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.
Sinal Fechado
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
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– Eu vou indo. E você, tudo bem?
– Tudo bem! Eu vou indo, correndo pegar meu lugar no futuro. E você?
– Tudo bem! Eu vou indo, em busca de um sono tranqüilo. Quem sabe?
– Quanto tempo!
– Pois é, quanto tempo!
– Me perdoe a pressa - é a alma dos nossos negócios!
– Quando é que você telefona? Precisamos nos ver por aí!
– Pra semana, prometo, talvez nos vejamos. Quem sabe?
– Quanto tempo!
– Pois é . . ., quanto tempo!
– Tanta coisa que eu tinha a dizer, mas eu sumi na poeira das ruas.
– Eu também tenho algo a dizer, mas me foge à lembrança!
– Por favor, telefone - Eu preciso beber alguma coisa, rapidamente!
– Pra semana . . .
– O sinal . . .
– Eu procuro você . . .
– Vai abrir, vai abrir, vai abrir . . .
– Eu prometo, não esqueço, não esqueço!
– Por favor, não esqueça, não esqueça . . .
– Adeus!
– Adeus!
– Adeus!
The lyrics of Paulinho Da Viola's song 'Sinal Fechado' describe a conversation between two individuals meeting on the street. The dialogue appears to be friendly and lighthearted, but the tone becomes more serious as they discuss their current situations. The first speaker expresses their desire to move forward, to reach their place in the future, while the second seeks a peaceful sleep. Despite their busy lives, they acknowledge the importance of seeing each other and promise to set a date in the future. However, despite their best intentions, they both feel as if they are being swept away by the fast pace of life, unable to make time for what truly matters.
The underlying theme of the song is the passage of time and the difficulty in maintaining friendships and connections in a world where everyone is consumed by their own concerns. The lyrics evoke a feeling of nostalgia and longing for simpler times, perhaps suggesting that modern life has made people more disconnected from each other. The repeated phrase of "Quanto tempo!" (How long!) emphasizes this sentiment, highlighting the importance of cherishing moments with loved ones while we still have them.
Overall, 'Sinal Fechado' is a reflective song that encourages listeners to slow down and appreciate the people and moments that matter. It is a poignant reminder that time is fleeting and that we should make the most of every opportunity to connect with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Olá! Como vai?
Hello! How are you?
Eu vou indo. E você, tudo bem?
I'm going. And you? Everything alright?
Tudo bem! Eu vou indo, correndo pegar meu lugar no futuro. E você?
Everything's fine! I'm going, rushing to secure my place in the future. And you?
Tudo bem! Eu vou indo, em busca de um sono tranqüilo. Quem sabe?
Everything's fine! I'm going, in search of peaceful sleep. Who knows?
Quanto tempo!
Long time, no see!
Pois é, quanto tempo!
Yeah, it's been a while!
Me perdoe a pressa - é a alma dos nossos negócios!
Forgive my haste - it's the soul of our businesses!
Qual, não tem de quê! Eu também só ando a cem!
No worries, I'm always on the go too!
Quando é que você telefona? Precisamos nos ver por aí!
When are you calling? We should catch up sometime!
Pra semana, prometo, talvez nos vejamos. Quem sabe?
I promise to see you next week, maybe. Who knows?
Tanta coisa que eu tinha a dizer, mas eu sumi na poeira das ruas.
There was so much I had to say, but I disappeared in the dust of the streets.
Eu também tenho algo a dizer, mas me foge à lembrança!
I also have something to say, but I can't remember it!
Por favor, telefone - Eu preciso beber alguma coisa, rapidamente!
Please call me - I need to drink something, right away!
O sinal . . .
The signal . . .
Eu procuro você . . .
I'm looking for you . . .
Vai abrir, vai abrir, vai abrir . . .
It's going to open, it's going to open, it's going to open . . .
Eu prometo, não esqueço, não esqueço!
I promise, I won't forget, I won't forget!
Por favor, não esqueça, não esqueça . . .
Please, don't forget, don't forget . . .
Adeus!
Goodbye!
Adeus!
Goodbye!
Adeus!
Goodbye!
Contributed by Jacob I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.