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.
Perdoa
Paulinho Da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
Sem o seu amor
Ando comprado fiado
Porque meu dinheiro não dá
Imagine se eu fosse casado
Nunca me deram moleza
E posso dizer que sou trabalhador
Fiz um trato com você
Quando fui receber você não me pagou
Mas ora meu bem
Meu bem, perdoa
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
Sem o seu amor
Chama o dono dessa casa
Que eu quero dizer como é o meu nome
Diga um verso bem bonito
Ele vai responder pra matar minha fome
Eu como dono da casa
Não sou obrigado a servir nem banana
Se quiser saber meu nome
É o tal que não como há mais de uma semana
Mas ora meu bem
Meu bem, perdoa
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
Sem o seu amor
Chama o dono da quitanda
Que vive sonhando deitado na rede
Diga um verso bem bonito
Ele vai responder pra matar minha sede
O dono dessa quitanda
Não é obrigado a vender pra ninguém
Pode pegar a viola que hoje é Domingo
E cerveja não tem
Mas ora meu bem...
Meu bem, perdoa
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
Sem o seu amor
Falado:
Esse partido é em homenagem à Velha-Guarda da Portela.
Sr. Armando Santos, Alberto Lonato,
Manacé, falecido Ventura, falecido João da Gente,
Santinho, Casquinha.
Meu bem, perdoa
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
Sem o seu amor
The lyrics to "Perdoa" by Paulinho Da Viola convey a sense of apology and plea for forgiveness from the singer's beloved. The first verse apologizes for his sinful heart and asserts that he cannot live without his love. The second verse paints a picture of financial hardship, with the singer living off credit and barely able to support himself, let alone a family. He then reminds his beloved of a deal they made, where she did not pay him back, but nonetheless asks for her forgiveness once more. The third verse describes his encounter with the owner of a house and a nearby shop, where he asks for their name and they respond with hostility. Despite this, the refrain repeats the same declaration of love and need for forgiveness.
The song accurately portrays the human experience of making mistakes and begging for forgiveness. The financial struggles mentioned in the second verse add a layer of societal commentary as well. The singer is not wealthy, but is still able to find joy and comfort in his beloved, thus elevating the importance of love over material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
Meu bem, perdoa
My love, forgive me
Perdoa meu coração pecador
Forgive my sinful heart
Você sabe que jamais eu viverei
You know I could never live
Sem o seu amor
Without your love
Ando comprado fiado
I'm buying on credit
Porque meu dinheiro não dá
Because my money doesn't last
Imagine se eu fosse casado
Imagine if I were married
Com mais de seis filhos para sustentar
With more than six children to support
Nunca me deram moleza
They've never cut me any slack
E posso dizer que sou trabalhador
And I can say that I'm a hard worker
Fiz um trato com você
I made a deal with you
Quando fui receber você não me pagou
When I went to collect, you didn't pay
Chama o dono dessa casa
Call the owner of this house
Que eu quero dizer como é o meu nome
So I can tell him my name
Diga um verso bem bonito
Say a beautiful verse
Ele vai responder pra matar minha fome
He'll respond to feed my hunger
Eu como dono da casa
As the owner of the house
Não sou obrigado a servir nem banana
I'm not obligated to serve even a banana
Se quiser saber meu nome
If you want to know my name
É o tal que não como há mais de uma semana
It's the guy who hasn't eaten in over a week
Chama o dono da quitanda
Call the owner of the market
Que vive sonhando deitado na rede
Who spends his days dreaming in his hammock
Diga um verso bem bonito
Say a beautiful verse
Ele vai responder pra matar minha sede
He'll respond to quench my thirst
O dono dessa quitanda
The owner of this market
Não é obrigado a vender pra ninguém
Isn't obligated to sell to anyone
Pode pegar a viola que hoje é Domingo
You can grab the guitar, it's Sunday
E cerveja não tem
And there's no beer
Esse partido é em homenagem à Velha-Guarda da Portela.
This samba is a tribute to the Old-Guard of Portela.
Sr. Armando Santos, Alberto Lonato, Manacé, falecido Ventura, falecido João da Gente, Santinho, Casquinha.
Mr. Armando Santos, Alberto Lonato, Manacé, the late Ventura, the late João da Gente, Santinho, Casquinha.
Contributed by Daniel H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@heberacosta175valeamoreter8
❤Para mi es el mejor cambista de todos los tiempos ,cuanto más lo escucho más me encanta.gracias PAULINHO DA VIOLA.
@heberacosta175valeamoreter8
Sambista.
@user-ki9vs5qh5f
GRANDE BRASILEIRO !
@pedrom4776
Interessante é que no final da música o Paulinho da Viola homenageia a Velha Guarda da Portela, citando os nomes dos componentes, e até de quem já morreu. Isso é que é dignidade.
@davidauersilva4945
Ele respeita a velha guarda como poucos
@gilsoncustodio3430
Paulinho e Elton Medeiros fora de serie
@MrFernandojorge
Maravilha !!!!
@vavajesuis4723
Os pés coçam para sambar um sambão desse. É samba nos pés e rebolado nas ancas. Esse é o Brasil que eu amo.
@pedrosilveiraviana4232
Samba de qualidade !!!! 14 - 10 - 2020 grande Paulinho da viola
@joebuck1954
paulinho? paulinho é um lorde preto!