Secos e Molhados
I wanted to start a little differently today. What I’d like you to do is click on a link – this will open another window/tab on your browser into which will load a youtube clip. There may be an advert that you have to wait for – once the proper clip starts playing I want you to come back here to continue reading. Everyone clear on that? You’ll continue reading here while the music is playing there.
OK, here is the link: http://youtu.be/bAdlGZSaQRg
I should explain to younger readers that this is what was known as an ‘LP’.
OK, so if you managed to follow the instructions above, you should now be listening to a song called Fala by a Brazilian band from the 70s called Secos e Molhados. The first time I listened to this album I was on my way home from work – sadly my commute is long enough to listen to an entire album all the way through. The final song (that you’re listening to now) finished just as I got home, so I took off my headphones and said to Mrs EatRio “Wow, she’s got an amazing voice hasn’t she?” – my wife looked at me quizzically and so I explained “You know, the singer from Secos e Molhados”. It was then that she very kindly explained to me that the ‘woman’ I had been listening to was actually a man!
Did anyone else make the same mistake? Anyone? Please! Ah well, the voice belongs to Ney Matogrosso, a very interesting character. His Wikipedia entry starts by saying his voice is “Sopranino” but later uses the term “Counter-tenor” which I suspect is more accurate.
To get a true sense of what this group was all about, you’d better watch this extraordinary clip. If I were being charitable I would say that the sound is out of synch, but more likely (it being the 1970s) they were lip-syncing. However, the point is that A) this is a ridiculously catchy song, and B) what a performance!
Kind of amazing wouldn’t you say? The comments you find under Youtube aren’t generally known for their wisdom or insight, but this video is an exception I think. math99954321 makes a great point: “To do that in the time of a military dictatorship was not easy…”. Another commenter says:
“An extraordinary moment in MPB [Brazilian Popular Music]. Secos e Molhados scandalised critics and audiences and paved the way for many changes that occurred in Brazilian society at the time. It would not be an exaggeration to say that even in political terms they helped break paradigms that would only be fully realised more than a decade later.”
I have to say that my knowledge of Brazilian political history is not good enough to know if that second comment has any basis in fact but it’s an interesting claim if nothing else.
Ney Matogrosso – the word ‘flamboyant’ was made for you!
Getting back to the music, Secos e Molhados’ self titled album is absolutely brilliant. It took me a few listens before I really took to it, but now I really like it. And for me this is just one more example of how far from reality my preconceptions about Brazilian music were before I came to Brazil. If you had asked me about Brazilian music back then, I would have had some vague notions of samba and ‘Latin rhythms’ whatever that means. But one of the most surprising discoveries I’ve made since getting here is that sheer range, originality and quality of Brazilian music.
As for Ney, he left Secos e Molhados after just 2 albums, but he’s still going strong today. He doesn’t go in for the crazy costumes so much, but I’d say he’s still every bit the performer.
Here is another performance of Fala. As you can see, he’s lost the crazy outfits and make-up, but this performance is still rather extraordinary I think. The sheer campness of the man is something to behold isn’t it? And I think that he still has a great voice!
post op tranny, com certeza
“The comments you find under Youtube aren’t generally known for their wisdom or insight, but this video is an exception I think. math99954321 makes a great point: “To do that in the time of a military dictatorship was not easy…”. ”
I could also be argued that Brazil’s military dictatorship just wasn’t nearly as harsh as some advocate – by some I mean to those claiming indemnities from government coffe in reference to that period. The truth is that Secos and Molhados, and many other bands were very creative and productive during the military dicatorship. Now I now this”is contrary to that romantic “oh how we suffered” notion, nor does it fit in with latin hyperbole; but could it be that, well, things just weren’t that rough back then? .
We’ve got two very conservative comments here today! First. I just want to say that Ney Matogrosso (now 70, and still doing amazing concerts) is a superb artist.
My second comment is a bit longer. A few years ago a very big Brazilian newspaper suffered a lot of criticism for calling our dictatorship “ditabranda” in an editorial, in which they criticized the Chávez government in Venezuela. In Portuguese, dictatorship is “ditadura” and “dura” means hard, while “branda” means mild. So it was a play on words to say that, specially comparing to other countries in the continent, our authoritarian times weren’t that bad.
I think everyone’s main point against that idea was: a dictatorship is never mild. A dictatorship crashes institutions and people. Just for you to have an idea, Brazil only got back now to the inequalities levels it had on the 1960’s (the dictatorship started in 1964). I’m talking about the Gini index – which isn’t the best of measures, but still means something. And you, as someone who lives in Brazil, might agree with me that one of the greatest problems of this country is inequality.
