Paulinho da Viola (born Paulo César Batista de Faria on November 12, 1942) … Read Full Bio ↴Paulinho da Viola (born Paulo César Batista de Faria on November 12, 1942) is a Brazilian guitar, cavaquinho and bandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice.

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.

Num samba curto
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Meu samba andou parado
Até você aparecer
Mudando tudo
Lançando por terra o escudo
Do meu coração
Em repouso
Ontem uma rocha fria
Hoje assim exposto

Deixando entrar sem medo a vida
Aquilo que eu não via

Só agora eu reparei
Que não vi seu rosto
E que você partiu
Sem deixar seu nome
Só me resta seguir
Rumo ao futuro
Certo de meu coração
Mais puro

Quem quiser que pense um pouco
Eu não posso explicar meus encontros
Ninguém pode explicar a vida

Só agora eu reparei
Que não vi seu rosto
E que você partiu
Sem deixar seu nome
Só me resta seguir
Rumo ao futuro
Certo de meu coração
Mais puro

Quem quiser que pense um pouco

Eu não posso explicar meus encontros
Ninguém pode explicar a vida

Overall Meaning

In the first verse of Paulinho da Viola's "Num samba curto," the singer describes their samba (a genre of music originating from Brazil) as having been stagnant until someone arrived and "changed everything." This person has broken down the singer's personal barriers and allowed life in. However, despite this meaningful interaction, the singer realizes that they never actually saw the person's face and that they have left without leaving a name. The singer acknowledges that they cannot fully explain the significance of this encounter, but it has left them with a pure heart and a sense of direction for the future.

The repetition of the phrase "só agora eu reparei" (meaning "only now I noticed") emphasizes the realization that the singer has about their encounter with this mystery person. The use of the word "escudo" ("shield") to describe the defenses around the singer's heart is a powerful metaphor that suggests their emotional state was guarded prior to this moment. By saying that this person "lançando por terra" ("threw to the ground") this shield, the singer is acknowledging that they were able to break down their walls and let someone in. However, the fact that the person has left without leaving any kind of lasting mark on the singer's life creates a bittersweet tone to the song. The final lines remind us that life cannot always be explained or understood, and that sometimes the most impactful moments are the ones that leave us with more questions than answers.

Overall, "Num samba curto" is a poignant meditation on the transformative power of human connections and the mysteries of life itself.

Line by Line Meaning

Meu samba andou parado
My samba was stagnant

Até você aparecer
Until you appeared

Mudando tudo
Changing everything

Lançando por terra o escudo
Breaking down the defenses

Do meu coração
Of my heart

Em repouso
At rest

Ontem uma rocha fria
Yesterday a cold rock

Hoje assim exposto
Today exposed like this

Deixando entrar sem medo a vida
Allowing life to enter without fear

Aquilo que eu não via
What I couldn't see