From a musical family, Vinicius began writing poetry early in life. At the age of 14, he became friends with the brothers Paulo and Haroldo Tapajós and, with the latter, composed “Loura ou Morena”, his first song. In 1929, Vinicius enrolled in law school in Rio de Janeiro. Then, starting in 1932, he wrote lyrics for ten songs that were recorded by the Tapajós brothers. Upon completing his studies, he published his first two collections of poetry Caminho Para a Distância (1933) and Forma e Exegese. Later, in 1935, he became a cinema censor for the Ministry of Health and Education. During this time, he wrote his third book Ariana, a Mulher (1936).
Vinicius then headed to England (1938) with an English government scholarship to study literature at Oxford University and while there he wrote Novos Poemas. At that time he was married by proxy. In 1941, during World War II, Vinicius returned to Rio and began to write film reviews and other pieces for newspapers and magazines. Two years later, he joined Brazil’s diplomatic service and released his book Cinco Elegias. In 1946, he was sent to Los Angeles as vice-consul on his first diplomatic assignment and released Poemas, Sonetos e Baladas.
In 1950 Vinicius returned to Brazil upon his father’s death. His first samba (composed with musician Antônio Maria), was Quando Tu Passas por Mim, released in 1953, which was the same year in which he moved to France as second secretary to Brazil’s embassy.
The next year he wrote lyrics for some of Cláudio Santoro’s chamber music pieces and also staged his play Orfeu da Conceição, which was later adapted to cinema as Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro, Marcel Camus, 1959. The play won the IV São Paulo Centennial Contest in 1954. During production he was introduced to a relatively unknown pianist, Antônio Carlos Jobim, who was commissioned to write the music for the play. Jobim composed the music for Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Você, Um Nome de Mulher, and several other songs included in the production.
Following a return to his diplomatic duties in France and Uruguay, Vinicius released his books Livro de Sonetos and Novos Poemas II.
In 1958, the singer Elizeth Cardoso released her album Canção do Amor Demais, marking the beginning of bossa nova. This record consists wholly of compositions by the either Jobim or Vinicius, or both. The recording also featured a relatively unknown João Gilberto on two tracks. With the release of this record Vinicius’s—and his collaborators—can be said to have truly begun.
The songs of Jobim and Vinicius were recorded by numerous Brazilian singers and performers of that time. Renditions of many Jobim-Vinicius numbers on João Gilberto’s first three albums would firmly establish the sound and the core repertory of the bossa nova and would influence a new generation of singers and songwriters, especially in Rio de Janeiro. Among these songs are all time hits such as Garota de Ipanema, Insensatez and Chega de Saudade.
Meanwhile, Black Orpheus won an Academy Award for best foreign film in 1960, and also was awarded with the Palme d’Or at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the 1960 British Academy Award.
Vinicius’ songs Para uma Menina com uma Flor and Samba da Bênção (music by Baden Powell) were included on the soundtrack of A Man and a Woman (Un Homme et une Femme, Claude Lelouch, 1966), another Cannes film festival winner.
In the ’60s and ’70s, Vinicius continued collaborating with many renowned Brazilian singers and musicians, particularly Baden Powell, with whom he penned a series of songs with a heavy Afro-Brazilian influence and which came to be known collectively as the Afro-Sambas. His last steady music partner was Antonio Pecci Filho, better known as Toquinho. With Toquinho he released a series of very popular and influential albums.
Hundreds of international performers have recorded more than 400 of Vinicius’ songs.
Vinicius de Moraes died in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 9, 1980 at the age of 66. He is buried in Rio’s São João Batista Cemetery.
Marcha da Quarta-Feira de Cinzas
Vinicius de Moraes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ninguem ouve cantar cancoes
Ninguem passa mais brincando feliz
E nos coracoes
Saudades e cinzas foi o que restou
Pelas ruas o que se ve
E uma gente que nem se ve
Se beija e se abraca
E sai caminhando
Dancando e cantando cantigas de amor
E no entanto e preciso cantar
Mais que nunca e preciso cantar
E preciso cantar e alegrar a cidade
A tristeza que a gente tem
Qualquer dia vai se acabar
Todos vao sorrir
Voltou a esperanca
E o povo que danca
Contente da vida feliz a cantar
Porque sao tantas coisas azuis
E ha tao grandes promessas de luz
Tanto amor para amar de que a gente nem Sabe
Quem me dera viver pra ver
E brincar outros carnavais
Com a beleza dos velhos carnavais
Que marchas tao lindas
E o povo cantando seu canto de paz
Seu canto de paz
Seu canto de paz
Seu canto de paz
The lyrics of Vinicius de Moraes's song "Marcha de Quarta-Feira de Cinzas" reflect the end of carnival and the transition back to ordinary life. The opening lines, "Acabou nosso carnaval, ninguém ouve cantar canções" (Our carnival is over, no one hears the songs), suggest a somber and melancholic tone. The joyous atmosphere and carefree spirit of carnival have faded away, replaced by a sense of longing and ashes in the heart.
