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.
Tarde Em Itapoã
Vinicius de Moraes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O dia pra vadiar
Um mar que não tem tamanho
E um arco-íris no ar
Depois na praça Caymmi
Sentir preguiça no corpo
E numa esteira de vime
Beber uma água de coco
É bom
Passar uma tarde em Itapuã
Ao sol que arde em Itapuã
Ouvindo o mar de Itapuã
Falar de amor em Itapuã
Enquanto o mar inaugura
Um verde novinho em folha
Argumentar com doçura
Com uma cachaça de rolha
E com o olhar esquecido
No encontro de céu e mar
Bem devagar ir sentindo
A terra toda a rodar
É bom
Passar uma tarde em Itapuã
Ao sol que arde em Itapuã
Ouvindo o mar de Itapuã
Falar de amor em Itapuã
Depois sentir o arrepio
Do vento que a noite traz
E o diz-que-diz-que macio
Que brota dos coqueirais
E nos espaços serenos
Sem ontem nem amanhã
Dormir nos braços morenos
Da lua de Itapuã
É bom
Passar uma tarde em Itapuã
Ao sol que arde em Itapuã
Ouvindo o mar de Itapuã
Falar de amor em Itapuã
The lyrics of Vinicius de Moraes's song "Tarde em Itapuã" describe a lazy afternoon spent in Itapuã, a district of Salvador in the Brazilian state of Bahia. The singer describes his surroundings: an old swimsuit, a boundless ocean, and a rainbow in the sky. He then describes a typical Itapuã experience: a visit to Praça Caymmi, where one can recline and relax on a wicker mat while enjoying a refreshing coconut water. The singer emphasizes the pleasures of being present in the moment and feeling the rotation of the earth beneath him. Throughout the song, the singer continues to describe the various sensations and experiences one can have in Itapuã, from arguing sweetly over drinks to sleeping in the arms of the moon.
Overall, "Tarde Em Itapuã" celebrates the simple pleasures of life and encourages the listener to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the world around them. The song creates a vivid picture of Itapuã, a place that is both idyllic and real, inspiring listeners to seek out similar moments of relaxation and enjoyment in their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Um velho calção de banho
Just a casual and comfortable attire
O dia pra vadiar
A day to relax and do nothing
Um mar que não tem tamanho
A sea so vast that it seems endless
E um arco-íris no ar
A colorful and beautiful rainbow in the sky
Depois na praça Caymmi
Later on, go to Caymmi Square
Sentir preguiça no corpo
Feeling lazy and relaxed
E numa esteira de vime
And on a wicker mat
Beber uma água de coco
Drink some refreshing coconut water
É bom
It's good
Passar uma tarde em Itapuã
To spend an afternoon in Itapuã
Ao sol que arde em Itapuã
Under the scorching sun of Itapuã
Ouvindo o mar de Itapuã
Listening to the sound of the sea in Itapuã
Falar de amor em Itapuã
Talking about love in Itapuã
Enquanto o mar inaugura
While the sea unveils
Um verde novinho em folha
A brand new green foliage
Argumentar com doçura
Having sweet arguments
Com uma cachaça de rolha
Drinking some rum with cork
E com o olhar esquecido
With a forgotten look
No encontro de céu e mar
At the meeting point of sky and sea
Bem devagar ir sentindo
Slowly feeling
A terra toda a rodar
The whole earth spinning
Depois sentir o arrepio
Later, feeling shivers
Do vento que a noite traz
That the night breeze brings
E o diz-que-diz-que macio
And the soft whispers
Que brota dos coqueirais
That emerge from the coconut trees
E nos espaços serenos
In the peaceful spaces
Sem ontem nem amanhã
Without yesterday or tomorrow
Dormir nos braços morenos
Sleeping in the tanned arms
Da lua de Itapuã
Of the moon in Itapuã
É bom
It's good
Passar uma tarde em Itapuã
To spend an afternoon in Itapuã
Ao sol que arde em Itapuã
Under the scorching sun of Itapuã
Ouvindo o mar de Itapuã
Listening to the sound of the sea in Itapuã
Falar de amor em Itapuã
Talking about love in Itapuã
Contributed by Lauren L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@_elfran__
Minha mãe é tradutora de português e quando eu era criança tocava discos do Vinicius-Toquinho em casa. Essa música é linda e me lembra minha infância. Amo você irmão Brasil, saudações da Argentina. ❤
@andreigormelosousa8902
gratidão. tudo de bom pra você
@juliovalentti3986
Aquí en latinoamericana y en el mundo, la música brasileña es de un nivel superior!!
@dinabotto444
Tenho 74 anos e essa música eu e meu marido ouvíamos o tempo todo junto com nossos filhos.
@user-fl9dt4qk5h
Falar de AMOR em ITAPUÃ,e dormir em seus braços,estrelas,lua,sonho encantado 💖💖
@josecarlosandrade3699
Era um Brasil feliz, a gente cantava, sempre essa gente do samba tinha um samba novo prá gente cantar, Tom , Vinícius, Toquinho, nunca mais voltará esse tempo, eu choro ...
Como esse País teria mudado tanto ?
@Gabriel-pt6mf
Ciertamente, en esos años, no sólo en Brasil, la música era música y tenía los elementos básicos que la constituyen; el ritmo, la melodía y la armonía. Aparte que estos músicos eran músicos de verdad y no plomeros, electricistas o informáticos que conectan cables a unos aparatos y se sientan a mirar series de Netflix mientras tanto. Esto y dicho sin nostalgia, era otra cosa.
@fernandosirgado3061
São canções das profundezas da alma e da génese da vida, que dialogam com o espírito , fazendo bambolear nosso corpo como um coqueiro a beiramar, trazendo a saudade, a paz e o amor. Feliz sou por ter vivido nesse tempo e a ainda estar presente, para deitar uma lágrima de saudade e amor.
@ceciliasampaio2817
Minha sobrinha,desde os primeiros dias de vida só dormia ao som de tarde de Itapoan .
Hoje ela está com um aninho e já canta. Que maravilha.! Obrigada Vinícius ,Toquinho por este poema que mexe com as mais pura alegrias do nosso ❤️❤️❤️
@Ellen12545
É tão linda essa música, que invade meu pensamento e mi leva um passado, que eu não sei explicar, esse sentimento tão gostoso, que seja eterna