A Felicidade

by Antônio Carlos Jobim & Vinicius de Moraes, performed by Tom Zé



This song is one of the all-time classics from the Bossa Nova era, and probably one of the most well known Brazilian songs outside of Brazil. It was the main theme for the 1959 film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Picture, as well as the Palm D'Or at Cannes. The film was actually directed by a Frenchman, Marcel Camus, and not well received by Brazilian critics (at least partially for ethnocentric reasons), but it was based on a highly esteemed play titled Orfeu da Conceição, written by none other than Vinicius de Moraes, who co-wrote this song with Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim. Both from Rio de Janeiro, De Moraes and Jobim partnered to produce a whole slew of Bossa Nova classics like Garota de Ipanema and Chega de Saudade (which I hope to write about soon). De Moraes was mainly a writer and poet, and to my knowledge he didn't play any instruments himself, but Wikipedia does refer to him as a composer as well, and I'm not sure whether he contributed to the composition of this particlar piece. While I'm not sure if he is the one who performs the version in Orfeu Negro, Tom Jobim was a pianist and guitar player, and is generally regarded as the father of the Bossa Nova style.

In any case, the version I've posted here is a cover by another Tom, Tom Zé, a Paulista (from São Paulo) musician from the post-Bossa generation, and one of the more unique and unusual musicians I know of, Brazilian or otherwise. Personally, I like his version a lot better than the original recording, although it's not a dramatic departure, which is surprising given Zé's experimental tendencies. Aside from a more pronounced bass line, and some cool horn and drum effects that swoop in and out at just the right times, the main difference is the order of the verses. In the original, the fist and third verses are switched, and I'm not sure why Zé swapped them. The other interesting difference is that Zé chooses not to include the second line of the chorus after the final verse, which I find to be a powerful finishing touch given the song's message.

I've always been a little surprised that Zé chose to cover such a sweet and simple song, and even more surprised that his cover is by and large faithful to the original. I can only take it as a sign of how monumental the song is in the musical imagination of contemporary Brazilian artists. But it's interesting to note that in Brazilian pop music, it's very common for artists to cover each other's songs, and for the most popular songs to be covered by various artists at different times. The last song I posted, for example, was also recorded by Caetano Veloso, and it was a long time before I knew that Jorge Ben had ever recorded it himself. To my mind, this is a really key distinction from the Anglo-American pop tradition, where recorded covers are pretty rare, and where we tend to identify a song with just one performer. Perhaps it points to the importance of lyrics in the Brazilian concept of music or songwriting. Or perhaps that's just my wishful thinking.

Happiness

Sadness has no limit
Happiness sure does

Happiness is like a feather
That the wind carries through the air
It floats so gently
But lives so briefly
It needs the wind to never stop blowing.

Happiness for the poor man is like
The grand fantasy of Carnaval
We work the whole year
To dream for just a moment
And dress up
Like a king, or a pirate, or a gardner
Only for it all to end on Wednesday.

Sadness has no limit
Happiness sure does

Happiness is like a drop
Of dew on a flower's petal
It shines peacefully
Then lightly sways
And falls like a lover's tear.

My happiness is dreaming
In the eyes of my lover
It's like this night
Passing, passing
In search of the dawn
Speak softly, please
So she wakes up as cheerful as the day
Offering kisses of love.

Sadness has no limit.

A Felicidade

Tristeza não tem fim
Felicidade sim

A felicidade é como a pluma
Que o vento vai levando pelo ar
Voa tão leve
Mas tem a vida breve
Precisa que haja vento sem parar

A felicidade do pobre parece
A grande ilusão do carnaval
A gente trabalha o ano inteiro
Por um momento de sonho
Pra fazer a fantasia
De rei ou de pirata ou jardineira
Pra tudo se acabar na quarta feira

Tristeza não tem fim
Felicidade sim

A felicidade é como a gota
De orvalho numa pétala de flor
Brilha tranquila
Depois de leve oscila
E cai como uma lágrima de amor

A minha felicidade está sonhando
Nos olhos da minha namorada
É como esta noite
Passando, passando
Em busca da madrugada
Falem baixo, por favor
Prá que ela acorde alegre como o dia
Oferecendo beijos de amor

Tristeza não tem fim