Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Fbergo (talk | contribs) at 08:43, 2 August 2005 (copyediting for style, wikification, correction of his full name (Hollanda), better translation of the lyrics.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Chico Buarque (born June 19, 1944 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian poet, singer, musician, songwriter and novelist who become famous for his music, which comments on Brazil's social, economic and cultural situation. His latest book, Budapeste, achieved great critical acclaim and won the Prêmio Jabuti, a brazilian award similar to The Booker Prize Award. His full name is Francisco Buarque de Hollanda.

Chico came from a both intellectual and privileged family background: his father Sergio Buarque de Hollanda was a well-known historian and sociologist, and the first name of his lexicographer uncle Aurélio Buarque de Hollanda is as strongly associated with Brazilian portuguese dictionaries as the name Webster is with American ones. A studious child with a precocious interest in music and writing, Chico was heavily impressed by bossa nova, and specifically, by the work of João Gilberto.

Chico made his public debut as musician and composer in 1964, rapidly building his reputation at music festivals and television variety shows. His self-titled debut album exemplified the work to come, with catchy sambas characterized by inventive wordplay and an undercurrent of nostalgic tragedy.

Chico's increasing political activity against the Brazilian military dictatorship resulted in his arrest in 1968, and eventual self-exile to Italy in 1969. Chico returned to Brazil in 1970, using his fame and song-writing skills to protest against the dictatorship. At this time his lightly-veiled protest single Apesar de Você (Despite of you) somehow passed by the gaze of military censors, becoming the democracy movement's anthem. After selling over 100,000 copies, the single was eventually repressed, and all copies were removed from the market. Despite of the censorship, songs such as Samba de Orly (Samba of Orly; 1970), Acorda Amor (Wake Up Darling; 1974), and Vai Passar (It Will Pass; 1983) made Chico's continuing opposition blatant.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Chico collaborated with filmmakers, playwriters, and musicians in further protest works against the dictatorship.

During Brazil's military coup of 1964, Chico wrote about the situation and avoided censure by using cryptic analogies and word play. For example, in the song "Cálice" (Globet) he uses the Portuguese words for "shut up" (cale-se) and "goblet" (cálice) to sing about the military's oppression under the guise of a bible story:

Lyrics (in Portuguese)

Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice

De vinho tinto de sangue.

Como beber dessa bebida amarga

Tragar a dor, engolir a labuta.

Mesmo calada a boca, resta o peito

Silêncio na cidade não se escuta.

De que me vale ser filho da santa

Melhor seria ser filho da outra

Outra realidade menos morta

Tanta mentira, tanta força bruta.

Translation

Father, take away from me this goblet

of wine tinted red with blood.

How can I drink from this sour drink

Inhale the pain, swallow the drudgery.

Even if the mouth is shut, the heart still remains

Silence isn't heard in the city.

What good is it to be son of the saint (female)

It would be better to be son of the "other" one (euphemism for son-of-a-bitch)

Another reality less dead

So many lies, so much brute force.

Selected compositions

• "A Banda" ("The Band")
• "A Flor da Terra/O que Sera" ("Whatever Will Be")
• "Apesar de Voce" ("Despite of You")
• "As Vitrines"
• "Brejo da Cruz"
• "Bye Bye, Brasil"
• "Carolina"
• "Construcao / Deus Lhe Pague" ("Construction/God Bless You")
• "Cotidiano" ("Daily")
• "Feijoada Completa" ("Complete Feijoada")
• "Funeral de um Lavrador" ("Funeral of a Laborer")
• "Futuros Amantes" ("Future Lovers")
• "Homenagem Ao Malandro" ("Homage to a Scoundrel")
• "Meu Caro Amigo" ("My Dear Friend")
• "Morena de Angola"
• "Mulheres de Atenas" ("Women of Athens")
• "Noite dos Mascarados" ("Night of the Masquerade")
• "Olhos nos Olhos" (Eyes on the Eyes)
• "Paratodos" ("Forall")
• "Quem Te Viu, Quem Te Vê"
• "Roda Viva"
• "Sonho de um Carnaval" ("Dream of a Carnival")
• "Terezinha"
• "Vai Levando"
• "Vai Passar" ("It Will Pass")

Works in Literature

Novels

• 1966 - A banda
• 1974 - Fazenda Modelo
• 1979 - Chapeuzinho Amarelo
• 1981 - A bordo do Rui Barbosa
• 1991 - Estorvo
• 1995 - Benjamin
• 2003 - Budapeste

Theatre

• 1967 - Roda Viva
• 1973 - Calabar
• 1975 - Gota d'água
• 1978 - Ópera do Malandro
• 1983 - O Grande Circo Místico - with Edu Lobo
• 2003 - Cambaio - with Edu Lobo

Cinema

• 1972 - Quando o carnaval chegar
• 1981 - Os Saltimbancos Trapalhões
• 1983 - Para viver um grande amor
• 1985 - Ópera do Malandro
• 2000 - Estorvo
• 2003 - Benjamin

External links

• Official Chico Buarque Site (in Portuguese)

• 1944 births
• Brazilian musicians
• Brazilian singers