Seu Jorge has gained exposure through his work as an actor and soundtrack composer. He appeared in the critically acclaimed 2002 film City of God as Mané Galinha, directed by filmmakers Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, and then played Pelé dos Santos in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, for which he provided much of the soundtrack in the form of Portuguese language cover versions of David Bowie classics. Bowie later went on to say about his cover album, The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions, that "had Seu Jorge not recorded my songs in Portuguese I would never have heard this new level of beauty which he has imbued them with".
In June 2006, he performed at Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester, Tennessee and at the Festival Sudoeste TMN in Portugal. He has also performed in 2006 at the Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario and performed at the Harbourfront in Toronto, Ontario. Jorge's performances are known for their excitement as well as for getting the crowd moving. In January 2010 he performed with Thievery Corporation at the Austin City Limits.
His album 'América Brasil' had a limited Brazilian release in 2007 under his label Cafuné Gravadora, distributed in the UK by Proper Music Distribution. In May 2010, Now-Again Records announced that Jorge's new album, Seu Jorge & Almaz, a collaboration with drummer Pupillo and guitarist Lucio Maia from Nação Zumbi and bassist and composer Antonio Pinto would be released in North America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand on July 27 and in Europe on September 14. The album has been described as "how powerful Brazilian soul music can be".
In 2011, he collaborated with Beck on the Mario C. remix of "Tropicália" for the Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album Red Hot+Rio 2.
In 2012, he collaborated with American fashion designer Rachel Roy on a line of sportswear, footwear, jewelry and handbags.
In 2015, he was nominated for the 16th Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album category.
On September 8, he performed after lighting the cauldron in the 2016 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
According to a DNA test, Seu Jorge is 85.1% African, 12.9% European and 2% Amerindian. He belongs to haplogroup R1b, suggesting that his paternal lineage probably derives from Western Europe.
Rock & Roll Suicide
Seu Jorge Lyrics
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E põe na boca
Entre os seus dedos vai estar outro cigarro
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade
Ou ou ou
Você é um rock n' roll suicide
Você está velho para se perder
Enquanto o tempo
Está correndo na cidade
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade
Ou ou ou
Você é um rock n' roll suicide
Você tem medo
Mas avança o sinal
E não percebe que o sol apareceu
Enquanto pode se esconder
Na sua casa você não vai ver
Que o que importa é que você não está só
Oh não, você não está só
Eu não vou deixar nem mesmo se você quiser
Venha me ver
O sol vai se pôr
E outra vez eu vou estar perto de você
Oh meu amor você não está só
Estou aqui para te proteger
Vamos viver pelo nosso bem
Só nós dois, não importa mais ninguém
Oh meu amor, já está partindo o trem
Do coração
Já esta partindo o trem
Do coração
Uh uh uh
Wonderful
Gimme your hands
Wonderful
Give me your hands
The song “Rock & Roll Suicide” by Seu Jorge is a tribute to the iconic rock star David Bowie. The lyrics of the song talk about the struggles of someone who is getting older and going through a rough patch in their life. In the first verse, the singer talks about how the person is smoking a cigarette, and they have another one between their fingers already. This could be interpreted as the person being afraid of facing the end and trying to forget their problems through vices. The lyrics “Ou ou ou Você é um rock n' roll suicide” means “You are a rock and roll suicide,” which suggests that this person identifies with the rock music culture that celebrates living fast and dying young.
The second verse of the song talks about how the person is scared of aging and dying, but they continue to live in a fast-paced city, and their flame of passion for life is still burning. The lyrics “Você está velho para se perder E muito novo para morrer” mean “You're too old to lose it, too young to choose it,” which suggests that this person is stuck in a limbo between youth and old age. The song encourages this person not to give up and to face life with courage. The singer reassures the person that they are not alone and that they will always be there for them, even during their darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Você pega um cigarro
You pick up a cigarette
E põe na boca
And put it in your mouth
Entre os seus dedos vai estar outro cigarro
Another cigarette will be between your fingers
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade
The flame of your love is burning in your absence
Ou ou ou
Oh oh oh
Você é um rock n' roll suicide
You are a rock n' roll suicide
Você está velho para se perder
You're too old to get lost
E muito novo para morrer
And too young to die
Enquanto o tempo
While time
Está correndo na cidade
Is running in the city
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade
The flame of your love is burning in your absence
Você é um rock n' roll suicide
You are a rock n' roll suicide
Você tem medo
You're scared
Mas avança o sinal
But move ahead
E não percebe que o sol apareceu
And don't realize that the sun appeared
Enquanto pode se esconder
While you can hide
Na sua casa você não vai ver
You won't see in your house
Que o que importa é que você não está só
That what matters is you're not alone
Oh não, você não está só
Oh no, you're not alone
Eu não vou deixar nem mesmo se você quiser
I won't let you even if you want to
Venha me ver
Come see me
O sol vai se pôr
The sun will set
E outra vez eu vou estar perto de você
And again I'll be near you
Oh meu amor você não está só
Oh my love you're not alone
Estou aqui para te proteger
I'm here to protect you
Vamos viver pelo nosso bem
Let's live for our own good
Só nós dois, não importa mais ninguém
Only us two, no one else matters
Oh meu amor, já está partindo o trem
Oh my love, the train is already leaving
Do coração
Of the heart
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
Wonderful
Wonderful
Gimme your hands
Give me your hands
Wonderful
Wonderful
Give me your hands
Give me your hands
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie, Jorge Seu
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind