Construção (song)
Construção (Portuguese: Construction) is a song by Brazilian singer and composer Chico Buarque, recorded in 1971 for his album of the same name.
| "Construção" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Chico Buarque | |
| from the album Construção | |
| Language | Brazilian Portuguese |
| English title | Construction |
| Released | 1971 |
| Recorded | 1971 |
| Genre | MPB |
| Length | 6:24 |
| Label | Phonogram/Philips |
| Songwriter(s) | Chico Buarque |
| Producer(s) | Roberto Menescal |
The lyrics are in Brazilian Portuguese (with a Spanish version being released later). The song is made of dodecasyllable verses end each sentence ends with a proparoxytone word.[1] The musical arrangements are by the musician Rogério Duprat.[2]
The song was made during one of the harshest times of the military dictatorship in Brazil, amid censorship and political persecution, soon after Buarque returned from Italy where he had previously moved to due to the threat of political persecution. In 2009, "Construção" was selected by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest Brazilian song of all time.[3]
The song was featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.[4]
Lyrics and Music
"Construção" narrates the events of the last day of a construction worker killed in the course of his daily activities. The song tells the story from the beginning of his day until his death. Over three stanzas, the narrator observes, organizes and communicates the daily activities that took place in a circular narration, sung in reiterative melody, modifying the viewing angle in each stanza. All three stanzas conclude in the worker's death.
The lyrics are seen as a strong critique of the alienation of the worker in a modern, urban capitalist society, reduced to a mechanical condition, especially intensified in the third stanza of the song. When the worker eventually falls to his death, the lyrics reveal that he only hinders "the traffic," "the crowd," and "the Saturday" (of the public), respectively.
The song is known for its interchangeable last word of each line, which Buarque described as being put together "as if they were pieces of a board game."[5]
| Fixed sentence | 1st stanza | 2nd stanza | 3rd stanza | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amou daquela vez como se fosse (He loved that time as if [it/he] were) |
a última (the last [time]) |
o último (the last [man]) |
máquina ([a] machine) |
| 2 | Beijou sua mulher como se fosse (He kissed his wife as if [it/she] were) |
a última (the last one) |
a única (the only one) |
lógico (logical) |
| 3 | E cada filho seu como se fosse (And [kissed] each child of his as if they were) |
o único (the only one) |
o pródigo (prodigal) |
- |
| 4 | E atravessou a rua com seu passo (And he crossed the street with steps [that were]) |
tímido (timid) |
bêbado (drunk) |
- |
| 5 | Subiu a construção como se fosse (He went up the construction as if [he/it] were) |
máquina ([a] machine) |
sólido (solid) |
- |
| 6 | Ergueu no patamar quatro paredes (He raised four walls [that were]) |
sólidas (solid) |
mágicas (magic) |
flácidas (flaccid) |
| 7 | Tijolo com tijolo num desenho (Brick by brick in a drawing [that was]) |
mágico (magic) |
lógico (logic) |
- |
| 8 | Seus olhos embotados de cimento e (He had his eyes blunt from the cement and) |
lágrima (tears) |
tráfego (traffic) |
- |
| 9 | Sentou pra descansar como se fosse (He sat down to rest as if [it/he] were) |
sábado (Saturday) |
um príncipe ([a] prince) |
um pássaro ([a] bird) |
| 10 | Comeu feijão com arroz como se fosse (He ate rice and beans as if [he/it] were) |
um príncipe ([a] prince) |
o máximo (awesome) |
- |
| 11 | Bebeu e soluçou como se fosse (He drank and sobbed as if [he] was) |
um náufrago (a castaway) |
máquina ([a] machine) |
- |
| 12 | Dançou e gargalhou como se (He danced and laughed as if) |
ouvisse música (he listened to music) |
fosse o próximo (he was the next one) |
- |
| 13 | E tropeçou no céu como se (And stumbled in the sky as if) |
fosse um bêbado (he were a drunkard) |
ouvisse música (he listened to music) |
- |
| 14 | E flutuou no ar como se fosse (And floated in the air as if [he/it] were) |
um pássaro (a bird) |
sábado (Saturday) |
príncipe (a prince) |
| 15 | E se acabou no chão feito um pacote (And ended up on the floor like a package [that is]) |
flácido (flaccid) |
tímido (timid) |
bêbado (drunk) |
| 16 | Agonizou no meio do passeio (He agonized in the middle of the -ride-) |
público (public [ride]) |
náufrago (castaway [ride]) |
- |
| 17 | Morreu na contramão atrapalhando o (He died in the wrong lane and disturbed the) |
tráfego (traffic) |
público (crowd) |
sábado (Saturday) |
References
- "Construção". Chico Buarque: A Construção de uma memória musical. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- "Rogério Duprat". Cliquemusic. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- "Nº 1 - Construção". Rolling Stone Brasil. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- Ezabella, Fernanda. "Qual é a música? Diretores comentam trilha sonora da cerimônia de abertura". Rio2016. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- "Chico põe nossa música na linha". Realidade. February 1972. Retrieved 14 August 2016.