Rita helped to incorporate the rock revolution into the creative explosion of tropicalismo, formed the most celebrated Brazilian rock band in the world, Os Mutantes, and created solo songs with enormous popular appeal without losing her freedom and irreverence.
Former member of the group Os Mutantes (1966 — 1972) and leader of the band Tutti Frutti (1973 — 1978), Lee participated in important revolutions in the world of music and society, such as the Tropicália movement during the Brazilian dictatorship, which led her to be the artist with the most censored songs in Brazil during that period. Her songs, usually watered with an acid irony or with a claim for female independence and sexual topics, became ubiquitous in the charts. The album, Fruto Proibido (1975), released together with the band Tutti Frutti, is commonly seen as a fundamental milestone in the history of Brazilian rock, considered by some as her masterpiece.
In 1976, Lee began a romantic relationship with guitarist Roberto de Carvalho and since then he has been the partner on most of her songs and accompanied her in all her live performances. They had three children, including Beto Lee, also a guitarist, who accompanies his parents in concerts. With a career that has reached 50 years, Rita Lee has gone from the musical innovation of the late 1960s and 1970s to the highly successful romantic ballads of the 1980s. In October 2008, Rolling Stone magazine promoted the List of the 100 Greatest Artists in Brazilian Music, where Rita Lee ranks 15th.
In 2001, Rita Lee won the Latin Grammy for Best Portuguese Language Rock Album with "3001". She would receive five more nominations for the award and in 2022, she was awarded the Musical Excellence award for her body of work. In 2012, she announced that she would retire from performing live due to physical frailty. "I retire from shows, but never from music," she wrote on Twitter.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and had been undergoing treatment for the disease. She passed away in her hometown of São Paulo at the age of 75 on May 8, 2023.
Alô! Alô! Marciano
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aqui quem fala é da Terra
Pra variar, estamos em guerra
Você não imagina a loucura
O ser humano tá na maior fissura porque
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
Alô, alô marciano
Cada um por si, todo mundo na lona
E lá se foi a mordomia
Tem muito rei aí pedindo alforria porque
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
Alô, alô marciano
A coisa tá ficando ruça
Muita patrulha, muita bagunça
O muro começou a pichar
Tem sempre um aiatolá prá atolá , Aláh
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
The song "Alô, Alô Marciano" by Rita Lee is a social commentary on the state of society on earth. The lyrics suggest that humans are in a state of craziness and war, with everyone being affected by the crisis that's turning into chaos. The title "Alô, Alô Marciano" implies that the character being addressed is an alien, someone from another planet who is not affected by the chaos and strife on earth. Despite not knowing what's going on, the character is being reached out to for a possible solution to the problems on earth.
The lyrics mention the high society, which is the class of people deemed to have the highest social status in society. The term 'high' suggests status, but the word 'down' suggests that the people in high society are struggling and not happy. They are begging for freedom and struggling to survive. The song then describes the situation on earth as 'down' and 'ruça,' which means it's getting worse. The reference to an 'aiatolá para atolar' suggests that even religion is not exempt from the chaos and its effects.
This song is not just a call for help from an imaginary character but is a reflection on our society's state from the time it was created. It speaks to the woes presently being faced in society in a political and social context. The song talks about socio-economic status, class and inequality which resonate today just as much as it did when it first came out.
Line by Line Meaning
Alô, alô marciano
Hello, hello Martian
Aqui quem fala é da Terra
It's Earth speaking
Pra variar, estamos em guerra
As usual, we are at war
Você não imagina a loucura
You can't imagine the madness
O ser humano tá na maior fissura porque
Humans are in a frenzy because
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
They are becoming more and more down in high society
Alô, alô marciano
Hello, hello Martian
A crise tá virando zona
The crisis is becoming a mess
Cada um por si, todo mundo na lona
Everyone is on their own, everyone is broke
E lá se foi a mordomia
And the luxury is gone
Tem muito rei aí pedindo alforria porque
There are many kings asking for freedom because
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
They are becoming more and more down in high society
Alô, alô marciano
Hello, hello Martian
A coisa tá ficando ruça
Things are getting rough
Muita patrulha, muita bagunça
A lot of patrol, a lot of mess
O muro começou a pichar
The wall started to get graffitied
Tem sempre um aiatolá prá atolá , Aláh
There is always an Ayatollah to sink, Allah
Tá cada vez mais down no high society
They are becoming more and more down in high society
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rita Lee Jones De Carvalho, Roberto Zenobio Affonso De Carvalho
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kauecangirana9193
Alô alô Marciano
Aqui quem fala é da Terra
Pra variar, estamos em guerra
Você não imagina a loucura
O ser humano tá na maior fissura porque
Tá cada vez mais down in the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
Alô alô marciano
A crise tá virando zona
Cada um por si todo mundo na lona
E lá se foi a mordomia
Tem muito rei aí pedindo alforria porque
Tá cada vez mais down in the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
Alô alô marciano
A coisa tá ficando ruça
Muita patrulha, muita bagunça
O muro começou a pichar
Tem sempre um aiatolá pra atola Alá
Tá cada vez mais down in the high society
Down, down, down
In The high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down, down
In the high society
Down, down down
Alô alô marciano
Aqui quem fala é da Terra
Pra variar estamos em guerra
Você não imagina a loucura
O ser humano tá na maior fissura porque
Tá cada vez mais down in the high society
Down, down, down
The high society
Down, down, down
The high society
Ui, gente fina é outra coisa, entende?
Down, down, down
High society
Down, down, down, down, down
High society
Hoje não se fazem mais countries como antigamente, não é?
High society, high society, high society, high society
Down, down, down
High society
Down, down, down, down down
High society
Ai que chique é o jazz, meu Deus
Down, down, down
High society
Down, down, down
Ah, Deus
@thaisfragoso8369
Galera do futuro, curtem meu comentário pra mim nunca esquecer desse hino !!
@TheTipsandlessons
pronto fiz a minha parte.
@viniciushsales
Pronto 😊
@guilhermealves8415
2019 set
@georgecjr8
Eu nunca esqueço, passa uns meses e vou fumar um baseado e vem Rita in my mind!!
@juliabastos9630
Mim não conjuga verbo
@Brenobw22
Se você ver isso saiba que você tem um excelente gosto para música, já que essa não é só música é arte.
@DaisySimao-lm6gi
Música capaz de sensibilizar, quando escutada, para ultrapassar os abusos dos poderosos sobre os mais fracos. A Rita Lee Canta os sensatos ideais do futuro - clima, amor, fraternidade. Digam lá se não concordam? Sensatez e modéstia não é a mesma coisa.
@flavioassuncao449
Queria tanto ter o prazer de ir a um show seu, mas não foi possível…
Descanse em paz lenda! 🖤
@comicsreport503
Rita Lee me lembra a personagem Edna do desenho ''Os Incríveis''