But, anyway, we’re talking specifically about freedom of expression. In those times, there were people from the government in classrooms telling teachers and professors what they could or could not teach (one of the professors that were banished on those times ended up becoming president some time later). Artists had songs censored by the dictatorship. Newspapers printed recipes instead of news on the front cover.
One of the artists who had most songs censored by the government was Chico Buarque. In the end of the 1960’s a play he wrote was showing in São Paulo when a paramilitary group that supported the government invaded the theatre, beat up everyone and destroyed the scenery. In a concert in Rio, In 1981, two military were in a car with a bomb ready to blow it up in a concert, when, by accident, the bomb blew up in the car, killing one of them and really injuring the other. Besides the examples of stuff we know happened, of course we have all the stuff that we don’t know about because only now the government has decided to investigate the crimes committed by the government back then.
“I think everyone’s main point against that idea was: a dictatorship is never mild. A dictatorship crashes institutions and people.”
It is important to put this in context. In 1964, during Goulart’s government, the agents causing instability were not associated with Brazil’s military brass. These people were made up of radicals who thought his government should be overthrown to establish a much more socialist – socialist by their definition – reality. The problem was that these people had no regard for democracy and basically wanted to implement this via their own dictatorship. So – in THIS CONTEXT- when Brazil’s military took over it is relevant to ask WHICH DICTATORSHIP WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HARMFUL: the one they installed or the alternative desired by the guerilha groups of the time.
I think that when taking this into account it surely was a Ditabranda. After all Brazil’s military relinquished its own rule, while places like Cuba – which inspired and trained so many utopian “freedom fighters” – are still in operation.
I know what I am writing isn’t cool, and that to lambast Brazil’s military for taking power is the way to score points; but beyond winning a popularity contest why not consider what happened in places where ideas of the opposite party where established. Where contratrian artists like Ney Matogrosso even allowed to play in public, much less record albums and sell them in the marketplace? I think not.
It was a Ditabranda – given the context.
Looking at all the comments, I think other people have said it better than I probably can. I will just say that a dictatorship seems to me to be something like an assault. Of course there can be assaults that are more vicious than others, but assault is still assault and the fact that it could have been worse doesn’t make it ‘mild’.
Gritty, I notice a recurring theme that surfaces from time to time in your comments. I guess I would characterise it as a deep disdain for Brazilians and/or Latin Americans. You often say things that I think I would find quite insulting if I were Brazilian. As it is, I’m married to a Brazilian and have many (well, some) Brazilian friends and I don’t recognise this caricature you paint again and again.
I don’t want to sound harsh (maybe the above is a bit harsh), but I guess I just find it strange that you seem to jump on every opportunity to give Brazil (Brazilians) a kicking.
I can’t find anything insulting in the comments I have written during this discussion, unless my opinion over the subject matter is considered to be so. Regarding stereotypes (perhaps this is the point of contention) I don’t understand how noticing something like Latin hyperbole is any different from claiming to see a characteristic like, say, an English knack for understatement. They both seem to be perceptions, voiced by an observer, of reccurring patterns – which in the end are very hard to prove, or disprove; but are either really insulting? I just don’t see it. Is hyperbole such a sin, or understatement for that matter?
Regardless, I apologize if I have offended anyone, it was not my intention.
I dunno, maybe I’m being a bit over-sensitive about this. I certainly don’t want to stifle debate.
I guess that whilst nothing in your comments could be specifically held up and called “offensive”, it seemed to me that this comment – “Now I know this is contrary to that romantic “oh how we suffered” notion – rather trivialises a tragic event in this country’s not very distant history. I’m not an expert, but I understand a lot of people did genuinely suffer. The insinuation of your comment is that this ‘so called’ suffering was simply Latin hyperbole – melodramatic exaggeration – which seems unfair.
“I guess that whilst nothing in your comments could be specifically held up and called “offensive”, it seemed to me that this comment – “Now I know this is contrary to that romantic “oh how we suffered” notion – rather trivialises a tragic event in this country’s not very distant history. I’m not an expert, but I understand a lot of people did genuinely suffer. The insinuation of your comment is that this ‘so called’ suffering was simply Latin hyperbole – melodramatic exaggeration – which seems unfair.”
I see your point of view. I think that I may have projected many an exagerrated explanation – which I have encountered in Brazi to dismiss blame for this and that – and generalized it to a period of Brazilian history. I am thinking this rule may be true in some instances, but false in others. And if in the case of falsehood this encompasses someone that was actaully tortured or killed, well then all the worse.
