Incoming links: Gilberto Gil
Capoeira music is amazing. And some Brazilian pop adaptations of it have also been awesome.
Parabolicamará
. Source. By Gilberto Gil. Title track of the 1991 album.Triste Bahia by Caetano Veloso
. Source. Na Roda de Capoeira by Nara Leão
. Source. From the 1964 album "Opinião De Nara"Gilberto is definitely the most psychedelic/tribal one of the The Holy Trinity of popular Brazilian music, though he also has a boyish quality to his soul.
He is also perhaps the one that impresses Ciro Santilli the most, at times he can't help but feel:
OMG how the hell did he come up with that?!
Gilberto Gil in the cover of his 1977 album Refavela
. Source. Lamento Sertanejo scene from the 2002 documentary Tempo Rei
. Source. Fantastic scenes perfecly complementing ths songVery good documentary!
This is a documentary about Gilberto Gil going back to his homelnd for the first time since he emigrated to Salvador/Rio, with some of his most popular songs intermixed into it. Beautiful!
"Tempo Rei" is the name of a Song composed by Gilberto Gil.
Of particular note is the Video "Lamento Sertanejo scene from the 2002 documentary Tempo Rei".
Good selection: Acústico MTV - Gilberto Gil (1994).
- 1967 Louvação (1967) album
Video 1. Lunik 9 Gilberto Gil (1967)Source. Ciro Santilli prefers Elis Regina's interpretation however. - 1972 Expresso 2222 album.
Video 2. Expresso 2222 by Gilberto Gil (1972)Source. youtu.be/aSFahdu5ga8?t=4584 In the 2002 documentary Tempo Rei he explains the origin of the song as being based on seeing trains come by in Bahia, when they still existed before the automobile decimation.Video 3. Oriente by Gilberto Gil. Source. This song seems to be about a parent giving a mixture of good and weird advice. Perhaps it is what we all get, or at least the lucky ones of us. - 1975 Refazenda (1975) album. This album is just too Legendary. The cover is also legendary.
Video 4. Refazenda by Gilberto Gil (1975)Source.Video 6. Tenho sede by Gilberto Gil (1975)Source. Video 7. Sítio Do Picapau Amarelo by Gilberto Gil (1977)Source.This song is the opening theme of the 1977 children's television series based on the renowned children books of the same name by Brazilian author Monteiro Lobato.The same song was also used on the 2001 series, e.g.: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9RbBcDTRAI.The choice of Gilberto Gil as a singer and composer was a stroke of genius, as his natural quirkiness perfectly suits the subject matter of the books.- Date unclear
Video 8. A Paz by Gilberto Gil (1967)Source. Performed 2009. The earliest recording we can find is from 1994: www.discogs.com/master/190615-Gilberto-Gil-Unplugged
Runner ups:
Video 9. Beira-Mar by Gilberto Gil. Source.
It is such a huge shame that you have to understand Portuguese to appreciate those songs... this is yet another great evil outcome of having more than one natural language is bad for the world.
The good songs stopped before of just after Ciro Santilli was born, they were originally heard by his parent's generation. Those young new kids are boring.
The place to start is definitely the Holy Trinity of popular Brazilian music:
- Caetano Veloso is arguably Ciro Santilli's favorite MPB artist, he has just too many amazing songs, best ones at: Section "The best Caetano Veloso songs"
- Chico Buarque. Ciro's second favorite.
