Apesar de Você (In Spite of You)

Listen to the Song in Portuguese

See video below

Listen to the Lyrics in English

In Spite of You — Read by Jill Robbins

Chico Buarque – Original Text (1970)

Hoje você é quem manda

Falou, tá falado

Não tem discussão, não

A minha gente hoje anda

Falando de lado

E olhando pro chão, viu

Você que inventou esse estado

E inventou de inventar

Toda a escuridão

Você que inventou o pecado

Esqueceu-se de inventar

O perdão

Apesar de você

Amanhã há de ser

Outro dia

Eu pergunto a você

Onde vai se esconder

Da enorme euforia

Como vai proibir

Quando o galo insistir

Em cantar

Água 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

Você que inventou a tristeza

Ora, tenha a fineza

De desinventar

Você vai pagar e é dobrado

Cada lágrima rolada

Nesse meu penar

Apesar de você

Amanhã há de ser

Outro dia

Inda pago pra ver

O jardim florescer

Qual você não queria

Você vai se amargar

Vendo o dia raiar

Sem lhe pedir licença

E eu vou morrer de rir

Que esse dia há de vir

Antes do que você pensa

Apesar de você

Amanhã há de ser

Outro dia

Você vai ter que ver

A manhã 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 você

Amanhã há de ser

Outro dia

Você vai se dar mal

Etc. E tal

Lá lá lá lá laiá

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 don’t 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 what’s coming to you

Etc. And so on

La la la la laia

 

Apesar de Você as sung by Chico Buarque

Author Notes

Francisco Buarque de Hollanda, known simply as “Chico 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 “Roda Viva” did not fare well with military dictatorial leadership, and he was made to serve a  short jail sentence due to the play’s “existential” themes.  

Historical Context

“Apesar de Você”, written and released in 1970, is one of Buarque’s 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 “overbearing lover”, 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. “Chico Buarque, Brazil’s Malandro and Icon.” Music & Literature, Music & Literature, 26 Nov. 2016, https://www.musicandliterature.org/features/2014/7/10/chico-buarque-brazils-malandro-and-icon.

Pernambuco, Diário de. “Chico Buarque Lança Música Inédita Após Seis Anos.” 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.