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.
Obrigado Não
Rita Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mais faz sentido a contravenção
Legalize o que não é crime
Recrimine a falta de educação
Gravidez versus aborto
Quem quer nascer no Mar Morto
Quem quer morrer antes da concepção
Separe o joio do trigo
O Maquiavel do seu amigo
Casamento gay além de opção
É controle de população
Foi-se a ditadura militar
Foice e martelo não vão mais vingar
Servir exército só se for da salvação
Obrigado não!
Diga não às drogas
Mas seja educado
Diga não, obrigado!
Por que whisky sim
Por que Cannabis não?
Cuidado com polícia!
Cuidado com ladrão!
Não seja condenado a votar em canastrão
Obrigado não!
The lyrics of Rita Lee's song Obrigado Não are a commentary on social norms and politics. Lee speaks about how things that are perceived as taboo or forbidden often have a greater appeal, and how the criminalization of harmless activities can be harmful. She suggests that instead of penalizing harmless acts, the focus should be on education to prevent harmful behavior.
Lee touches on a number of controversial topics such as abortion versus pregnancy, gay marriage, and drug use. She argues that people should have the freedom to make decisions about their own lives, without interference from the government or society. She also suggests that certain social norms and expectations may be a form of population control.
The song also reflects on the recent history of Brazil, referencing the end of military dictatorship and the rise of religious groups. Lee advises against blindly following authority, whether it be the military or religious leaders.
Overall, Obrigado Não is a call to question societal expectations and to be mindful of the possible consequences of blindly following them.
Line by Line Meaning
Quanto mais proibido
The more forbidden something seems, the more sense contravention makes
Mais faz sentido a contravenção
Breaking rules seems reasonable when they are overly restrictive
Legalize o que não é crime
Things that are not harmful should be decriminalized
Recrimine a falta de educação
Lack of education should be criticized and addressed
Gravidez versus aborto
The debate between pregnancy and abortion
Quem quer nascer no Mar Morto
Who wants to be born into a dead sea
Quem quer morrer antes da concepção
Who wants to die before conception
Obrigado não!
No, thank you!
Separe o joio do trigo
Separate the bad from the good
O Maquiavel do seu amigo
Your friend's Machiavellian behavior
Casamento gay além de opção
Gay marriage is more than just an option
É controle de população
It's a form of population control
Foi-se a ditadura militar
The military dictatorship is over
Foice e martelo não vão mais vingar
The hammer and sickle won't succeed anymore
Servir exército só se for da salvação
Serve in the army only if it's for salvation
Obrigado não!
No, thank you!
Diga não às drogas
Say no to drugs
Mas seja educado
But be polite
Por que whisky sim
Why is whiskey okay
Por que Cannabis não?
Why not cannabis?
Cuidado com polícia!
Beware of police!
Cuidado com ladrão!
Watch out for thieves!
Não seja condenado a votar em canastrão
Don't be condemned to vote for a lousy candidate
Obrigado não!
No, thank you!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Karen
"Diga não as drogas, mas seja legal. Diga não, obrigado"
Rita Queen.
❤️🎸 fã de Rita Lee
**Mais seja educado
Pedro Gomes
@king PQ EXISTE TRAFICO DE CANNABIS PAGO POR PODEROSOS.
Luiz Guilherme Moreira Sales
Karen Rita Lee Tinha Atitude Né 😎👏
Karen
@Matheus Emanuel Andrade Santos Barreto kskssk
Wasllem Cezar
Genial
lukampf
Quase todos os temas abordados na música, tabus no final dos anos 90, permanecem ainda, quase 20 anos depois.
Pedro Gomes
@Lilith Antes uma mente fechada do que uma lavagem cerebral feita por gente bacana.
Lilith
Enquanto os mente fechadas continuarem vivendo ainda vai existir
cadelinha dá 1D
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