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.
Para um amor no Recife
Paulinho Da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E não corro
É que andei levando a vida
Quase morto
Quero fechar a ferida
Quero estancar o sangue
E sepultar bem longe
O que restou da camisa
Minha dor
Meu amor eu não me esqueço
Não se esqueça por favor
Que voltarei depressa
Tão logo a noite acabe
Tão logo este tempo passe
Para beijar você
These lyrics from Paulinho Da Viola's song Para um amor no Recife are about moving on from a painful past and being ready to start anew with a loved one. The song begins by explaining that the reason the singer sends a smile instead of running is because they've been living a life that's almost like being dead. This indicates that they've been going through something very difficult and that the smile is an attempt to move past it.
The next few lines talk about wanting to close up the wound, to stop the bleeding and bury what remains of the colorful shirt that once covered their pain. This could be interpreted as the singer wanting to leave the past behind completely and move forward without any reminders of what they've been through. They then remind their love not to forget them and to know that they will return soon.
The final lines of the song express a desire to kiss their love as soon as the night is over and this difficult time has passed. This shows that the singer is ready to move on from their past pain and begin a new chapter with their loved one.
Overall, this song is about the process of healing and moving on from a difficult past and being ready to start anew with someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
A razão porque mando um sorriso
I send a smile for a reason
E não corro
And I don't run away
É que andei levando a vida
Because I've been living my life
Quase morto
Almost dead
Quero fechar a ferida
I want to close the wound
Quero estancar o sangue
I want to stop the bleeding
E sepultar bem longe
And bury far away
O que restou da camisa
What's left of the colorful shirt
Colorida que cobria
That covered
Minha dor
My pain
Meu amor eu não me esqueço
My love, I don't forget
Não se esqueça por favor
Please don't forget
Que voltarei depressa
That I'll be back soon
Tão logo a noite acabe
As soon as the night is over
Tão logo este tempo passe
As soon as this time passes
Para beijar você
To kiss you
Contributed by Claire R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fafa Fly
A razão porque mando um sorriso
E não corro
É que andei levando a vida
Quase morto
Quero fechar a ferida
Quero estancar o sangue
E sepultar bem longe
O que restou da camisa
Colorida que cobria minha dor
Meu amor eu não esqueço
Não se esqueça por favor
Que eu voltarei depressa
Tão logo a noite acabe
Tão logo esse tempo passe
Para beijar você
Compositor: Paulinho Da Viola
Rai Mandela
Popular, simples e sofisticado, sem ser afetado. Único, atemporal. Nesses tempos de hoje Paulinho soa estranho, sincero demais. Não sou retrógrado, estou apenas registrando.
Fafa Fly
A razão porque mando um sorriso
E não corro
É que andei levando a vida
Quase morto
Quero fechar a ferida
Quero estancar o sangue
E sepultar bem longe
O que restou da camisa
Colorida que cobria minha dor
Meu amor eu não esqueço
Não se esqueça por favor
Que eu voltarei depressa
Tão logo a noite acabe
Tão logo esse tempo passe
Para beijar você
Compositor: Paulinho Da Viola
Santiago wolnei ferreira guimaraes
A lágrima, é difícil não escorrer.. mas são vários motivos. Porque saudade é acima de tudo lembrança, essa dádiva que jaz em nossa mente/espírito ...
bimbocascl
musica linda retrata o sofrimento de grande amiga presa durante a ditadura... paulinho genio
Solange Rodrigues
Sua amiga é Venezuela? Coréia do Norte? China? Cuba?
Solange Rodrigues
Tu tá louco, fumado ou cheirando. Essa música nada a ver com terroristas, bandidos,krleo. Viaja não maluco. Conheço origem é destino. Canção de amor.pqp
Katia Claro
INCRÍVEL! EU CONHECI ESSA MUSICA NA VOZ DA CANTORA MARINA LIMA E FIKEI APAIXONADA! JAMAIS PODERIA IMAGINAR SE TRATAR DE UMA CANÇÃO DO PAULINHO DA VIOLA! GÊNIO!
Neusa Maria Candido
O que é bom é eterno! Amo!!!!!!
Anninhasergius Freire Borges
Paulinho é perfeição!
Daniel Borges
"...e sepultar bem longe, o que restou da camisa...colorida que cobria".