I must say though that this possible deviation does not change the opinion I put forth concerning the mindset of Brazil’s military dictatorship versus the guerilha groups that countered it. And how legal benefits were doled out to each party afterwards.
Hi Sara,
Thanks for your informative and interesting comment! :) Who would have thought that a post about Secos & Molhados could lead to this?
I followed the instructions and enjoyed the post all the more for it!
I’m still not fully convinced it’s a man!
Also, is that construction with “only” possible in British English? It feels so wrong to me and I correct my students when they use it, but I sometimes see it in British English writing. I’m talking about this construction here:
they helped break paradigms that would only be fully realised more than a decade later.
That sounds wrong to my American ears, but it’s acceptable in Portuguese. I would say “that wouldn’t be fully realized until more than a decade later.”
Thoughts?
I’m American, and the use of “only” in that sentence sounded right to me. It is probably more commonly seen in written form than it’s heard in everyday spoken language, however.
I speak bastardized English, but it sounds correct to me too.
Hey Danielle – glad to hear you liked the instructional format! ;)
As for the sentence construction, I’m a lot less certain than I used to be about my own language. 99% of my conversations nowadays are with non-native English speakers, and I’m terrible for picking up accents and turns of phrase…
Hm….but think of the problem when Portuguese speakers say “I work only on Monday” instead of “I don’t work on Monday”. I feel like this is the same problem, here.
Tom, thanks for another great recommendation in Brazilian music. I’m already hooked on “A Tábua de Esmeralda” from a previous post you wrote, and have been enjoying “Acabou Chorare” from a more recent post. Keep them coming.
I probably shouldn’t wade into the discussion about the dictatorship, but I’m going to, anyway. Gritty: I realize that the military regime in Brazil may not have been as horrible as the one in Chile, for example, but to imply that its atrocities are “Latin hyperbole” or to describe its critics as suffering from a “romantic “oh how we suffered” notion” seems somewhat dismissive to me.
Since I didn’t live in Brazil during the dictatorship, I’m in no position to offer first-hand impressions, but I do know that the current President of Brazil was arrested, imprisoned, and tortured by the regime. And as Sara points out, one of Dilma’s predecessors, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, had to flee the country. It seems unlikely to me that either of these people posed a threat to the stability of Brazil, and I doubt that either of them would agree with your characterization of the regime…..though of course, that does not mean that you are wrong.
Totalitarian regimes almost always use the threat of potential civil chaos as an excuse to take power. To ask the question “which dictatorship would have been more harmful” is an interesting hypothetical, but we’ll never know the answer, because democracy was subverted before events were allowed to unfold.
Phil,
What I am saying is when considering things that did in fact unfold, like Brazil’s military dictatorship, and noticing day to day occurrences of that time then there are indications of periods of freedom of expression – such as the art put out by Secos and Molhados and other artists. Even if the degree of this openess tended to fluctuate throughout that period it did exist nonetheless. In relation to things that did not unfold then I think it is wise to take the word of guerilha groups then contrary to the military regarding what they idealized. If we are to take them at their word then Brazil would have undergone reforms based on Soviet and Cuban collectivism. So I think it fair to look at the outcomes of those experiences to arrive at an educated guess of what probably would have happened in Brazil, to then compare that to what did happen under Brazil’s military. Anyway I just don’t see a Los Secos y Mojados releasing albums in Cuba and holding concerts in Havana, with scheduled appearances in Santiago de Cuba.
All this being said I think an atrocity is shameful and degrading regardless of who commits it, and to what extent the perpetrator is a repeat offender. It is of no use trying to convince someone that was tortured, or lost a loved one, to Brazil’s military dictatorship that their suffering should somehow be more bearable since in other places many more met, and sill meet a similar fate. I also think that this reasoning should apply to everyone that fell or lost someone – to any of the armed agents of the time. And if you are interested in finding out a little about the people killed by guerillha groups, including the one which now President Dilma belonged to and thus was arrested for, then please scroll down the page of the link below. Unlike the now famous pic of Dilma being interrogated there are no pictures displayed in honor of these people, both military and civilians, which conveys the suffering inflicted upon them.
http://www.ternuma.com.br/ternuma/index.php?open=20&data=98&tipo=2
It is also interesting to note that most of Brazil’s “Freedom Fighters” were of middle class background; unlike the people they fought against. This is only relevant because of the ideas they espoused (socialism, equality: the usual script) in comparison to what actually did unfold when pensions and indemnities regarding that period were decided upon and handed out. Guess who received, proportionally, the greatest part of the pie. Let us just say that it turned out to be the usual scam. This is what moved late and renowned Brazilian writer Millor Fernandes – who was also against the military rule of that time; yet did not think it proper to partake in these indemnities – to write that his companions seemingly were out to make an investment, not a revolution. A very fitting remark indeed.