The following verses describe the scenes in the streets, where people no longer appear happy and playful. They don't smile, kiss, or embrace like before. However, they continue to walk, dance, and sing love songs, creating an illusion of joy. There is a contradiction between the surface celebration and the underlying sadness.
Despite this, the lyrics emphasize the necessity of singing and bringing happiness to the city. The singer declares that now, more than ever, it is vital to sing and uplift the spirits. The sadness that people feel will eventually fade away, and hope will return. The people will smile again, and the feeling of contentment and happiness will inspire them to sing. The lyrics express a desire to experience and participate in future carnivals and to recapture the beauty and nostalgia of the old ones.
Overall, the song portrays the contrast between the fleeting joy of carnival and the reality of everyday life. It suggests that despite the transience of happiness, it is essential to keep singing, bringing hope, and finding solace in music.
Line by Line Meaning
Acabou nosso carnaval
Our carnival is over
Ninguem ouve cantar cancoes
No one hears singing songs
Ninguem passa mais brincando feliz
No one passes by playing happily
E nos coracoes
Saudades e cinzas foi o que restou
And in our hearts, only longing and ashes remain
Pelas ruas o que se ve
E uma gente que nem se ve
In the streets, what we see is people who don't even see each other
Que nem se sorri
Se beija e se abraca
Who don't even smile, kiss or hug each other
E sai caminhando
Dancando e cantando cantigas de amor
And they walk away, dancing and singing love songs
E no entanto e preciso cantar
And yet, it is necessary to sing
Mais que nunca e preciso cantar
More than ever, it is necessary to sing
E preciso cantar e alegrar a cidade
It is necessary to sing and bring joy to the city
A tristeza que a gente tem
The sadness that we have
Qualquer dia vai se acabar
One day will come to an end
Todos vao sorrir
Everyone will smile
Voltou a esperanca
Hope has returned
E o povo que danca
And the people dance
Contente da vida feliz a cantar
Happily singing in the joy of life
Porque sao tantas coisas azuis
Because there are so many blue things
E ha tao grandes promessas de luz
And there are such great promises of light
Tanto amor para amar de que a gente nem Sabe
So much love to love that we don't even know
Quem me dera viver pra ver
I wish I could live to see
E brincar outros carnavais
And play in other carnivals
Com a beleza dos velhos carnavais
With the beauty of the old carnivals
Que marchas tao lindas
With such beautiful marches
E o povo cantando seu canto de paz
And the people singing their song of peace
Seu canto de paz
Seu canto de paz
Seu canto de paz
Their song of peace, their song of peace, their song of peace
Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda.
Written by: Carlos Eduardo Lyra Barbosa, Marcus Vinicius Da Cruz De Mello Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@silverfvm
Hoje faleceu Carlos Lyra, primeira música que me veio à cabeça foi essa. Descanse em paz!
@bogas65
Já somos dois ❤
@ZTHenrique
Não tem jeito. Todo ano eu coloco essa gravação para tocar logo quando acordo, na quarta-feira de cinzas. É meu momento favorito do carnaval. E sempre já fico ansioso pelo ano seguinte para ouvir dessa forma novamente. Isso que é poesia!
@anaelizabeth2494
Realmente, agora partiu Carlinhos Lyra
@antoniosassogarciafilho1476
Que coisa mais linda! Como pudemos descer tanto?
@gabcaldas
É hojee! A letra nunca fez tanto sentido como hoje. Letra profética!
@matheusanderson3953
Vinicius de morais, o que falar deste grande icone da MPB. foi poeta,jornalista, compositor,tramaturgo e diplomata. Vinicius de morais teve uma vida boa cheia de curtições, uma paixão por composição incrível. Com o seu amigo toquinho e com ele fez grandes composições como: A tonga da mironga do kabuletê, Onde anda você, Tarde em Itapuã, Samba pra Vinicius entre outras... Vinicius de Moraes deixou a sua grande marca na história da musica brasileira. A MPB!
@SaniMari
Que bela...
@matheusanderson3953
Hoje quarta feira de cinzas!! 👏👏👏👏 bela canção vinicius de morais!
@cerisestudiobyelenyv7353
É o ano de 2021... e nós vamos voltar a cantar e alegrar a cidade.... e a tristeza que a gente tem, qualquer dia vai se acabar.