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.
Doce Veneno
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
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Tao infeliz eu sou
Por que razão voce vive a me torturar
Meu sofrimento é infinito
Não suporto tanta dor
Coração já não existe em mim
Ai meu Deus que amargor
Você é meu querer
Você entrou no meu sangue sem eu perceber
Ó como eu sou tão infeliz
Em pensar sempre em você
Eis a razão do meu sofrer
The lyrics to Paulinho Da Viola's song "Doce Veneno" are about the pain and suffering caused by an intense and unhealthy love. The singer in the song is deeply unhappy, tortured by the object of their desire. They are consumed by the pain and are unable to cope with the intensity of their emotions. The singer describes their suffering as infinite and unbearable, and laments that their heart no longer exists within them.
In the chorus, the singer addresses the person who is causing all this pain as "doce veneno," translating to "sweet poison." This phrase encapsulates the bittersweet nature of the love the singer feels, which is both desirable and dangerous. The singer is still deeply drawn to this person despite the harm they are causing, describing them as their "querer," or their deep want.
The song mourns the singer's inability to move on from this toxic love and the brutal effects it has had on them. The lyrics are melancholic and introspective, with a slow and mournful melody accentuating the sorrowful mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Quanta dor
How much pain
Tao infeliz eu sou
So unhappy I am
Por que razão voce vive a me torturar
Why do you live to torture me
Meu sofrimento é infinito
My suffering is endless
Não suporto tanta dor
I can't bear so much pain
Coração já não existe em mim
My heart no longer exists in me
Ai meu Deus que amargor
Oh my God, what bitterness
Ó doce veneno
Oh sweet poison
Você é meu querer
You are my desire
Você entrou no meu sangue sem eu perceber
You entered my blood without me realizing it
Ó como eu sou tão infeliz
Oh how unhappy I am
Em pensar sempre em você
To always think about you
Eis a razão do meu sofrer
That's the reason for my suffering
Contributed by Brooklyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Samuel Machado Filho
Gravação original da cantora Marion, em 1945.