Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
1968
Album Summary
Caetano Veloso is the debut solo album by the artist of the same name, released in Brazil in 1968. He had released Domingo the year before in collaboration with Gal Costa. It was one of the first Tropicália efforts, and features arrangements by Júlio Medaglia, Damiano Cozzella, and Sandino Hohagen, as well as an eclectic assortment of influences, demonstrating the "antropofagia" (artistic cannibalism) of the Tropicália movement. Sounds from psychedelia, rock, pop, Indian music, bossa nova, Bahian music and other genres appear on the album. It includes the hit songs "Alegria, Alegria", "Tropicália", and "Soy loco por ti, América".
WikipediaCet album bresilien me rapelle une anecdote vécue avec mon camarade d'écoute robinho, que je vais vous énoncer ci-dessous. Alors que nous entrions dans notre année de terminale, nous nous dirigions vers un bar bien réputé de l'agglomération bordelaise en une belle soirée de samedi soir. A peine le pas de la porte franchi, un chaudron de whisky nous était directement déposé dans les mains par le célèbre duo des Nicos. Jusque là rien d'anormal. Mais c'est alors qu'après quelques verres, rob commença, le nez un peu rouge, à me montrer une femme assise au bar. Il la trouvait magnifique, un qualificatif que je ne lui aurais pas trouvé, mais rob n'étant lui-même pas gâté par la nature, je compris rapidement que robinho devait s'attaquer à des femmes d'un standing inférieur. Soudain, rob se leva, et alla à la rencontre de la jeune femme. Ils se mirent à discuter un peu, quand tout d'un coup, le barman changea du tout au tout l'ambiance sonore, et lança une playlist de musique bresilienne. Rob devint alors tout bonnement intenable. Il laissa aller ses pas de danse, tentant d'impressionner la galerie. Ses Vans trouées frappait le sol, tandis que ses mains volaient de haut en bas. Etrangement, la cible féminine de rob était semble t'il assez impressionée, alors que le reste du bar n'osait regarder dans la direction de rob. Seulement, rob commit un erreur dans son processus de seduction. La vessie contractée par une danse si intense, il dut se rendre rapidement au toilettes, laissant la jeune femme seule. C'est la que j'entre en scène. Vous connaissez notre rivalité légendaire avec rob, et cette rivalité ne me permettait pas de le laisser rentrer accompagné ce soir. Je me levais donc, m'approchait de la jeune femme, et lui laissait un petit papier chiffoné dans la main, lui demandant de l'ouvrir à l'abri des regards indiscrets. La jeune femme s'exécuta, et quitta le bar en trombe avant que rob ne revienne de son arrêt au stand. Totalement abasourdi et déçu à son retour, rob préfera écourter la soirée et quitter lui aussi les lieux dans la foulée. Alors maintenant, vous vous demandez certainement ce que j'ai griffonné sur ce bout de papier pour inverser la situation de la sorte. Et bien cela se résume en quelques mots, cinq pour être précis: "Rob est fan des Crusaders"
Robert Dimery, dont j'ai récemment intégré le cercle des amis proches et dont j'ambitionne à moyen terme de parasiter le cercle familial, nous sert depuis bientôt 170 jours une liste longue comme le cul, n'ayons pas peur des mots, de groupes de rock'n'roll. Mais voilà que de temps à autre, celui-ci nous propose des albums d'autres genres musicaux comme celui de ce baragouineur brésilien dont il a probablement découvert l'existence au moment de l'ajouter à sa liste. L'objectif de cette mascarade est évidemment diplomatique et politique. Vous trouverez la suite de mon argumentation sous le prochain album de Ray Charles.
Groovy as hell! Not something I’d seek out on my own, glad to have listened!
This was enjoyable. Although I did not understand what he was saying, I really liked this album. Some parts of this remind me of The Zombies' Oddesy and Oracle.
Maravilhoso, marcante e importantíssimo culturalmente na história do Brasil
Very cool album. Reminds me of Fela Kuti, because both musicians created fun, vibrant, energetic music which still had enough cultural clout to get them arrested by an oppressive regime. Veloso's sound is recognisably Brazilian (even to me who knows little about Brazil), but mixed with diverse strains of pop and psychedelia. It sounds fresh and crisp and lively, even when your average 1960s psych record now smells like mothballs. Vocals are effortlessly cool. The lyrics glide over me, since I don't understand a word of Portugese - but it's an enjoyable language to listen to. I've listened to this 4 or 5 times and have no complaints at all. 5*
Maybe the best cover art in history? Guy looks like a serial murderer but his music is lovely.
