专辑简介

by Altair82 This time, José Afonso went to France. José Mário Branco lived exiled in Paris (in middle of the 60's he'd left the country to escape to go fighting in a stupid war), and was the responsible of the direction and arrangements of this work. Until then, José Afonso had recorded with a very rudimental instrumentation. This time, in Strawberry studios (Pink Floyd, Beatles, Rolling Stones...) other possibilities were offered. Besides, there were excelent musicians, like the percussionist Michel Delaporte or the bassist Christian Padovan. José Mário Branco always defended that lyrics and music should go together. And that was here a practice. He considered that until 71 the music was too "saddy". No, music is a celebration and singers must sing it loud, showing the vitality they have inside. Many instruments were used (guitar, choir, steps, darbuka, bongo, tumbas, brazilian tamborim, adufe, trumpet, flute, acordion, Hammond organ, Fender piano, apitos de fole, guimbarda and electric bass) and the record has inovative solutions, even to our days. This is Zeca's album with best sound, in recording and in music itself. All songs worth mention: Cantigas do Maio is a popular chorus based song, with guitar and accordion. In the chorus ("Minha mãe, quando eu morrer (x2) ai chore por quem muito amargou (x2) para então dizer ao mundo (2x) ai Deus mo deu, ai Deus mo levou (x3)"), Zé Mário plays an accordion that gives me shakings. Don't know why... Milho Verde, popular Minho song, was, deliberately, aidded by the adufe sound (a traditional instrument, squared, common in Beira Baixa; see it here). Like this, nude. This song was recorded by Gal Costa in 73. Cantar Alentejano is an hommage to Catarina Eufémia, countrywoman killed by GNR (Republican National Guard), in the fifties. ("Quem viu morrer Catarina / Who saw Catarina dying, Não perdoa a quem matou / doesn't forgive who killed her. (...) Aquela andorinha negra bate as asas pra voar (x2) That black bird shakes his wings to fly (x2) / Ó Alentejo esquecido ainda um dia hás-de cantar (x2) Oh forgotten Alentejo, one day you'll sing"). And this is only the best example of the perfection and beauty that Zeca's voice could reach. Grândola, Vila Morena is, more than a political song, a symbolic song. It talks about the fraternity of Grandola's inhabitants, that Zeca knew when he visted that Alentejo land. To this, José Mário Branco made something unique, although well conjugated (or we found it normal, now): sound of steps, many people walking. As said, symbolic. And a powerful choir where we can hear the voices of José Mário Branco itself, Zeca's and Francisco Fanhais's. This way we understand why it was chosen to be the key to the Carnation Revolution. Maio Maduro Maio is, to me, the beautifulest on this record. So soft, so calm. So perfect. Only listened. I cant's say other way. On this reissue booklet it's said: "Not all was easy, because, to Zeca, some of the splendid solutions found by Zé Mário didn't convince him immediately. So that, one time -as Zé Mário remembers - he had to say: "In this song you (Zeca) will let me do my way. And in ten years we talk, ok?". This quote is a mention to the metalic air instruments used on a part of this song. The truth is, some years passed on, Zeca said to Zé Mário: "You were right". Mulher da Erva has a bass based arrangement, insisting, and on an Hammond, in semicirculars lines, while José Afonso sings in a funny way. Coro da Primavera, is an universal song, of hope and victory. This is THE example of a marriage between text and music, evidencing the richness a song can be made of. Here's its lyric, with some explanations of how it goes, for you to see where what I mean: it starts with a percussion, then the bass enters, and then a flute. The lyric: Cobre-te canalha / Hide, you bastard na mortalha / On the black veil Hoje o rei vai nu. / Today, the king goes naked. Os velhos tiranos / The old tyrants de há mil anos / Of thousands of years ago morrem como tu. / Die like you. Abre uma trincheira / Open a trench companheira / companion deita-te no chão / Lay on the ground and in crescendo Sempre à tua frente / Always in front of you viste gente / you've seen people doutra condição" / Of other condition", a pause and with a Hammond a choir sings in the chorus: Ergue-te ó sol de Verão / Raise yourself to the Summer sun Somos nós os teus cantores / We are your singers Da matinal canção / Of the new day song ouvem-se já os rumores / We can hear the rumours already ouvem-se já os clamores / We can hear the clamours already ouvem-se já os tambores. / We can hear the drums already. The music reiniciates, but, this time, a trumpet is in the place of the flute Livra-te do medo / Keep fear away que bem cedo / That soon há-de o sol queimar. / The sun will burn E tu camarada / And you comrade põe-te em guarda / Surveil well que te vão matar. / That they're gonna kill you (in descendo) Venham lavradeiras / ("Working females of this flowerished field, come") mondadeiras deste campo em flor (in crescendo) Venham enlaçadas / Come together de mãos dadas / With your hands tight semear o amor" / To seed the love, then the chorus New begining and the trumpet (the sound of battle) plays a few notes up Venha a maré cheia / Come high tide duma ideia / of an ideia p'ra nos empurrar. / to push us. Só um pensamento / Only a thinking no momento / in the moment pr'a nos despertar. / To wake us Eia, mais um braço / Good, one more harm e outro braço / and another harm nos conduz, irmão / guides us, brother Sempre a nossa fome / Always our hungry nos consome / eats us Dá-me a tua mão. / Give me your hand, and the chorus ("We can hear the rumours already..."). This is, undoubtely, the best album song. It reaches the top. The album finishes and we keep the message, knocking at our conscience. For the regime was close to a deadbody. And the signs that some would change were many... But we would have to wait more than two long years... On his book "As Voltas de Um Andarilho", Viriato Teles writes "The most historical and refferencial of all the Portuguese popular music records. (...) This album marks the first real turning point on a musical revolution that Zeca started 12 years before". A classic must.