I love to discover new music and new genres, so I thought I would share one of my favourite songs of all time, which most of you probably don't know -- unless you're Brazilian.
It was written by Belchior in 1976, but most famously sung by Elis Regina -- nicknamed "little pepper" for her strong personality and boldness (you might know her from "Águas de Março (Waters of March)". Below is my favourite performance of the song, in which Elis expresses a lot of resentment and frustration, reflecting the song's lyrics.
To fully understand the song, it's vital to know that it was written in the middle of the Brazilian Military Dictatorship (1964-85). It's now over 4 decades old, both Belchior and Elis have passed away but it's still so meaningful and relevant. It made me think a lot about my political stances and who/what I support. I'll put a translation of the song below so maybe you'll be able to reflect a bit too. Might be useful in this rocky political time we're living.
LIKE OUR PARENTS
I don't wanna talk, my love
About things I learned on records
I want to tell about how I've lived
And everything that has happened to me
To live is better than to dream
And I know that love is a good thing
But I also know that any chant is smaller
Than the life of any person
So be careful, my love
There's danger around the corner
They won, and the street light is closed for us
Who are young
To hold your brother and kiss your girl on the street
Is why your arm, your lips and your voice were made
You ask me about my passion
I say I'm delighted like a new invention
I'll stay in this city, I won't go back to the country
Because I can smell in the wind the start of a new season
I feel everything in the living wound of my heart
It's been a while, I saw you in the street
Hair flowing in the wind, young people gathered
In the wall of memories
That's the painting that hurts the most
It pains me to realize
That even though we've done everything we did
We're still the same, and we live
We're still the same, and we live
Like our parents
Our idols are still the same
And appearances can't deceive me
You say that after them
No one came
You can even say that I don't know anything
Or that I'm making all of this up
But it's you who loves the past and doesn't see
It's you who loves the past and doesn't see
That the new always comes
Today I know that who gave me the idea
Of new consciousness and youth
Is inside, protected by God
Counting vile metal
It pains me to realize
That even though we've done every single little thing we did
We're still the same, and we live
We're still the same, and we live
We're still the same, and we live
Like our parents