Genre: Tropicália 4/5 Caetano Veloso, the album and the artist, serves as a wonderful introduction for the genre/Brazilian art movement, Tropicália. Brazilian musicians took their love of psychedelic rock, baroque pop, and leftist politics, and slammed it all into one. The end product is a beautiful pop rock sound, with ample space for experimentation. This album itself is clean as a whistle. Recordings outside of the US/UK generally mix their vocals much louder than the backing track, and that's certainly the case here. However, that doesn't take away from the quality of the arrangements, the groovy South American rhythmic influences, and Mr. Veloso's lovely singing voice. I don't understand a lick of Portugese, but that doesn't stop this from being a very enjoyable listening experience.
Tropicalia was a Brazilian artistic movement that arose in the 1960s, characterized by the influences of both traditional and avant-garde music. This particular LP is one of the very first of this genre, and attempts the union of an eclectic assortment of instruments- imagine a psychedelic fuzz tone electric guitar, a pandeiro, and a French horn, with some whistles, rattles, and a church pipe organ thrown in for good measure- demonstrating the antropofagia, or ‘artistic cannibalism’ of the Tropicalia movement. As the vocals were all in Portuguese, I had to make use of a translation app, and to the best of my ability (and the apps) I believe Senor Veloso was mostly describing and celebrating Brazilian society, and even adding America to the fiesta on track number 10, ‘Soy Loco Por Ti, America (I’m crazy for you, America).’ Lyrically, Caetano is quite poetic. Tender, at times. Musically, however, it was a big mess, like a bowl of caruru. His vocals were ok, and some of the songs worked better than others: ‘Clarice,’ for example, was an interesting and clever composition, seemingly a successful attempt at antropofagia. Same with ‘Algeria, Algeria,’ the big hit of the LP, which Veloso compares to the Rolling Stones’ even bigger hit, ‘Satisfaction.’ I believe that the comparison was intended to be one of popularity and sales rather than sound. The aforementioned ‘Soy Loco Por Ti, America’ was the most traditional Brazilian sounding number, and was frankly a relief following the several before, like track number 6, ‘Anunciacao.’ I’m going to assume Veloso is a Catholic Christian, but ‘Anunciacao’ was most certainly not a reference to Mary and Jesus. I’m not entirely sure who or what he was referencing. The second to last track, ‘Ave Maria,’ actually was the ‘Ave Maria’ lyrics you know and love, but was unfortunately offered in an awful ‘praise and worship’ ala Brazil style. And for some bizarre reason, the vocals reminded me of the Cuban, Ricky Ricardo. I love Lucy. Ricky, not so much. The very last track, ‘Eles (They),’ began with a sitar, and badly played. The sitar is not just another stringed instrument but is considered among Indians to be used in worship and meditation. I’m giving the Beatles a pass because they’re my favorite band, as well as George Harrison’s love and appreciation for Ravi Shankar and all things Hindu. But most of the other 60s-70s classic rock bands unknowingly misused the sitar spirit when they worked it into their own compositions. And ‘Eles’ concluded with, again, some psychedelic guitar. P.S.A: The ingestion of hallucinogens before listening to Caetano Veloso would be ill advised. Then again, I was as sober as judge when I heard it and I still had a bit of a bummer trip. It took an extended thirty minute live jam of the Grateful Dead’s ‘Dark Star’ to get back to a nice head space. Well, at least Caetano got the LP cover art right. If that ain’t the 1960s I don’t know what is. In closing, I wonder: is artistic cannibalism a sustainable art form? Ultimately, wouldn’t it end with one bloated figure- like the Monty Python sketch where the waiter pleads with the morbidly obese gentleman to finish his meal with just one thin dinner mint? Spoiler alert: He explodes all over the restaurant. One of most disgustingly funniest things I have ever seen. For me, Caetano Veloso, was one thin dinner mint that I do not with wish to partake again. Obrigado Deus, I still seem to be intact. En nao gosto disso.
Hinsichtlich der Liste stellt sich ja bei mir eine gewisse Desillusion ein, und dann kommt - sowas! DAS sollte man wirklich vor seinem Ableben gehört haben.
Joyful and colourful. Has some proto-ambient vibes in it's "sounds-of-the-rainforest" textures. Shades of some of my favourite sixties pop.
