Samba came of age in Rio de Janeiro during the early 20th century, nurtured… Read Full Bio ↴Samba came of age in Rio de Janeiro during the early 20th century, nurtured in the city's 'samba schools'. Velha Guarda Da Portela are a group of veteran musicians from one such institution, whose traditions have long been transmitted orally. Aware that this left them vulnerable to extinction, Brazilian MPB star Marisa Monte – whose father was a director of the Portela Samba School – decided to seek out, dust down and restore the finest songs in their repertoire, none of which had been recorded before. Tudo Azul, from 2000, is the result, augmented with four bonus tracks from two other albums recorded in 2001 and cut from a similar cloth. The only mystery is why this disc (the bulk of which was recorded in 1999) has taken so long to appear.

It's to Monte's credit that she avoids the overcooked production that detracted slightly from her recent fine album Universo Ao Meu Redor. Instead, she favours a simple stripped down sound for the understated but effervescent acoustic arrangements. These feature the ukulele-like trill of cavaquinho, mellow 7-string guitar, the occasional woozy trombone and samba’s trademark percussive battery of booming surdo drum, the cheeky-sounding cuíca (friction drum), tambourine, pandeiro and so on. Monte is a great singer, but only allows herself two honeyed vocals, the best of which appears on the delightful Volta Meu Amor. The other guest stars include samba smoothie Paulinho da Viola (A Noite Que Tudo Esconde), Cristina Buarque (somewhat lost in the chorus of Monha Vontade) and Moreno Veloso, who sounds much like his father Caetano on Vou Me Embora.

But it's the Velha Guarda ('old guard') who take centrestage. Some of their singers such as Casemiro da Cuíca and Jair Do Cavaquinho (both taking their stage names from the instruments they also play) seem a little wobbly on their feet, even if they can still swing. But thankfully, Monarco still sounds in rude health and takes the lion's share of the lead vocals. All are usually accompanied by a wonderfully rousing chorus of backing/call and response singers – typified by Você Me Abandonu – underlining the communal nature of this music.

Minha Vontade
VELHA GUARDA DA PORTELA Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quero viver como passarinho
Cantar voar sem direcao
Quando eu quiser construir meu ninho
Hei de encontrar um coracao
Por enquanto eu quero viver
Com toda a liberdade
Saltando aqui pousando ali
Essa e minha vontade

Nao eu nao quero prisao
Para o meu coracao eu nao quero

Sera bem triste o meu fim
Se eu nao conseguir levar minha vida assim

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of VELHA GUARDA DA PORTELA's song "Minha Vontade" express a desire for freedom and independence, using the metaphor of a bird. The singer longs to live like a bird, without any boundaries or restrictions. The ability to sing and fly without direction symbolizes the freedom to express oneself without limitations or expectations.

The lyrics also touch upon the desire to build a nest, which represents a sense of belonging and finding a place to call home. This indicates the need for emotional connection and the hope of finding someone who can understand and appreciate their desire for freedom. The mention of finding a heart suggests the search for a kindred spirit or a loving companion who can support and embrace their longing for liberty.

The singer emphasizes their current state of wanting to embrace life with absolute freedom. They express a desire to explore, to jump and land wherever they please, illustrating their refusal to be confined or tied down. The repetition of "essa e minha vontade" reinforces their determination to live life on their own terms and to follow their own desires and passions.

Moreover, the lyrics carry a hint of fear or melancholy about the potential consequences of not being able to live their life in the way they dream of. The line "Nao eu nao quero prisao / Para o meu coracao eu nao quero" expresses their rejection of any form of confinement or restrictions on their heart. They fear that a life without freedom would ultimately lead to a sad and unfulfilled existence. This highlights the importance of personal autonomy and the pursuit of one's own desires in finding true happiness and fulfillment.

Line by Line Meaning

Quero viver como passarinho
I desire to live like a bird, free and uninhibited

Cantar voar sem direcao
Singing and flying without a specific destination or purpose

Quando eu quiser construir meu ninho
Whenever I want to build my nest

Hei de encontrar um coracao
I will find a soul that understands and accepts me

Por enquanto eu quero viver
For now, I want to live

Com toda a liberdade
With complete freedom

Saltando aqui pousando ali
Jumping here and landing there

Essa e minha vontade
This is my desire

Nao eu nao quero prisao
No, I don't want imprisonment

Para o meu coracao eu nao quero
I don't want it for my heart

Sera bem triste o meu fim
My end will be very sad