chorar
But if amongst tears you find yourself and think that you are crying
Este era o tempo em que o tempo é
This was the time in which time is
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Edmund Andrew Phillips
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
While still in high school, Rita Lee teamed with brothers Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias Baptista to form the band. A trio of brash musical experimentalists, the group fiddled with self-made instruments, distortion, feedback, musique concrète, and studio tricks of all kinds to create a lighthearted, playful version of extreme Brazilian music. This was their best creative moment.
While Gil and Veloso were first imprisoned and then exiled to England during the military dictatorship in Brazil (1969-1972) the Mutantes left the Tropicália movement, adding a more psychedelic flavour to their sound.
The 70s seemed to be a time of great upheaval for the band, both creatively and personally. They left behind their "tropicalist" roots and made their first lysergic trip which resulted in the album "Jardim Elétrico" (Eletric Garden) and "O Primeiro Dia do Resto da Sua Vida (rare album - title translates as "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"). With influences of the progressive band Yes the trio (with Liminha at the bass and Dinho at the drums) made their last album together "Os Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País dos Bauretz".
Rita Lee left the band for reasons that remain unclear; Lee says they kicked her out, while Arnaldo blames her, claiming she sent him to mental institutions for his excessive LSD usage. In an attempt to escape from one psychiatric institution he jumped from the 5th floor, after which he was in a coma for 6 weeks, only very slowly recovering from his fall. After Rita left in 1972 they developed two psychedelic-progressive-hippie-rock albums which were "O 'A' e o 'Z'" and "Tudo Foi Feito Pelo Sol" (without Arnaldo), which went on to be their best selling album.
With the beginning of the 80s the Mutantes were almost forgotten or considered to be the old hippie-band of the now famous former Mutantes singer Rita Lee. In the 90s Beck and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana began to spread the word about them.
Finally, thanks to promotion and namechecking by David Byrne through his record label Luaka Bop, Os Mutantes has gained a greater global audience within the past decade. With Luaka Bop they released the album Everything is Possible! which is a compilation of their greatest hits (as curated by David Byrne). On 22nd of May 2006 they played their first concert since 1975 with the Baptista brothers reunited on stage. Apparently Devendra Banhart asked them to be their roadie for the show which led them to invite him as a support act.