He was born in Rio de Janeiro, as Renato Manfredini Júnior. His father was an executive of the Banco do Brasil, and they moved to New York in 1967, when Renato's father was assigned a job position on the city. Later, they came back to Rio de Janeiro before finally, in 1973, moving to Brasília.
At the age of 15, Renato acquired epiphysiolysis, a disease that paralyzed his legs for two years. Due to this condition, Renato became an enthusiastic reader. He studied Law. He grew interested in music, particularly punk. He worked as a journalist and an English teacher for a brief period before becoming a full-time musician and composer.
During the years of 1978 and 1979, he was the bass player of the rock band Aborto Elétrico (Electric Abortion). Although the band did not last too long, Renato Russo wrote many songs during this period, that would later become hits of Capital Inicial (founded by the other members of the Aborto Elétrico) and Legião Urbana (founded by Renato Russo).
In 1982, he, along with Marcelo Bonfá, Dado Villa-Lobos and Renato Rocha, formed the Legião Urbana (idealized some time before by Renato Russo). With "Legião Urbana" and "Dois", they became widely famous in Brazil, with protest songs at first, and songs about love, spiritualism, family and sex afterwards.
In the 1990s, Renato worked in two solo albums with English and Italian songs, named "The Stonewall Celebration Concert" and "Equilíbrio Distante", respectively. "O Último Solo" was released posthumously containing Italian and English songs as well. In 2008, another posthumous album named "O Trovador Solitário" was released. This album contained homemade songs originally recorded by Renato in 1982, when he was 22 years old.
Renato Russo died in October 11, 1996 from an AIDS related illness. After his death, the remaining members of Legião Urbana decided to dismantle the band.
His official site is www.renatorusso.com.br.
The dance
Renato Russo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The dance we shared beneath the stars, above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye?And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king?
If I'd only known how the king would fall
Then who's to say?
You know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could've missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Yes, my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Renato Russo’s “The Dance” is an introspective ballad about the fleeting nature of happiness and the importance of cherishing the moments that make life worth living. The song reminisces about a past romantic encounter that once brought immense joy and fulfillment to the singer's life. Beginning with a nostalgic reflection, the opening verses establish the setting of the dance, beneath the stars above - a moment of pure bliss. The singer then laments not knowing that the relationship would come to an end, but expresses gratitude for the experience. The song emphasizes the importance of accepting the “chance” that life offers or gambling on something that can bring us immense joy, even if it comes with the possibility of pain in the end.
The second half of “The Dance” discusses the price of love and happiness. The singer wonders what would have happened if they had known the outcome in advance and how that knowledge might have changed their actions. In the end, the singer comes to the realization that life is better lived in uncertainty, appreciating the moments they were lucky to have experienced, even with the accompanying pain. The entire song is a meditation on the human condition, exploring the duality of pleasure and pain, and finding beauty in the transience of life's experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking back on the memory of
Reflecting on a past experience
The dance we shared beneath the stars, above
A romantic dance between two people in a heavenly setting
For a moment all the world was right
During that dance, everything felt perfect and peaceful
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye?
Unaware of future events that would lead the person to leave
And now I'm glad I didn't know
Pleased that ignorance spared from pain
The way it all would end
The future events and their disastrous conclusion
The way it all would go
The unstoppable events leading to the end
Our lives are better left to chance
Our fate is not controlled by us, but is left to atmospheric chance
I could have missed the pain
Not experiencing the heartbreak and sorrowly aftermath
But I'd have had to miss the dance
However, this would also mean missing out on the joy and happiness of the dance
Holding you I held everything
During the dance, the person felt like they held all the world's happiness
For a moment wasn't I a king?
The dance made them feel powerful and important
If I'd only known how the king would fall
If they had known what future had in hold, they would have acted differently
Then who's to say?
They question the possibility of changing the course of events
You know I might have changed it all
They believe that their actions could have altered the future but they did not have the knowledge of its certainty
Yes, my life is better left to chance
They once again acknowledge the uncertainty of life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tony Arata
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
márcia monteiro de moraes
Eu tenho este CD do Renato Russo e The dance é a minha música favorita neste lindo álbum. A versão do Renato Russo é mais bonita do que na voz de Garth Brooks. Na minha modesta opinião. A sensibilidade e a bela voz do Renato nesta canção vai como uma flecha direto ao coração. Impossível não se emocionar.
Alessandro Prado
Assim como "If tomorrow never comes"... na voz do Renato ganhou uma outra dimensão!!!
jocemar de araujo
"Eu poderia ter evitado a dor, mas teria que perder a dança." Isso é muito lindo. Resume toda uma vida: tentativa e erro. Tragédia. Sofrer com honra. Ansiedade e medo; amadurecer. Momentos de belezas inenarráveis. Entender o que é ser feliz: relação profunda com as coisas conquistadas, com as pessoas que estão ao nosso redor e com aquelas que foram embora e hoje fazem parte das lembranças de momentos que nos ensinaram amar. Como escreveu Lavelle, uma vida feliz consiste em fazer desses momentos a morada constante do nosso espírito. Que Deus nos abençoe.
Gutierry Kretzer
Teu comentário resume exatamente o que sinto e penso ao escutar essa música. Lindas palavras. Parabéns
Gutierry Kretzer
Palavras tão lindas qnto essa música que só poderia ter sido cantada pelo nosso Renato. Deus já nos está abençoando ao ler e ouvir.
Alessandra Pereira
Lindas palavras, você tem Instagram? Adoraria te seguir 👏🏻👏🏻
Juliana Simões
Fiquei tocada pelo que você falou, Jocemar. Bela reflexão.
Joba Lima
@Tatiana Carla , quem dera, Tati. Rsrsrs...
Allyce Santos
"The Dance]
Looking back on the memory of The dance we shared beneath the stars above For a moment all the world was right How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye? And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end The way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd have had to miss the dance Holding you I held everything For a moment wasn't I a king? If I'd only known how the king would fall Then who's to say? You know I might have changed it all And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end The way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd have had to miss the dance It's my life, it's better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd have had to miss the dance"
Gilberto Souza os Vestígios da Baixada Fluminense
Renato Russo no melhor estilo vocal do Elton John !!! ... ESPETACULAR !!!