- Gilberto Gil. Perhaps Ciro likes him third because he is the most lighthearted one, although not always: Section "The best Gilberto Gil songs"
Non trinity songs and artists:
Video 1. Preciso Me Encontrar by Cartola. Source. Present in the 1976 eponymous album though it is likely from much earlier.Video 2. Asa Branca by Luiz Gonzaga. Source. Translation: "White wing". Written in 1947Video 3. O vento by Dorival Caymmi (1949)Source. Translation: "The wind".Video 4. Panis et Circenses from the Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis (). Source. Translation: "Bread and circuses", a famous Latin phrase. Composed by Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso and performed by Os MutantesVideo 5. Mistério do Planeta from the Acabou Chorare album by Novos Baianos (1972)Source. Translation: "The mystery of the planet".Video 6. "Senhor Cidadão" from the Se O Caso É Chorar album by Tom Zé (1972)Source. Translation: "Mr. Citizen". This is likely reference to Military dictatorship in Brazil-lingo. This is an anti-Military dictatorship in Brazil song, appears to reuse terms used by the dictatorship propaganda in the song.Video 7. Marimbondo from the "Pirão de Peixe com Pimenta (1977)" album by Sá & Guarabyra (1977)Source.The title is the name of a type of wasp found in Brazil: synoeca cyanea.Video 8. Romaria by Renato Teixeira. Source."Romaria" is the name of a type of Catholic peregrination.Video 9. Metamorfose ambulante by Raul Seixas (1973)Source. Translation: "Itinerant metamorphosis". From the album Krig-ha, Bandolo!Video 10. Ouro de tolo by Raul Seixas (1973)Source. Translation: "Fool's gold". This dude should be a scientist. But well, he went for mystic/artist. Close enough.Video 11. Gita by Raul Seixas (1974)Source. "Gita" must be a reference to the Bhagavad Gita. From the album: Gita.Video 12. Maluco beleza by Raul Seixas (1977)Source. From the album O Dia em que a Terra ParouVideo 13. A telicidade by Tom Jobim (1958)Source. Translation: "Happiness". Composed for the Black Orpheus (1958) film. "Tristeza não tem fim, felicidade sim" (Sadness never ends, but happiness does). The movie itself is OK. Appeals to Ciro's Buddhist sensibilities.Video 14. Chega de saudade by Tom Jobim. Source. Translation: "Enough longing".Video 15. Jorge da Capadócia by Jorge Ben Jor (1975)Source. From the Solta o Pavão (1975) album. The Caetano interpretation is better however, poor Jorge.- Jair Rodrigues
Video 16. Disparada by Jair Rodrigues (1968)Source. This song is simply amazing. Not exactly MPB, a bit more towards country, but close enough. This was as the track of some soap opera.Video 17. Deixa Isso Pra Lá by Jair Rodrigues (1964)Source. Fantastic early example of early rap music!!! This is regocnized example at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfnDEuuPq4Q which builds upon the 1964 song. Amazing. An amazing live performance at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3E1uHdrJws, only not using that as the default link as it is not from the official channel. - Vinicius de Moraes. Many of his lyrics are poetry. Notably, he has some "children" songs that you think about as an adult and go "oh fuck". For some reason, Ciro can't help but think that he looks like a pedophile, but he doesn't have any scandals apparently, poor dude. He was a drunkard for sure though.
Video 19. Tarde em Itapuã by Vinicius de Moraes (1971)Source.www.dicionariotupiguarani.com.br/dicionario/itapua/ gives the meaning of "Itapuã". It originates from the Tupi Guarani language, and is the name of a beach in Salvador (Praia de Itapuã), to which the song presumably refers: Video 20. Aquarela by Toquinho (1983)Source. This is a mega childhood hit, and it never gets old. Amazing. One of the most brutal memento moris ever?Video 21. Xô Saudade by Alceu Valença. Source. From the 1980 album "Coração Bobo"Video 22. Carcará by João Do Vale (1981)Source.From the eponymous album.Video 23. Carcará by Maria Bethânia (1981)Source. This very good interpretation likely did much to popularize the song.Video 26. Tudo o que você podia ser from the Clube da Esquina album by Milton Nascimento (1972)Source.Translation: "All that you could be".Anti-Military dictatorship in Brazil song, using the common "you means the dictatorship" technique.Video 27. Caçador De Mim from the eponymous album by Milton Nascimento (1981)Source.
In Ciro Santilli's view, the following three artists form a Holy Trinity of popular Brazilian music:
Elis Regina is not far though.
Ciro remembers quite clearly when he was riding the car with his parents when he pre teen, and he could not understand why they seemed so obsessed with The Trinity et al. Ciro in particular remembers listening to Video "Refazenda by Gilberto Gil (1975)". They had picked it up of course from the 70's and 80's when they were younger.
Young Ciro would also always confuse who was whom from the three of them.
Then Ciro got older, and he understood, they are mind blowing. You do have to look back in time a bit though, lots of lukewarm stuff on later periods. The military dictatorship in Brazil was good for music.