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.
As Mina de Sampa
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pudera!
Praia de paulista é o Ibirapuera
As mina de Sampa querem grana, um cara bacana
De poder!
Um jeito americanês de sobreviver
Mas pra sambar no pé tem que nascer carioca
Tem mina de Sampa que é discreta, concreta,
Uma lady!
Nas rêivi ela é véri, véri krêizi
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
As mina de Sampa estão na moda, na roda, no rock,
No enfoque!
É do Paraguai a grife made in Nova Iorque
As mina de Sampa dizem mortandeila, berinjeila,
Apartameintu!
Sotaque do Bexiga, reina, cem por cento
As mina de Sampa conhecem a Bahia, por fotografia,
Que natureza!
Toda menina baiana vive na maior moleza.
As mina de Sampa dão duro no trampo, no banco,
Mãos ao alto!
Ou dá ou desce ou desocupa o asfalto
Eu gosto às pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Rita Lee's song, "As minas de Sampa" is a tribute to the women of São Paulo, Brazil. The lyrics describe the different types of women in the city, from the wealthy socialites to the hardworking women in the banking industry. The song also touches on the city's diverse culture and reference the Brazilian state of Bahia, known for its beautiful beaches and laid-back lifestyle.
The first verse refers to the fair-skinned women of São Paulo who enjoy spending time in the city's main park, Ibirapuera. The second verse highlights the desire of many São Paulo women for wealth and a wealthy partner, often adopting an "American" way of life to achieve their goals. The third verse acknowledges that while São Paulo women are modern and fashionable, they must be from Rio de Janeiro to truly know how to samba. The last verse talks about women who are hardworking and determined to succeed, but must also be aware of the city's dangers.
This song showcases Rita Lee's ability to write clever and humorous lyrics that capture the essence of Brazilian culture. It has become an anthem for the women of São Paulo and has been covered by various Brazilian artists.
Line by Line Meaning
As mina de Sampa são branquelas que só elas
Pudera!
Praia de paulista é o Ibirapuera
The girls of Sampa are only white girls
What a pity!
The beach for the people of São Paulo is Ibirapuera Park
As mina de Sampa querem grana, um cara bacana
De poder!
Um jeito americanês de sobreviver
The girls of Sampa want money, a cool guy
With power!
An American way of surviving
As mina de Sampa são modernas, eternas dondocas!
Mas pra sambar no pé tem que nascer carioca
The girls of Sampa are modern, eternal divas!
But to samba you have to be born a carioca (from Rio de Janeiro)
Tem mina de Sampa que é discreta, concreta,
Uma lady!
Nas rêivi ela é véri, véri krêizi
There are girls in Sampa who are discreet, concrete
A lady!
On TV she is very, very crazy
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
I like the way the girls of Sampa are!
As mina de Sampa estão na moda, na roda, no rock,
No enfoque!
É do Paraguai a grife made in Nova Iorque
The girls of Sampa are in fashion, in the scene, in rock
In the focus!
The Paraguayan brand made in New York
As mina de Sampa dizem mortandeila, berinjeila,
Apartameintu!
Sotaque do Bexiga, reina, cem por cento
The girls of Sampa say mortadella, eggplant
Apartment!
The accent from Bexiga (Italian neighborhood), rules, one hundred percent
As mina de Sampa conhecem a Bahia, por fotografia,
Que natureza!
Toda menina baiana vive na maior moleza.
The girls of Sampa know Bahia through photographs
What a nature!
Every girl from Bahia lives in extreme leisure
As mina de Sampa dão duro no trampo, no banco,
Mãos ao alto!
Ou dá ou desce ou desocupa o asfalto
The girls of Sampa work hard in the workplace, in the bank
Hands up!
Either give it up or clear the way
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
As mina de Sampa
The girls of Sampa
Eu gosto as pampa das mina de Sampa!
I like the way the girls of Sampa are!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind