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.
Pra Que Mentir
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Se tu ainda não tens
Esse dom de saber iludir?
Pra quê?! Pra que mentir?
Se não há necessidade de me trair?
Pra que mentir, se tu ainda não tens
A malícia de toda mulher?
Pra que mentir
Que te diz que não te quer?
Pra que mentir
Tanto assim
Se tu sabes que eu já sei
Que tu não gostas de mim?!
Se tu sabes que eu te quero
Apesar de ser traído
Pelo teu ódio sincero
Ou por teu amor fingido?!
The lyrics of Paulinho da Viola's song "Pra Que Mentir" are a poignant reflection on the painful experience of being lied to in a relationship. The song opens with the question "Pra que mentir?" (Why lie?), conveying the singer's confusion and hurt over his partner's deceitful behavior. He notes that his partner does not even possess the cunning or malice to deceive him effectively, begging the question of why she bothers to lie at all.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes that his partner's infidelity and lack of genuine affection are undeniable. He acknowledges that she has feelings for another man who does not reciprocate her love, but still wonders why she persists in falsifying her own feelings towards him. The final lines of the song reveal the singer's heartbreak and vulnerability, as he admits that despite knowing the truth about his partner's intentions, he still loves her despite the pain she has caused him.
Overall, "Pra Que Mentir" is a powerful and emotionally resonant exploration of the complexities of love and trust in a relationship. It speaks to the universal experience of grappling with the pain of deception and the difficulty of reconciling conflicting emotions in the face of betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
Pra que mentir
Why lie
Se tu ainda não tens
If you don't have
Esse dom de saber iludir?
That talent of deceiving?
Pra quê?! Pra que mentir?
Why?! Why lie?
Se não há necessidade de me trair?
If there's no need to betray me?
Pra que mentir, se tu ainda não tens
Why lie if you don't have yet
A malícia de toda mulher?
The cunningness of all women?
Pra que mentir
Why lie
Se eu sei que gostas de outro
If I know you like someone else
Que te diz que não te quer?
Who tells you they don't want you?
Pra que mentir
Why lie
Tanto assim
So much
Se tu sabes que eu já sei
If you know that I already know
Que tu não gostas de mim?!
That you don't like me?!
Se tu sabes que eu te quero
If you know that I want you
Apesar de ser traído
Despite being betrayed
Pelo teu ódio sincero
By your sincere hatred
Ou por teu amor fingido?!
Or by your fake love?!
Writer(s): Noel Rosa, Vadico
Contributed by Samuel N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alex bezerra
melhor versão - melhor musica do mundo
Denise Mello
Vadico e Noel!!
Luciagaldino Nascimento
Amar à distância, é mesmo assim: Um pau na moleira! Mas é saudavel porque está sempre presente onde ninguém se mete ♡♡
Rafael Rosa
Vadico e Noel.Moderno pra cacete!!!!🎼🎼🎼🎼
Carlos Marques
5 ESTRELAS PAULO C.FARIA
Tirolla013 Trlboard
Clássico do mestre Noel Rosa 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Luciagaldino Nascimento
Paulinho " Esuberante " da Viola♡!
Luciagaldino Nascimento
...Na memória e no ❤ coração ❤
Fernando Pinheiro
A música Pra que Mentir, de Noel Rosa, vem à tona o Brasil brejeiro e encantador.
A transparência, dentro da consciência dissociada, fragmentada, não existe. Imaginemos todos os seres humanos compreender e sentir tudo o que está acontecendo aqui e alhures, muito mais rápido do que um piscar de olhos. Não há necessidade da palavra ser manifestada, a radiância é tudo. [TRANSPARÊNCIA (II) - 31 de outubro de 2014 - blog Fernando Pinheiro, escritor]
RAFAEL SILVA CAMILO
mais lindo que isso só dois ou mais disso