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.
Não quero mais amar a ninguÉm
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Não fui feliz, o destino não quis
O meu primeiro amor
Morreu como a flor ainda em botão
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Não quero mais
Não quero mais amar a ninguém
O meu primeiro amor
Morreu como a flor ainda em botão
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Semente de amor sei que sou desde nascença
Mas sem ter vida e fulgor
Eis a minha sentença
Tentei pela primeira vez um sonho vibrar
Foi beijo que nasceu e morreu sem se chegar a dar
Não quero mais amar a ninguém
Não fui feliz, o destino não quis
O meu primeiro amor
Morreu como a flor ainda em botão
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Às vezes dou gargalhada ao lembrar do passado
Nunca pensei em amor
Nunca amei nem fui amado
Se julgas que estou mentindo jurar sou capaz
Foi simples sonho que passou e nada mais
Não quero mais amar a ninguém
Não fui feliz, o destino não quis
O meu primeiro amor
Morreu como a flor ainda em botão
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
The song "Não quero mais amar a ninguém" by Paulinho da Viola talks about heartbreak and the aftermath of lost love. The song speaks about the singer's first love, which died before it could even bloom. The metaphor of a flower in bud that dies before it can reach its full potential is used to describe his experience. The singer says that his first love left behind thorns that continue to hurt him, and as a result, he no longer wants to love anyone.
The second verse of the song speaks about the singer's frustration with never having experienced the thrills of love. He describes himself as a "seed of love" that never had the chance to grow because fate never allowed it. The singer talks about a dream that he had when he tried to make love work, but it died before it could even take off.
The last verse is the singer reminiscing about his past experiences with love, or lack thereof. He says that he used to laugh when he thought about never having been in love, and he asserts that it was merely a passing dream. He emphasizes that he doesn't want to fall in love again, as he feels he wouldn't be happy and his heart would be shattered again.
Overall, "Não quero mais amar a ninguém" is a melancholic ballad about lost love and the scars it leaves behind. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who has given up on love and can't bring themselves to open their heart to anyone else, thanks to an experience that shattered them.
Line by Line Meaning
Não quero mais amar a ninguém
I don't want to love anyone anymore
Não fui feliz, o destino não quis
I wasn't happy, destiny didn't allow it
O meu primeiro amor
My first love
Morreu como a flor ainda em botão
Died like a flower still in bud
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Leaving thorns that tear my heart apart
Semente de amor sei que sou desde nascença
I know I am a seed of love since birth
Mas sem ter vida e fulgor
But without life and radiance
Eis a minha sentença
Here is my sentence
Tentei pela primeira vez um sonho vibrar
I tried to make a dream come true for the first time
Foi beijo que nasceu e morreu sem se chegar a dar
It was a kiss that was born and died before giving itself
Às vezes dou gargalhada ao lembrar do passado
Sometimes I laugh when I remember the past
Nunca pensei em amor
I never thought about love
Nunca amei nem fui amado
I never loved or was loved
Se julgas que estou mentindo jurar sou capaz
If you think I'm lying, I swear I'm capable
Foi simples sonho que passou e nada mais
It was just a dream that passed and nothing more
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Leaving thorns that tear my heart apart
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Leaving thorns that tear my heart apart
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Leaving thorns that tear my heart apart
Deixando espinhos que dilaceram meu coração
Leaving thorns that tear my heart apart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Agenor De Oliveira, Carlos Moreira De Castro, Zilda Goncalves
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind