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.
Jurar Com Lágrimas
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
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Que me ama
Não adianta nada
Eu não vou acreditar
É melhor nos separar
Não pode haver felicidade
Se não há sinceridade
Se aquele amor não morreu
Não precisa me enganar
Que seu coração é meu
The lyrics to "Jurar Com Lágrimas" by Paulinho Da Viola is a powerful declaration from the singer that they will not be deceived by their partner's attempts to reconcile through hollow declarations of love. The singer acknowledges that their partner may be showing genuine emotions through tears, but they have lost faith in the sincerity of their declarations. The crux of the matter, according to the singer, is that there can be no happiness in a relationship without true honesty. Because of this, the singer suggests that it would be better to separate than to continue a relationship that lacks sincerity.
The song seems to be an expression of the difficulty involved in ending a relationship. While the singer may still have feelings for their partner, the lack of trust and sincerity means that they feel it is best to move on. The lyrics are contemplative, acknowledging that the decision to end the relationship is not easy, but it is ultimately the right thing to do for both parties involved. Overall, "Jurar Com Lágrimas" is a heartfelt and honest expression of the complexities of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Jurar com lágrimas
Crying and making promises to me
Que me ama
That you love me
Não adianta nada
It's pointless and won't do any good
Eu não vou acreditar
I won't believe it
É melhor nos separar
It's better if we go our separate ways
Não pode haver felicidade
There can't be happiness
Se não há sinceridade
If there's no honesty
Dentro do nosso lar
Within our home
Se aquele amor não morreu
If that love hasn't died
Não precisa me enganar
You don't need to deceive me
Que seu coração é meu
That your heart is mine
Contributed by Carter W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.