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 N' 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 lyrics to Seu Jorge's song Rock N' Roll Suicide explore the struggle of a person who is caught between the past and the future. The first stanza talks about smoking, which is often associated with a sense of nostalgia for better times. The second stanza talks about the character being torn between the desire to live and the fear of death. The time seems to be running out for this person, who is caught up in the city's fast pace.
The Chorus "You are a rock n' roll suicide" is followed by the lyrics that depict the character's inner thoughts, where he or she is trying to overcome the fear of death, taking the risk to move on, and ignoring warning signs. The third stanza is about accepting help, which is needed to overcome the fear of being alone. The last stanza is about love, which is there to protect and comfort the person. The character is asked to believe in their ability to choose their destiny and to hold on to love as a source of strength.
Overall, the song seems to be about the idea that we are all rock n' roll suicides, caught between the past and the future, between life and death, but we can choose to live on and make the most of our lives by relying on love and the support of others.
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
Between your fingers will be another cigarette
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade Ou ou ou
Your flame is burning with longing (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 Está correndo na cidade
While time is running in the city
A sua chama está ardendo de saudade Ou ou ou
Your flame is burning with longing (Oh oh oh)
Você é um rock n' roll suicide
You are a rock 'n' roll suicide
Você tem medo
You're afraid
Mas avança o sinal
But you go through the red light
E não percebe que o sol apareceu
And don't realize that the sun has come out
Enquanto pode se esconder
While you can hide
Na sua casa você não vai ver
You won't see from your house
Que o que importa é que você não está só
That what matters is that 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 leave even if you want me 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 once again I'll be close to 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
Just the two of us, no one else matters
Oh meu amor, já está partindo o trem Do coração
Oh my love, the train of the heart is already leaving
Já esta partindo o trem Do coração Uh uh uh
The train of the heart is already leaving (Uh uh uh)
Wonderful Gimme your hands
Wonderful, gimme your hands
Wonderful Give me your hands
Wonderful, give me your hands
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Bowie, Jorge Seu
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind