Happy Birthday, Chico Buarque! (4)

7 songs by Chico Buarque in honor of his 77th birthday on June 19

Apesar de Você

Another important protest song, this time also a great samba, “Apesar de Você” (“Despite You”) came out as a single in 1970 and on the “Chico Buarque” album in 1978.
Written shortly after his return from exile to express his disillusionment with the country’s direction, Chico is said to have been surprised that the song made it past the censors, who at least at first seemed to believe that the song was simply about a lovers’ quarrel. But in early 1971, the dictatorship apparently figured out the subtext and public performance of the song was censored. Copies were destroyed and the censor who initially approved the song was punished.
Listen to “Apesar de Você”

“Despite You”
Tomorrow will be another day
Tomorrow will be another day
Tomorrow will be another day

Today you’re the one who gives the orders, got it, end of story
There’s no argument, no
My people today walk around
Talking under their breath and looking at the ground, see?

You who invented this state
Who came up with the idea of inventing all the darkness
You who invented the sin
Forgot to invent the pardon

Despite you tomorrow has to be another day
I ask you
Where are you going to hide from the tremendous euphoria?

How are you going to prohibit
When the rooster insists on crowing?
New water sprouting
And us loving nonstop

When the time comes, this suffering of mine
I’ll charge interest, I swear
All this repressed love, this contained scream
This samba in the dark

You who invented sadness
Now, have the grace to uninvent it
You’re going to pay and it’s double
Every tear shed in my suffering

Despite you tomorrow has to be another day
I’ll still pay to see the garden flower
Like you didn’t want

You’re going to rue
Seeing the day dawn without asking your permission
And I’ll die laughing
Because that day has to come sooner than you think

Despite you
Despite you tomorrow has to be another day
You will have to see the day be reborn
And lavish poetry

How are you going to explain seeing the sky brighten
Suddenly, unscathed?
How are you going to stifle
Our chorus singing in front of you?

Despite you
Despite you tomorrow has to be another day
You’re going to do badly, et cetera and so on