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.
Cenarios
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
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É uma agremiação que saúda de coração
Império do Marangá
Aprendizes de Lucas
Capela, Unidos da Tijuca
Mocidade Independente
Cartolinha de Caxias
Império Serrano com muita gente
Acadêmicos de Vaz Lobo, União do Centenário
Oswaldo Cruz, sabem apresentar cenários
Portela, vive de glórias em Madureira
Começa o romper da Aurora, o samba lá em Mangueira
Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, Bento Ribeiro e outras mais
São orgulho do samba brasileiro
The lyrics to Paulinho da Viola's song "Cenarios" express a deep respect and admiration for the various samba schools in Rio de Janeiro. The song begins by naming specific schools such as União de Jacarepágua, Império do Marangá, and Unidos da Tijuca, and saluting them with a heartfelt greeting. The lyrics continue to list more samba schools in Rio de Janeiro, expressing the singer's appreciation for their ability to present beautiful and compelling scenarios.
The song also pays tribute to some of the most well-respected and successful samba schools, such as Portela and Acadêmicos do Salgueiro. The lyrics acknowledge their many accomplishments and describe them as an important source of pride for Brazilian samba. Overall, the song is a celebration of the rich history and culture of Rio de Janeiro’s samba schools and the significant role they play in Brazilian music and identity.
Line by Line Meaning
União de Jacarepágua
A reference to samba schools or groups from different neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Union of Jacarepágua being one of them.
É uma agremiação que saúda de coração
All of these samba schools are united by their love of samba music.
Império do Marangá
A specific samba school named Império do Marangá.
Aprendizes de Lucas
Another samba school named Aprendizes de Lucas.
Capela, Unidos da Tijuca
Two more samba schools named Capela and Unidos da Tijuca.
Mocidade Independente
A samba school called Mocidade Independente.
Cartolinha de Caxias
A samba school named Cartolinha de Caxias.
Império Serrano com muita gente
A samba school named Império Serrano, known for having many members.
Acadêmicos de Vaz Lobo, União do Centenário
Two more samba schools named Acadêmicos de Vaz Lobo and União do Centenário.
Oswaldo Cruz, sabem apresentar cenários
A samba school named Oswaldo Cruz, known for putting on elaborate performances and shows.
Portela, vive de glórias em Madureira
A well-known samba school named Portela, which is based in the neighborhood of Madureira and has a strong reputation for excellence in samba music.
Começa o romper da Aurora, o samba lá em Mangueira
A reference to the historic samba school Mangueira, which is known for its important contributions to the development of samba music in Brazil.
Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, Bento Ribeiro e outras mais
Two more samba schools named Acadêmicos do Salgueiro and Bento Ribeiro, among others.
São orgulho do samba brasileiro
All of these samba schools are sources of pride for Brazil and beloved for their contributions to the country's rich cultural heritage.
Contributed by Isaiah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Francisco Carlos
Um dos mais lindos sambas de exaltação da história.
Samba feito em homenagem ao berço verdadeiro de Paulinho da Viola, a pequena, mas riquíssima de história, União de Jacarepaguá.
Andre Celestino de Carvalho
Que bonito ver alguém reconhecendo a importância da minha querida União de Jacarepaguá!
Mauricio Gomes
Samba do Lendário Catoni!!
leandro gomes
Moro do lado da União de Jacarepaguá