Their first album, Rotomusic de Liquidificapum, was released in 1993. Since then, they have released another eight: Gol de Quem?, Tem Mas Acabou, Televisão de Cachorro, Isopor, Ruído Rosa, MTV ao Vivo: No Museu de Arte da Pampulha, Toda Cura para Todo Mal and Daqui pro Futuro.
The band's popularity began to increase along with two other groups from Belo Horizonte, Jota Quest and Skank. The band plays pop-rock but frequently resorts to electronic music elements as well. Pato Fu is often said to be influenced by Os Mutantes, a famous Brazilian tropicalist group from the 1960s, probably because of the experimentalism found in both bands' songs. One can find in Pato Fu musical influences by Devo, The Cure, Radiohead, Pizzicato Five, Super Furry Animals and also MPB, among various others.
With the release of Ruído Rosa, Pato Fu was nominated as one of the best bands of the world by Time Magazine in 2001. The band's 10th anniversary in 2002 was celebrated with the release of MTV ao Vivo: No Museu de Arte da Pampulha, a live performance with some of their most famous songs. As of 2005, popular hits include:
* Sobre o Tempo (Gol de Quem?)
* Pinga (Gol de Quem?, about alcoholism)
* Canção pra Você Viver Mais (Televisão de Cachorro)
* Um Dia, Um Ladrão (Televisão de Cachorro)
* Made in Japan (Isopor; the song is almost entirely in Japanese. It was written in Portuguese by John and translated by a Japanese teacher. Its video clip is a tribute to old Japanese Sci-Fi movies and a satire against Americanization which won a VMB (the Brazilian VMA)). The song chorus is from the song Manah Manah '(see the External links section)'.
* Depois (Isopor)
* Imperfeito (Isopor)
* Perdendo Dentes (Isopor)
* Eu (Ruído Rosa)
* Ando Meio Desligado (Ruído Rosa)
* Por Perto (MTV Ao Vivo (Museu de Arte da Pampulha))
* Não Mais (MTV Ao Vivo (Museu de Arte da Pampulha))
* Uh Uh Uh, Lá Lá Lá, Ié Ié! (Toda Cura para Todo Mal)
* Anormal (Toda Cura para Todo Mal)
Fernanda Takai and John are married and had a daughter, Nina, in 2003.
The name of the band was taken from a Garfield comic strip where Garfield attacked a mailman with his "Cat Fu" techniques. The band liked the wordplay, but decided to replace Gato (cat) with Pato (duck). Coincidentally or not, the expression had also previously appeared in the Brazilian translation of the Howard the Duck movie; in it, Howard says he knows "Pato Fu" (Quack Fu in the original).
O mundo ainda não está pronto
Pato Fu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quem acha que o mundo é tudo na vida
Infelizmente não sabe de nada
Inclusive eu também não sei
Inclusive eu também não sei
Mas pelo menos eu estou, eu estou
Eu estou aqui gritando:
AAAHHHHH, eu estou aqui gritando
Possa dar atenção
A qualquer assunto de hoje em dia
Ou então trocar uma menina quente e macia
Por um jornal nacional
Ou um disco de gritaria
Quem me dera uma guerra das antigas pra lutar
Infundindo nos cães o terror
O terror é popular
Pois é espetacular
The lyrics to Pato Fu's song O mundo ainda não está pronto criticize the superficiality of modern society, particularly our obsession with technology and media. The opening lines mock those who believe the world is the be-all and end-all of existence, claiming that they don't know anything. The singer admits that they don't know any more than the next person, but at least they are shouting out and making a statement. The repeated chanting of "AAAHHHHH, eu estou aqui gritando" (AAHHHHH, I am here shouting) emphasizes the frustration and urgency felt by the singer.
The second verse paints a picture of our society's misplaced priorities. The singer finds it amusing that some people are more interested in the latest news or popular music than in human connection or intimate experiences. The lyric "trocar uma menina quente e macia por um jornal nacional ou um disco de gritaria" (to trade a hot and soft girl for a national newspaper or a noisy record) highlights how our culture values the superficial over the profound. The singer then expresses a desire for a "war of the ages" where they can instill terror in dogs, which would be popular and spectacular.
Overall, the song expresses frustration with the state of the world and the shallow values that drive our culture. The singer seems to long for something more meaningful, where people can connect on a deeper level and find purpose in their lives. The use of repetition and the contrast between the singer's desires and modern society's values create a sense of tension and urgency that is both compelling and insightful.
Line by Line Meaning
Quem acha que o mundo é tudo na vida
Those who believe that the world is everything in life
Infelizmente não sabe de nada
Unfortunately, they know nothing
Inclusive eu também não sei
Including myself, I don't know either
Mas pelo menos eu estou, eu estou
But at least I am, I am
Eu estou aqui gritando:
I am here screaming:
AAAHHHHH, eu estou aqui gritando
AAAHHHHH, I am here screaming
É engraçado que alguém
It's funny that someone
Possa dar atenção
Can pay attention
A qualquer assunto de hoje em dia
To any topic nowadays
Ou então trocar uma menina quente e macia
Or exchange a warm and tender girl
Por um jornal nacional
For a national newspaper
Ou um disco de gritaria
Or a screaming record
Quem me dera uma guerra das antigas pra lutar
I wish I had an old-fashioned war to fight
Infundindo nos cães o terror
Instilling terror in dogs
O terror é popular
Terror is popular
Pois é espetacular
Because it is spectacular
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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