Thanks for your reply, Gritty. I’m still not convinced that it’s safe to write a parallel, hypothetical outcome had the military not intervened, because you’re posing what I consider to be a false dichotomy: either have the military dictatorship, or have a Soviet or Cuban-style leftist dictatorship. But I guess we can agree to disagree about that one.
Regardless of their own economic background, some of those who were persecuted by the dictatorship did go on to become advocates for the very poor. As I believe you yourself have pointed out, the policies of Fernando Henrique Cardoso were at least partly responsible for laying the groundwork for lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty into the middle class, which occurred during the presidency of Lula, another political leader who was imprisoned by the regime.
I don’t think that anyone would say that *nothing* beneficial happened during the extremely prolonged period of military rule, but the question will always be, at what cost? The website that you linked looked like something created by apologists of the regime, and is perhaps not the most objective source.
In some ways, the controversy reminds me of the one surrounding the Spanish Civil War: supporters of those who are widely regarded as having been the “bad guys” are seeking to rehabilitate their image. Perhaps future historians will be able to render a more dispassionate judgment than is possible today.
By the way, although I’m an American who is also Latino, I have tried to avoid any Latino hyperbole in this post :)
Hey Phil – Glad you’ve enjoyed the music recommendations. Nice comment.
Phil,
Some thoughts about your comment
“I’m still not convinced that it’s safe to write a parallel, hypothetical outcome had the military not intervened, because you’re posing what I consider to be a false dichotomy: either have the military dictatorship, or have a Soviet or Cuban-style leftist dictatorship.”
The thing is I can only hypothesize outcomes based on the platforms put forth by the guerilha groups that opposed Brazil’s late military regime.
“I don’t think that anyone would say that *nothing* beneficial happened during the extremely prolonged period of military rule, but the question will always be, at what cost?”
What I find interesting is that Brazil’s military regime dealt with the economy, for the most part, in extremely nationalistic fashion, believing overall in state induced growth. Which is kind of histerical since this is the same economic policy that the Brazilian left, which opposed them, rallied and still rallies behind . The exception to thi pattern occurred during General Castelo Branco’s rule as he entrusted liberal – in the European sense – economist Roberto Campos a major role in opening up Brazil’s economy. Castelo Branco was the first of the Military presidents and the ones that followed him all went in the opposite direction, pursuing a closed, state induced model of economic development. A funny tid bit on this is former president Lula’s seemingly strange admiration and friendship to Mr. Delfim Netto – an economist and former minister during the military era. Yet I don’t think it is strange at all as they have always shared similar views concerning economic policies.
“The website that you linked looked like something created by apologists of the regime, and is perhaps not the most objective source”
I disagree; it seems to me that there isn’t much of an outlet for dissenting views in mainstream Brazilian media concerning Brazil’s military epoch, and the part each party played throughout. After all why aren’t the victims of then guerilha groups ever mentioned? You would think this would be newsworthy, just as those who fell to the military are. The discrepancies regarding pensions and indemnities has been reported on though, albeit not very much – which is wierd given the amounts involved. It sure would be nice to read different takes on this and unfortunately the link I put forth is one of the few out there. I don’t they commend dictatorship but profess that the one Brazil had was a lesser evil.
