Born in Rio de Janeiro to a family deeply rooted in the samba tradition, Paulinho met and befriended much of Rio's samba elite as a child. His father was a guitar player and musicians like Pixinguinha and Jacob do Bandolim would often come to his house for rehearsals, which Paulinho watched for hours on end. After the rehearsals, Paulinho would pick up his father's guitar and strum the few chords he knew. Later, as a teenager, he was frequently seen at jams at Jacob do Bandolim's house, quietly and attentively observing the older, more experienced musicians. He began writing his own songs as a teenager, but never considered a career as a professional musician until he met poet Hermínio Bello de Carvalho in 1964. By then, Paulinho was working as a teller at a bank in Rio de Janeiro, and recognised Hermínio from the jam sessions at Jacob do Bandolim's house. The two became close friends and soon began writing music together. The first song they wrote together was Duvide-o-dó, recorded by singer Isaurinha Garcia. He then began performing his own songs at a restaurant in Rio, owned by samba legend Cartola and his wife.
He got his famous nickname in 1965, when he was a member of the samba group A Voz do Morro (the voice of the hills), alongside Zé Keti and Oscar Bigode. After their first recording session, a publicist from the record label reportedly told him "'Paulo César' is not a samba name!". Zé Keti and journalist Sérgio Cabral eventually came up with the nickname "Paulinho da Viola" (something to the lines of "Guitar Paul").
By the 1970s, Paulinho was at the most prolific stage of his career, releasing an average of one album per year. He was already a household name in samba, choro and MPB circles and broadened his audience by touring all over Brazil and also playing at festivals in Europe and the USA. His productivity and popularity had waned by the mid-80s, when he decided to focus more on his songwriting. In 1996 he regained notoriety after releasing the much-acclaimed album Bebadosamba, in which he once again joined forces with Hermínio Bello de Carvalho and Elton Medeiros, his early songwriting partners. He still lives in Rio de Janeiro and performs around Brazil.
E A Vida Continua
Paulinho Da Viola Lyrics
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e a vida continua...
esse é um dito que todo mundo proclama
o consolo dos aflitos
e a desilusao de quem ama
os sonhos nos acalentam
os sonhos nos alimentam
coisas que no mundo não tem
e outro dia vém chegando
e a gente sempre esperando
aquilo que nunca vém
e o que passou foi embora
e o que vém não se sabe
sozinho a gente chora.
In "E a vida continua," Paulinho da Viola explores the idea of the cyclical nature of life, with its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, and the human struggle to find meaning and purpose in a constantly changing world. The title itself, which means "And life goes on," suggests a fatalistic acceptance of life's uncertainties and the need to keep moving forward despite them. The opening lines, "E a vida continua, e a vida continua," repeated twice for emphasis, serve as a mantra that everyone proclaims, but whose true meaning is open to interpretation.
The second half of the first stanza introduces a contradiction between two attitudes towards life: the consolation of the afflicted, who find solace in the idea that life will continue regardless of their suffering, and the disillusionment of those who love and lose, for whom life's continuity is a bitter reminder of their pain. This tension between hope and despair, between faith and doubt, runs through the entire song and reflects the complexity of the human experience.
The second stanza is more hopeful and celebrates the power of dreams to sustain us in difficult times. Dreams, according to the lyrics, provide us with comfort and nourishment, reminding us of the things that matter most in life and giving us a sense of purpose. Yet, as the refrain reminds us, another day is always coming, and with it new challenges and uncertainties. And so, we keep waiting for something that may never come, hoping against hope that life will finally make sense.
The final lines of the song are a poignant reminder of the transience of life and the inevitability of loss. "E o que passou foi embora, e o que vém não se sabe, sozinho a gente chora" translates to "And what has passed is gone, and what is yet to come is unknown, and we cry alone." In this stark reminder of human mortality, Paulinho da Viola captures the essence of the human condition, with all its joys and sorrows, its contradictions and complexities.
Line by Line Meaning
e a vida continua,
Life goes on,
e a vida continua...
Life goes on...
esse é um dito que todo mundo proclama
This is a saying that everyone proclaims
o consolo dos aflitos
The comfort of the afflicted
e a desilusao de quem ama
And the disappointment of those who love
os sonhos nos acalentam
Dreams comfort us
os sonhos nos alimentam
Dreams nourish us
coisas que no mundo não tem
Things that the world doesn't have
e outro dia vém chegando
And another day is coming
e a gente sempre esperando
And we're always waiting
aquilo que nunca vém
For something that never comes
e o que passou foi embora
And what passed is gone
e o que vém não se sabe
And what's coming is unknown
sozinho a gente chora.
Alone we cry.
Contributed by Elizabeth F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.