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.
Vinhos finos... Cristais
Paulinho da Viola Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talvez uma valsa
Adoecendo entre os dentes da noite
Vidro, espelho, imagem
O corpo adormecendo entre os dentes da vida
Imagem partida
Sangue
E o amor doente entre os dentes da saudade
Da morte, da engrenagem
As mãos doentes entre os dentes
Entre os dentes de um cão
O corpo fino, cristais
O quarto limpo, metais
Entre os dentes da paixão
Chão, caixão, escada
Apenas um jogo de palavras
Entre tudo e nada
Entre os dentes podres da canção
The lyrics of Vinhos finos... Cristais by Paulinho Da Viola is about the complexities of life and death. The song begins with the line "Vinhos finos cristais, talvez uma valsa" which means "fine wines, crystals, maybe a waltz". The reference to fine wines and crystals alludes to the luxurious and extravagant pleasures in life, while the mention of a waltz connotes a dance, which is also an experience that is meant to be savored. However, the following lines, "Adoecendo entre os dentes da noite" which means "becoming ill between the teeth of the night" suggest a decay or decline that is happening amidst all the beauty and splendor.
The song continues to describe the decay and decline of life and love, "O corpo adormecendo entre os dentes da vida, imagem partida, sangue, e o amor doente entre os dentes da saudade, da morte, da engrenagem". Here, the lyrics depict the body becoming weak and succumbing to death, while love suffers under the pressure of nostalgia, mortality, and the machinations of life. The lines "Entre os dentes de um cão, o corpo fino, cristais, o quarto limpo, metais" symbolize the ugliness of death and decay, as a body becomes nothing but brittle bones, crystal-like and thin. The use of the metaphorical image of a dog tearing through the body with its teeth is a vivid and brutal representation of death.
The lyrics of Vinhos finos... Cristais by Paulinho Da Viola is a poignant and vivid portrayal of the complexities of life and the inevitability of death. The song recognizes the beauty and extravagance that life has to offer, but also acknowledges the decay and decline that occurs, leading to death. The use of metaphor and symbolism in the lyrics is evocative and powerful, creating a vivid image of the transience of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Vinhos finos cristais
Fine wines, crystals
Talvez uma valsa
Perhaps a waltz
Adoecendo entre os dentes da noite
Ailing amidst the teeth of the night
Vidro, espelho, imagem
Glass, mirror, image
O corpo adormecendo entre os dentes da vida
The body falling asleep amidst the teeth of life
Imagem partida
Broken image
Sangue
Blood
E o amor doente entre os dentes da saudade
And sick love amidst the teeth of longing
Da morte, da engrenagem
From death, from the machinery
As mãos doentes entre os dentes
The sick hands amidst the teeth
Entre os dentes de um cão
Between the teeth of a dog
O corpo fino, cristais
The fine body, crystals
O quarto limpo, metais
The clean room, metals
Entre os dentes da paixão
Between the teeth of passion
Chão, caixão, escada
Floor, coffin, staircase
Apenas um jogo de palavras
Just a play of words
Entre tudo e nada
Between everything and nothing
Entre os dentes podres da canção
Between the rotten teeth of the song
Contributed by Colin F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.