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.
Bruxa Amarela
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O que me levou a reler Alice no País das Maravilhas
Já andei de motocicleta e fiz esporte
E numa corrida me encontrei com a morte
Acabei de tomar minha cerveja
Minha comida ainda está quente sobre a mesa
E vejo a bruxa cruzando a grande lua amarela
E vou dormir quase em paz
E a chuva promete não deixar vestígio
E a chuva promete não deixar vestígio
Aprendi a ler no rosto
O que as pessoas não querem me dizer
Aprendi a ler na alma
O que as pessoas não podem me esconder
Duas horas da manhã eu abro a minha janela
E vejo a bruxa cruzando a grande lua amarela
E vou dormir quase em paz
The lyrics of the song Bruxa Amarela by Rita Lee & Tutti Frutti reflect the singer's state of mind and contemplative mood. The opening lines talk about how the singer has recently evaluated her life and read Alice in Wonderland again. This implies that the singer is going through a phase of self-reflection and introspection. The next few lines talk about the various activities the singer has been indulging in, such as riding a motorcycle, doing sports, and even encountering death during a race. These lines suggest that the singer is living life to the fullest and taking risks along the way.
The following lines describe the singer's present situation, where she has just had a beer and her food is still on the table. It sets the scene for the next verse, where the singer talks about her ability to read people's faces and souls. This suggests that the singer is intuitive and can sense the emotions and intentions of people around her.
The chorus of the song describes the singer opening her window at two in the morning and seeing a witch crossing a big yellow moon. This is a metaphor for the supernatural and mystical forces that the singer is aware of and possibly interacts with. Despite this, the singer is at peace and goes to sleep almost in peace. The last line is repeated twice, emphasizing the idea that nothing will be left behind by the rain, suggesting that one should live in the present and not worry about the past or the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Acabei de dar um check-up na situação
I just checked the situation, assessed my life.
O que me levou a reler Alice no País das Maravilhas
This led me to reread 'Alice in Wonderland.'
Já andei de motocicleta e fiz esporte
I've ridden a motorcycle and played sports.
E numa corrida me encontrei com a morte
In a race, I faced death.
Acabei de tomar minha cerveja
I just had a beer.
Minha comida ainda está quente sobre a mesa
My food is still warm on the table.
Duas horas da manhã eu abro a minha janela
At two in the morning, I open my window.
E vejo a bruxa cruzando a grande lua amarela
And I see the witch crossing the big yellow moon.
E vou dormir quase em paz
And I go to sleep almost in peace.
E a chuva promete não deixar vestígio
And the rain promises not to leave a trace.
E a chuva promete não deixar vestígio
And the rain promises not to leave a trace.
Aprendi a ler no rosto
I learned to read faces.
O que as pessoas não querem me dizer
What people don't want to tell me.
Aprendi a ler na alma
I learned to read souls.
O que as pessoas não podem me esconder
What people can't hide from me.
Duas horas da manhã eu abro a minha janela
At two in the morning, I open my window.
E vejo a bruxa cruzando a grande lua amarela
And I see the witch crossing the big yellow moon.
E vou dormir quase em paz
And I go to sleep almost in peace.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAULO COELHO DE SOUZA, RAUL SANTOS SEIXAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind