Apesar de VocĂȘ (In Spite of You)
Listen to the Song in Portuguese
Listen to the Lyrics in English
Chico Buarque – Original Text (1970)
Hoje vocĂȘ Ă© quem manda
Falou, tĂĄ falado
NĂŁo tem discussĂŁo, nĂŁo
A minha gente hoje anda
Falando de lado
E olhando pro chĂŁo, viu
VocĂȘ que inventou esse estado
E inventou de inventar
Toda a escuridĂŁo
VocĂȘ que inventou o pecado
Esqueceu-se de inventar
O perdĂŁo
Apesar de vocĂȘ
AmanhĂŁ hĂĄ de ser
Outro dia
Eu pergunto a vocĂȘ
Onde vai se esconder
Da enorme euforia
Como vai proibir
Quando o galo insistir
Em cantar
Ăgua nova brotando
E a gente se amando
Sem parar
Quando chegar o momento
Esse meu sofrimento
Vou cobrar com juros, juro
Todo esse amor reprimido
Esse grito contido
Este samba no escuro
VocĂȘ que inventou a tristeza
Ora, tenha a fineza
De desinventar
VocĂȘ vai pagar e Ă© dobrado
Cada lĂĄgrima rolada
Nesse meu penar
Apesar de vocĂȘ
AmanhĂŁ hĂĄ de ser
Outro dia
Inda pago pra ver
O jardim florescer
Qual vocĂȘ nĂŁo queria
VocĂȘ vai se amargar
Vendo o dia raiar
Sem lhe pedir licença
E eu vou morrer de rir
Que esse dia hĂĄ de vir
Antes do que vocĂȘ pensa
Apesar de vocĂȘ
AmanhĂŁ hĂĄ de ser
Outro dia
VocĂȘ vai ter que ver
A manhĂŁ renascer
E esbanjar poesia
Como vai se explicar
Vendo o céu clarear
De repente, impunemente
Como vai abafar
Nosso coro a cantar
Na sua frente
Apesar de vocĂȘ
AmanhĂŁ hĂĄ de ser
Outro dia
VocĂȘ vai se dar mal
Etc. E tal
LĂĄ lĂĄ lĂĄ lĂĄ laiĂĄ
English Translation by Gabriela Jatene
Today you are in charge
What you say goes
There is no discussion, no
Today my people walk
Talking low
And looking to the ground, you see
You invented this state
And invented
All this darkness
You who invented sin
Forgot to invent
Forgiveness
In spite of you
Tomorrow will be
Another day
I ask you
Where will you hide
From our euphoria
How will you prohibit it
When the cock insists
On singing
New water sprouting
And us loving each other
Nonstop
When the moment arrives
This suffering of mine
Will charge with interest, I swear
All of this repressed love
This contained scream
This samba in the dark
You invented sadness
Now, have the decency
To disinvent it
You will pay, double
For each fallen tear
On my face
In spite of you
Tomorrow will be
Another day
I will bet on seeing
The garden bloom
Which you donât want
You will become embittered
Watch the sun rise
Without asking for your permission
And I will die of laughter
Because this day will arrive
Before you know it
In spite of you
Tomorrow will be
Another day
You will have to see
The morning reborn
And ooze poetry
How will you explain yourself
Watch the sky clear
Suddenly, with impunity
How will you suppress
Our chorus as it sings
In front of you
In spite of you
Tomorrow will be
Another day
You will get whatâs coming to you
Etc. And so on
La la la la laia
Apesar de VocĂȘ as sung by Chico Buarque
Author Notes
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda, known simply as âChico Buarque, is a renowned Brazilian singer-songwriter whose songs often reflect on the social and political conditions in Brazil. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1944, and made his debut as a musician in 1964, the year Brazil suffered a coup and came under the control of a military dictatorship. In 1968, his play âRoda Vivaâ did not fare well with military dictatorial leadership, and he was made to serve a short jail sentence due to the playâs âexistentialâ themes.
Historical Context
âApesar de VocĂȘ”, written and released in 1970, is one of Buarqueâs most well-known songs, and is widely considered the most powerful popular anthem against the Brazilian dictatorship – a violent regime that lasted over 20 years, between 1964-1985. This thinly-veiled critique of the regime somehow made it past strict censorship laws and was able to gain major traction with Brazilian crowds before it was removed from circulation. Under interrogation, Chico claimed that the song was about an âoverbearing loverâ, but the singer later admitted that he released the song out of spite for the military regime, and had not expected it to make it past censorship walls. It is a resistance anthem that, to this day, represents the resilience of the Brazilian people and the dangers of dictatorial regimes.
Sources
Camargo, Caio. âChico Buarque, Brazil’s Malandro and Icon.â Music & Literature, Music & Literature, 26 Nov. 2016, https://www.musicandliterature.org/features/2014/7/10/chico-buarque-brazils-malandro-and-icon.
Pernambuco, DiĂĄrio de. âChico Buarque Lança MĂșsica InĂ©dita ApĂłs Seis Anos.â Acervo, Correio Braziliense, https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/diversao-e-arte/2017/07/28/interna_diversao_arte,613235/nova-musica-chico-buarque.shtml.