Happy Birthday, Rita Lee!
Source: Marco Senche from Araçatuba, Brasil, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
In 2022, Rita Lee became cancer free and won a lifetime Grammy. In honor of her new-found health and her 75th birthday today, here is a translation of her song “Saúde” (“Health”) from her 1981 album of the same name.
“Health”
I’m tired of twaddle
Pardon me, but I’m gonna lose it
I want more health
I’m tired of hearing opinions
About how to make a better world
But nobody gets off the pot and starts fishing
I know that now I’m gonna take more care of myself
How are you? I’m good
Despite, however, although, but, nevertheless
The waters will flow, I’m not gonna cry
If by chance I die of a broken heart
That’s a sign that I loved too much
But while I’m alive and full of grace
Maybe I’ll still make a bunch of people happy