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.
Guardei Minha Viola
Paulinho Da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Não haverá mais ilusão
Quero esquecer ela não deixa
Alguém que só me fez ingratidão
(Minha viola)
No carnaval quero afastar
As mágoas que meu samba não desfaz
Pra facilitar o meu desejo
Guardei meu violão, não toco mais
The lyrics to Paulinho Da Viola's song Guardei Minha Viola describe the heartbreak and betrayal that the singer has faced at the hands of a former love. He has decided to put his guitar away in the hopes of forgetting the past and moving on from the hurt caused by this person. He acknowledges that there will be no more illusions or false hopes and that he simply wants to forget about the person who has caused him so much pain.
In the second verse, the singer talks about wanting to distance himself from these negative feelings by celebrating during Carnival. He hopes that this will help him overcome his pain and allow him to move forward towards a more positive future. To achieve this, he has decided to stop playing his guitar and has put it away for good.
Overall, the lyrics represent a powerful message of resilience and the human ability to overcome heartbreak and disappointment. The song serves as a tribute to the healing powers of music, but also emphasizes the importance of taking time to recover and move on from past hurts.
Line by Line Meaning
Minha viola vai pro fundo do baú
I am putting away my guitar in the bottom of the trunk
Não haverá mais ilusão
There will be no more illusions left
Quero esquecer ela não deixa
I want to forget it, but it won't let me
Alguém que só me fez ingratidão
Someone who only made me ungrateful
No carnaval quero afastar
During the carnival, I want to distance myself
As mágoas que meu samba não desfaz
From the sorrows that my samba cannot dissipate
Pra facilitar o meu desejo
To make my wish easier
Guardei meu violão, não toco mais
I put away my guitar, I won't play it anymore
Contributed by Cameron R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mixborges2690
Minha viola vai pro fundo do baú
Não haverá mais ilusão
Quero esquecer ela não deixa
Alguém que só me fez ingratidão
(Minha viola)
No carnaval quero afastar
As mágoas que meu samba não desfaz
Pra facilitar o meu desejo
Guardei meu violão, não toco mais
@hortelino126
EU ERA ADOLESCENTE QUANDO PAULINHO GRAVOU,,,,E TODAS AS VEZES QUE OUÇO ,FICO INPRESSIONADO COM A QUALIDADE E O SONZAÇO DESSE SUPER SAMBA.VALEU PAULINHO E VAI VALER PRA SEMPRE.
@aldopereira1080
Minha viola vai pro fundo do baú Não haverá mais ilusão Quero esquecer ela não deixa Alguém que só me fez ingratidão (Minha viola) No carnaval quero afastar As mágoas que meu samba não desfaz Pra facilitar o meu desejo Guardei meu violão, não toco mais
@joserodrigues4231
Que artista maravilhoso!
@vavajesuis4723
A primeira vez que fui ao Rio de Janeiro,em janeiro de 1973, fui ao ensaio da Portela no Mourisco , quadra do Botafogo Futebol e Regatas e lá estavam, Paulinho da Viola junto com a saudosa Clara Nunes animando aquele ensaio. Ele cantava essa música. Jamais esqueci!!!
@lucianoantoniomoraeszanell2374
Volta pro Rio, menina, você tem alma carioca! (Rio, 26/5/17).
@juliariscado3144
Minha mãe ia muito para os ensaios da Portela no Mourisco
@vavajesuis4723
@Luciano Antônio Moraes Zanelli sempre vou. Agora tenho uma sobrinha casada com alguém daí e que mora na zona sul.... então sempre estarei nesse caminho.
@lucianoantoniomoraeszanell2374
@Vanilse Jesus Bom pra nós, cariocas, que uma pessoa que ama o Rio e suas coisas esteja sempre por aqui. Isto nos enriquece! Abraços. (Rio, 14/3/20).
@edsongomes3591
Que lembrança marcante. Parabéns
@rosanacordeiro1428
MÚSICA LINDA ,LETRA, MELODIA **♥♥♥SENSACIONAL♥♥♥AMO ESSA MÚSICA♥♥♥. MARAVILHOSO PAULINHO DA VIOLA♥♥♥♥