Anyway I think the books below are very useful when it comes to understanding Brazil’s military period. And since I have been hyperboling (does that word exist?) to no end during this thread I think I’ll have a Margarida or two tonight and mellow out. Saludos Grittianos.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Military-Politics-Changing-Patterns/dp/0691021708
http://books.google.com.br/books/about/Rethinking_Military_Politics.html?id=jtS_1j7Wcz0C&redir_esc=y
Yes, hyperboling is a word. I regularly go hyperboling at the hyperboling alley. I even have my own hyperboling shoes… ;)
This reminds me of a friend years ago who watched a BeeGees videoclip for the first time and asked “Why is that big bearded guy lip-synching the lady who sings this song???” :)
I think there’s some merit to the comments about them subverting the dictatorship, regardless of where the Brazilian military sit on the Gritty scale of harsh regimes :). In a similar vein there was also a very popular Saturday afternoon TV show run by a guy called Chacrinha that was completely anarchic. (His stage assistants would throw fruit at the live audience among other things.) It was intentionally done that way to rebel against the military (I’m sure they would’ve preferred something more self-respecting) and annoy the censors who couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
I think that “The Economist” would do well in adopting The Gritty Scale of Harsh Regimes. Such an indicator could end up being as commonplace as The Big Mac Index :-)
Hey Tom… I had to comment that your Brazilian musical taste is still impeccable :) I grew up listening to Ney Matogrosso – he was one of my mum’s favourite – and one of his performances that I absolutely love is ‘Rosa de Hiroshima” (of course lyrics by no other than the genius Vinicius de Moraes!). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBdg4SnOzm8&feature=related
Also, I just have to say this because silence in this case, as we learned the hard way, only strengthens injustice and encourages the bullies perpetrating it (but sorry all the same for turning this into politics again) Anyone who says Brazilian dictatorship was “mild” are just repeating opinions of those who try to silence it. My family cannot say it was mild. We lived in the capital. My Uni was raided by the military while my aunt and uncles were students. A friend hid in my grama’s fridge during the raid. After the Atos Inconstitucionais the military had the right to do anything without asking permission from anyone. Ask Zuzu Angel if it was mild. Ask Geraldo Azevedo. Ask Dilma. I appreciate my freedom of speech and all my liberties that without Ney’s generation I don’t think it would be the same.
Again, kudos on the great taste… Ney is awesome!
A
Amanda – you know agreeing with me and complimenting my taste in music will put you top of the “Most popular Eat Rio readers” list! ;)
But seriously, thanks for your comment. A lot of the time I am guessing when I write about Rio, Brazil, Brazilians, Portuguese – it’s often just a guess based on what I’ve read, heard or noticed. So it’s really nice to hear from people who can help confirm suspicions or explain why my guesses aren’t right.
I had never heard of Zuzu Angel, but even just a quick glance at the entry in Wikipedia gives me enough information to see that is exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of. As you say, these are/were real people – the suggestion that the pains caused by the dictatorship are/were exaggerated because Latin Americans are melodramatic seems like a pretty terrible thing to say.
I go through the tunnel that was named after Zuzu every day – I will try to find out more. Thanks again :)
Hi Tom
If you haven’t found this information yet, the tunnel is named after Zuzu because that’s where she was killed in a car crash. Try to read the Portuguese entry on wikipedia or I’ve heard there is a movie “Zuzu Angel” though I’ve never seen it (might do soon though).
I know her story through verbal lore of course – as most Brazilians learn their history, we love to tell stories. Out of topic here, but have you noticed that? Is it something “only in Brazil’ kind of thing? Might be just the people I know… the Australians I know don’t talk much about the history of their country either because of what it is or because they really don’t know that much about it (generalisations apart please). How about the Brits?
Anyway, when I was 13 I fell in love with Chico Buarque (I was already a fan – A banda is a childhood favourite) I was studying the dictatorship period in school and the teacher asked us to write an essay on ‘Calice’ and why it was censored at the time. I knew most of it, it is one of my father’s favourite, and I could get most of the hidden meanings and the word plays, it is really crushing (Mesmo calado o peito, resta a cuca). But a difficult part for a 13yo to get is “Quero cheirar fumaça de óleo diesel” – later I sadly found out it was a reference to the way Zuzu Angel’s son, Stuart, was tortured. No latin melodrama indeed…
Sorry about the long reply and I’ll definitely sign up for the “Most popular Eat Rio readers” list. I stalk all expat in Brazil blogs out there because I miss it so much and your experiences and discoveries fill my heart with ‘Saudade’. I hadn’t heard Ney for so long and I just spent the weekend doing exactly that. So, thank you! Also, you guys put my experiences as a Brazilian expat into perpective (lima vs limao all over again).
Before this gets any longer…. have a good week Tom. Hope I’ve got you to start listening to Chico.
just adding that ‘killed’ is a bit ambiguous… she was actually assassinated.
Hey Amanda,
I did read a bit about her (Zuzu) on the Wikipedia page – what a horrible, sad story. I’d be interested to see that film too.
I have noticed that Brazilians like to talk about their history and the culture of the country, but I’ve always thought maybe it’s because I’m encouraging them and taking mental notes so I can write about it on the blog! :D
Lima vs Limão – ha ha! Us expats should definitely stick together!
p.s. I have Construção and another album called Meus Caros Amigos loaded up on my phone for my continued musical eduation :)