from another generation

[directing_guy]

to write of the music history in latin america is nearly as complicated as the politics and to find a proper introduction is tricky seeing how the politics did often interplay with the music. a fine place to dive in is the sixties. it was in brazil that Tropicália began. so much lovely music that poured forth at times under such an increasingly harsh military regime. here are a few of the well known and quite magnificent artists that played a pivotal role. a classic from Caetano Veloso
'Soy loco por ti america'

Click to view

Soy loco por ti America
Yo voy traer una mujer plajera
Que su nombre sea Marte
Que su nombre sea Marte
Sou loco por ti de amores
Tenga como colores
La espuma blanca de latinoamerica
Y el cielo como bandera
Y el cielo como bandera
Soy loco por ti America
Soy loco por ti de amores
Sorriso de uase nuvem
Os rios, canções, o medo
O corpo cheio de estrelas
Com o corpo cheio de estrelas
Como se chama a amante
Desse país sem nome
Esse tango, esse rancho
Esse povo, dizei-me
Arde o fogo de conhecê-la
O fogo de conhecê-la
Soy loco por ti America
Soy loco por ti de amores
El nombre del hombre muerto
Ya no se puede decirlo quien sabe
Antes que o dia arrebente
Antes que o dia arrebente
El nombre del hombre muerto
Antes que a definitiva noite se espalhe em latinoamérica
El nombre del hombre es pueblo
El nombre del hombre es pueblo
Soy loco por ti America
Soy loco por ti de amores
Um poema ainda existe
Com palmeiras, com trincheiras
Canções de guerra, quem sabe
Canções do mar. Ay estate como ver.
Ay estate como ver.
Soy loco por ti America
Soy loco por ti de amores
Estou aqui de passagem
Sei que adiante um dia vou morrer
De susto, de bala ou vício
No precipício de luzes
Entre saudades, sou luz
Eu vou morrer de bruços
Nos braços, nos olhos
Nos braços de uma mulher
Nos braços de uma mulher
Mais apaixonado ainda
Dentro dos braços da camponesa
Guerrilheira, manequim
Ai de mim
Nos braços de quem me queira
Nos braços de quem me queira
Soy loco por ti America
Soy loco por ti de amores

translation -

I’m crazy for you America
I will bring a sad woman
Her name will be Martha , her name will be Martha
I’m crazy for your love
To have as colors the white foam of Latin America
And the sky as a ban-ner
And the sky as a ban-ner
I’m crazy for you America
I’m crazy for your love (chorus 2x)
Smile of a almost -cloud
The rivers, songs, and fear
The body full of stars, the body full of stars
As one calls a lover
In this nameless country-this tango, this rancho , this people, I tell myself
Light the fire to know it, the fire of knowledge
I’m crazy for you America
I’m crazy for your love (chorus 2x)
The name of the dead man
Still no one can say who knows
Before the day breaks, before the day breaks
The name of the dead man
Before that night spreads itself in Latin America
The name of the man is the peop-le, the name of the man is the peop-le
I’m crazy for you America
I’m crazy for your love (chorus 2x)
I wait for a morning that sings the name of the dead man
They won’t be sad words, but crazy of love
The poem still exists
With palms, with trenches-songs of war, who knows, songs of the sea.
Ay, estate como ver, Ay, estate como ver
I’m crazy for you America
I’m crazy for your love (chorus 2x)
I’m passing through
I know some day I will die
Of fright, bullet or vice, of fright, bullet or vice
On the precipice of lights
Between longings, I am light
I will die from “bruços ” in the arms, in the eyes, in the arms of a woman, in the arms of a woman
But still in love
In the arms of a peasant woman , guerrilheira , mannequin, far from me
In the arms of someone who wants me, in the arms of someone who wants me
I’m crazy for you America
I’m crazy for your love (chorus 4x)

*note - further investigations and simple logic show the music as complicated if not more than the politics but what the hell, i would have a hard time doing both and anyway i enjoy music more than politics. ;p