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.
Esse Tal de Roque Enrow
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ela odeia meus vestidos
Minha filha é um caso sério, Doutor
Ela agora está vivendo
Com esse tal de
Roque Enrow Roque Enrow
Roque En
Quando ele está por perto
É um menino tão sabido, Doutor
Ele quer modificar o mundo
Esse tal de
Roque Enrow Roque Enrow
Ro quem é ele?
Quem é ele?
Esse tal de Roque Enrow
Uma mosca, um mistério
Uma moda que passou
Já passou
Ele quem é ele?
Isso ninguém nunca falou
Ôh ôh
Ela não quer ser tratada, Doutor
E não pensa no futuro
A minha filha 'tá solteira, Doutor
Ela agora está lá na sala
Com esse tal de
Roque Enrow Roque En
Eu procuro estar por dentro, Doutor
Dessa nova geração
Mas minha filha
Não me leva a sério, Doutor
Ela fica cheia de mistério
Com esse tal de
Roque Enrow Roque Enrow
Ro quem é ele?
Quem é ele?
Esse tal de Roque Enrow
Um planeta, um deserto
Uma bomba que estourou
Ele quem é ele?
Isso ninguém nunca falou
É verdade, nunca, oh ha
Ela dança o dia inteiro, Doutor
E só estuda pra passar
E já fuma com essa idade, Doutor
Desconfio que não há mais cura pra esse tal de
Roque Enrow, é ele
Roque Enrow
Quem?
Roque Enrow
Roque Enrow
Viva Rita Lee
Viva o rock
Viva a Pitty
Obrigada por existir
The song "Esse Tal de Roque Enrow" by Rita Lee is a protest against the counterculture movement of the 1970s in Brazil that influenced young people, who rejected traditional values and embraced a rebellious attitude, drugs and rock music. The lyrics portray a father's frustration and concern over his daughter's behavior, who has become a member of the counterculture movement and is living with a man called Roque Enrow. The father complains that his daughter doesn't come home anymore and hates his dresses. He also worries that Roque Enrow is a bad influence on her and wants to change the world, but no one knows who he is. The father tries to understand his daughter's generation, but feels left behind and unable to connect with her. The song ends with a repeated chorus that questions the identity and significance of Roque Enrow.
The lyrics of "Esse Tal de Roque Enrow" reflect the social and cultural conflicts of the time, when Brazil was undergoing a period of political repression and economic instability, and the youth were seeking alternatives to conventional norms and values. The song expresses the generational gap between parents and children, and the clash between tradition and innovation, conservatism and radicalism, conformity and individualism. Rita Lee, who was a member of the band Os Mutantes, was one of the pioneers of Brazilian rock music and a spokesperson for the counterculture movement. Her lyrics and music were influential in shaping the cultural identity and political consciousness of a whole generation.
Line by Line Meaning
Ela nem vem mais pra casa
My daughter doesn't come home anymore
Doutor!
Doctor!
Ela odeia meus vestidos
My daughter hates my dresses
Minha filha é um caso sério
My daughter is a serious case
Doutor!
Doctor!
Ela agora está vivendo
Now she is living
Com esse tal de
With this guy named
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow! Roque En!
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow! Roque En!
Ela não fala comigo
She doesn't talk to me
Doutor!
Doctor!
Quando ele está por perto
When he is around
É um menino tão sabido
He's such a knowledgeable boy
Doutor!
Doctor!
Ele quer modificar o mundo
He wants to change the world
Esse tal de
This guy named
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow!
Ro! Quem é ele?
Ro! Who is he?
Quem é ele?
Who is he?
Esse tal de Roque Enrow!
This guy named Roque Enrow!
Uma mosca, um mistério
A fly, a mystery
Uma moda que passou
A trend that passed
Já Passou!
It's already gone!
Ele! Quem é ele?
Him! Who is he?
Isso ninguém nunca falou!
No one ever said!
Ôh! Ôh!
Oh! Oh!
Ela não quer ser tratada
She doesn't want to be treated
Doutor!
Doctor!
E não pensa no futuro
And she doesn't think about the future
A minha filha tá solteira
My daughter is single
Doutor
Doctor
Ela agora está lá na sala
Now she is in the living room
Com esse tal de
With this guy named
Roque Enrow! Roque En!
Roque Enrow! Roque En!
Eu procuro estar por dentro
I try to keep up
Doutor!
Doctor!
Dessa nova geração
With this new generation
Mas minha filha
But my daughter
Não me leva à sério
Doesn't take me seriously
Doutor!
Doctor!
Ela fica cheia de mistério
She becomes very mysterious
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow! Roque Enrow!
Ro! Quem é ele?
Ro! Who is he?
Quem é ele?
Who is he?
Esse tal de Roque Enrow!
This guy named Roque Enrow!
Um planeta, um deserto
A planet, a desert
Uma bomba que estourou
A bomb that exploded
Ele! Quem é ele?
Him! Who is he?
Isso ninguém nunca falou!
No one ever said!
Ôh! Ran!
Oh! Ran!
Ela dança o dia inteiro
She dances all day long
Doutor!
Doctor!
E só estuda pra passar
And only studies to pass
E já fuma com essa idade
And she already smokes at this age
Doutor!
Doctor!
Desconfio que não há
I suspect there is no
Mais cura pra esse tal de
More cure for this guy named
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Quem?
Who?
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Roque Enrow!
Lyrics © Tratore, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paulo Coelho De Souza, Rita Lee Jones De Carvalho
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind