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.
Cry Me A River
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You cried the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me,
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Told me love was to plebeian
Told me you were through with me
Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Told me love was to plebeian
Told me you were through with me
And now you say you love me
Well, just to prove that you do
Come on! Come on
Cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
Rita Lee's song Cry Me a River is a powerful ballad that speaks about an individual who was hurt and betrayed by a past lover. The opening lines, "Now you say you're lonely, You cried the long night through" suggest that the ex-lover is experiencing a sense of loneliness and possibly regret. However, the singer simply tells the ex-lover to cry her a river, as this was the same thing the singer did when she was hurt by the ex-lover, "Well, you can cry me a river, Cry me a river, I cried a river over you."
Furthermore, the lyrics suggest that the ex-lover was not truthful, "Now you say you're sorry, For being so untrue." This line connotes that the ex-lover cheated on the singer, further making the singer feel hurt and want to maintain distance from the ex-lover. Despite the ex-lover begging for another chance, the singer remains reluctant until the ex-lover can prove that their love is real, "Now you say you love me, Well, just to prove you do, Cry me a river, Cry me a river, I cried a river over you."
In conclusion, Cry Me a River is a song that speaks to individuals who have been hurt by someone they once loved. The lyrics are honest and straightforward, with the singer not feigning any emotions as regards the ex-lover's feelings. It is a powerful ballad that speaks of sadness, regret, and a longing for healing and closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you say you're lonely
You're claiming to feel lonely now
You cried the long night through
You sobbed the entire night
Well, you can cry me a river
You’re saddened and upset you can take that emotion out on me
Cry me a river
Let it all out and cry, cry, cry
I cried a river over you
I too cried endlessly over you
Now you say you're sorry
You feel remorseful now
For being so untrue
For not being honest and disloyal
You drove me,
Your actions and words have pushed me to the edge
Nearly drove me out of my head
You nearly made me crazy with your behavior
While you never shed a tear
You showed no indication of being emotional or remorseful
Remember?
Do you recall what you did?
I remember all that you said
I recollect every hurtful word you uttered
Told me love was to plebeian
You asserted that love was for common folk
Told me you were through with me
You informed me that our relationship was over
Now you say you love me
You’re now claiming to feel love for me
Well, just to prove you do
In order to demonstrate and confirm your feelings
Come on! Come on
Encouraging you to take action
I cried a river over you
I’m trying to move on and heal from the pain you caused me
Cry me a river
I don’t want you to hold back or pretend to be strong - let those tears flow
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ricardo Pinheiro
Rita Lee, sempre um prazer ouvir!
girassol
amo esse album! e essa versão é phoooooda
Binah Ire
magnífica
MARIA VIRGINIA BOSCO
De arrepiar...
Vitor Machado
Simmmmmmmm !!!
chezeau marc
superbe version accoustique, que du bonheur! merci rita
Giorno'sMusic 🎧
DIVA!
girassol
esse vinil nao tenho ! morri de inveja oh sorte <3
glitch xcdm
lesley na voz da rita é uma coisa maravilhosa mesmo
Kevin COSNER Facebook
Usou bem a voz intermediária. Pena que não divulguem esse lado mais raiz dela, já que a cantora é norteamericana, radicada no país 😃. Ficou excelente esse JAZZ/BOSSA