Beautiful kitchen music. No better way to incorporate some love into your Bolognese than to do a little salsa dance while stirring.
Easy listening, tropical meets 60s rock vibes. It could easily be used for movie soundtracks. Enjoyable and relaxing, even if I don’t fully understand Portuguese.
- elements of bossa nova which I really enjoy - psychedelic rock opener - traditional instruments/drums
why does South American music fuck so hard? this stuff’s amazing! 10/10
Álbum com letras e instrumental muito interessante. Descoberta de música brasileira do ano, junto com Jorge Ben
Cool album. Very of its time 60s vibe. Also really interesting back story, seems culturally important
It's a nice beginning for the Tropicália movement, although I'm not a fan of all the songs included in the album
This was absolutely a pleasant surprise. Much obliged for having it on the list.
Wonderful mix of bossa nova and 1970s pop. Amazing this album was only at the start of his career!
Actually very enjoyable, will give this artist/genre more listens. It seems like 90% of the list is north american/western european music but whenever we get something different (African/South American etc) its excellent. Some more cultural variety would probably have benefitted this list
Un clàssic del tropicalisme, el disc que ho va encetar. No és de fàcil escolta, ritmes complexes i arranjaments barrocs amb un munt d'instrumentació fent laberints sonors en cançons poc habituals a l'època. És un disc històric, però, digne del seu estatus
Quite like it. Fancy bands with a lot of instruments or a lot of tech in composing music an go pretty far these days but a classic one man and a microphone still do quite well in my book, regardless the language.
The lyrics are the result of a request by Caetano to his companions Gil and Capinam to make a composition containing a tribute to Che Guevara who, as the country was still living under the dictatorship, had his name replaced also at Caetano's suggestion, by the phrase "el nombre del hombre muerto"; Caetano also points out that, even without being aware of it, they wrote the lyrics in Portuguese, already enshrining in the title an error that became patent when singer Celia Cruz (who initially refused to record the song when she learned that it was honoring the former Argentine guerrilla) when he came to Brazil he changed the expression to the correct form: "Estoy loco por ti America".[1] The artist declared: "Capinam has made a wonderful thing out of a wish of mine".[1] It is one of the most representative songs of Tropicalismo.[2]
This album was surprising. I was expecting more straight bossa nova, but this album expertly incorporates aspects of Brazilian music into mor popular western forms to create something lush, beautiful, and something that knows exactly what it is. I read that Caetano Veloso thought this album was poorly executed, but I strongly disagree.
Though I prefer the more manic and experimental Os Mutantes when it comes to Tropicalia, I am sucker for nearly any 60s psychedelia - especially when it incorporates so many influences. Giro.
I like this, it feels different from anything I'm used to. Gave it a couple listens and I think I'm into it.
As someone already said, great cooking music and perfect for the hot weather.
Cool mix of Latin American music and 60s psychedelic garage rock, quite Hendrixy as well
fun and groovy record! fave tracks: tropicalia, alegria, alegria, onde andaras, superbacana, soy loco por ti america
A lot of really cool sound design and mixing, really enjoyed this for not understanding a bit of it
Very much unlike what I usually listen to, but very interesting nevertheless. I like the fact that he threw in an Ave Maria as well. Certainly enjoyable to listen to.
I had never heard of tropicália before this album. This album is awesome. 4 stars.
this shits gorgeous bro - maybe i’m j romanticizing the portuguese but Clarice and anunciciao and soy loco are beautiful i love this album and the vibe it creates low 4
This was a hard album to find. It seems that Caetano Veloso has several completely different self titled albums, and this particular one wasn’t on Apple Music. YouTube to the rescue! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Tropicália, Onde Andaras, Soy Loco Por Ti America Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, the majority of these lyrics went right over my head. I don’t speak Portuguese. I could pick up some bits from the Spanish I know, but I’m really not going to attempt some dissection of the lyrics! Musically, this was very interesting. It had some obvious bossa nova influence, but without really being bossa nova. I’d consider it to be psychedelic jazz with a Spanish flair (I know Spanish is a different language, but the music itself sounded Spanishy). Overall, I did quite enjoy this. It’s definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but as for me… me gusta.
Belle surprise, j’ai aimé la voix, j’ai aimé les mélodies. Vers la fin, je trouvais qu’on avait fait le tour, mais dans l’ensemble très agréable
I listened to the 80’s one first and it was okay, but I was a little bored by the end. The 60’s one I really liked! Some really cool songwriting and arrangements. I like the vibe of the whole album and I would definitely listen again
He’s got two self titled albums. I listened to the 80’s one first before realizing it’s the wrong one. It was pretty cool, extremely minimal just guitar and vocal. Wish it wasn’t quite so minimal. The Billie Jean cover did not work at all for me. The 60’s one is super psychedelic and has tons of percussion and fuzzed out guitars and sitars. I liked the sound and arrangements a lot. I feel like it holds up better than the some of the other 60’s experimental stuff we’ve heard because it has a stronger groove/ more rhythmically interesting. I was hoping I would have a tune with a melody that grabbed me a bit more. I was interested in the Tropicalia movement so I checked out an album he was on called Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis and really liked that album. I feel like I want to come back to these 60’s records and give them another listen. I’ll rate the first album a 3 maybe the second album 4.
This album reminds me of old movies. I don't know if it's the 'happy' sounds in this because it's a genre I never listen to, or if it's the production. But it feels very nostalgic and cozy to me.
Beautiful album, I really didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Not a fan of the album cover, but Veloso's vocals are so smooth and enchanting. Something out of a movie set in paradise. Fave track(s): Clarice
Yeah, nice! I have in recent years enjoyed a radio show on PBS FM called Switched On, which always includes some music from 60s-70s Brazil. So I’ve probably heard Veloso, Gil and others before - but while doing housework, so never took in names or listened closely. Will def come back to this album, prob at dinner time rather than jobs time as it’s at the chill end of the spectrum.
4.1 + Love seeing Brazilian tropicália on this list, especially one of the original records within the genre that's a seemingly effortless blend of psychedelia, rock and other influences. The hollow reverb on the vocals dominates the foreground while percussive splashes and organ, guitar create a kaleidoscope of sound. I especially like the peppering of fills on "Eles."
Enjoyable album, blend of sounds and genres. Good for background ambient maybe? Saved tracks: Tropicalia, Supercabana, Soy Loco Por Ti America
Didn't understand a word of the lyrics, but it didn't terribly bother me. The vibe of the various tracks are diverse, and combined with the short playtime, makes sure that it doesn't bore you at any time.
Very enjoyable, fun and upbeat, "Superbacana" and "Soy Loco Por Ti America" struck me the most!
Don't know at all Caetano Veloso... Top track: Soy Loco Por Tí, América
This was a perfectly pleasant listen, but without knowing any Portuguese it kinda slid off my consciousness without making too much of a mark. Fave track "Tropicalia" - though that just might be because I was paying attention to track one before going back to working and letting it play in the background ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You never realize internet song translation is a semi-organized inexact science until you're looking translations up for a non-English language album. "Alegria, Alegria" has some spirit to it. Superbacana starts to pick up and immediately ends. Soy Loco Por Ti America touches interestingly on the conditions of an unstable Brazil in the 60s (I think). 5/10
Fun, experimental, and revolutionary sound, suffers from the inability to understand due to a large portion of it being in Portuguese.
Pleasant and interesting, but not something a that’s gonna really draw me back anytime soon
Three days since I listened to this and too much has happened for me to say anything other than it was fun and nothing like the Landfill Psychedelia album art suggested. That's all I've got.
It was nice, not for me. All in Spanish, but sets the groundwork for a lot of Latin artists to come
Eh bien, j'ai été très agréablement surprise par cet album. Je suis partie avec un a priori sur la Bossa Nova du à ma précédente expérience peu concluante avec Astrud Gilberto. Bon ça reste un genre dont je ne suis pas particulièrement fan car un peu redondant mais honnêtement, j'ai pas mal kiffé certains titres qui avaient des sonorités particulières et entrainantes. En tout cas cet album m'encourage à continuer cette expérience musicale qui m'invite à m'ouvrir à de nouveaux genres musicaux et artistes. Pour finir j'ai presque envie de dire, il ne faut pas juger un livre à sa couverture, mais en fait la pochette était très cool ! ;)
Trippy rock-centric music from Brazil. This psychedelic rock album was created during an artistic movement period in 1960's Brazil, which gives it a unique sound. Although I have no idea what the lyrics are - because I don't speak Portuguese - I can still appreciate the vibe of the music.
This grew and grew on me. A real smorgasbord of sound. Not quite enough to fully hook me in but I’ll give it another look for sure.
Pretty fun album. I’d love to see the makings of with all the orchestral pieces