listening to Cartola

"Cartola didn't exist. He was a dream we had" - Nelson Sargento
(written on the wall at the Centro Cultural Cartola in Mangueira)

I recently finished reading Cartola, os tempos idos (Gryphus, 2003) by Marília Trindade Barboza and Arthur de Oliveira Filho. I was inspired to post something about this amazing sambista known simply as Cartola ("top hat" in Portuguese).

One of the original founders of the Mangueira samba school, Angenor de Oliveira, Cartola (1908-1980), lived much of his life in relative poverty, his famous compositions earning him more esteem than financial gain. He finally recorded his debut album in 1974, at the age of 66.

In the late 1960s, Cartola and his wife Zica ran one of the most legendary samba houses in Rio. Known as Zicartola, the bar/restaurant/bohemian nightspot hosted some after hours sambas that have become legend. Frequented by a host of carioca musicians, composers, and intellectuals, Zicartola unfortunately suffered from mismanagement. Thus, the lack of financial prudence on part of its owners led to Zicartola's eventual shutdown.

I can hardly do justice to the genius of Cartola's poetry, but here are some of Cartola's most famous songs. I also want to highlight another pioneer, Horondino José da Silva (1918-2006), known as Dino 7 Cordas (7-String Dino), whose recordings with Cartola (and also with Jacob do Bandolim) have become something of a textbook for aspiring 7-string guitar players. Dino is almost single-handedly responsible for the instrument's widespread use in samba and choro, and "wrote the book" on technique and phrasing that is today the "language" of the 7-string guitar. The 7-string guitar has an added bass string, tuned to a low C. The baixaria (bass lines) of the instrument can be heard especially well on "Preciso Me Encontrar" below.




"O Mundo é um Moinho" (Cartola)

In the song "The World is a Windmill" the narrator is warning a young lady about heading into the world on her own, and the impending heartaches and disillusion of life.


"As Rosas Não Falam" (Cartola)

This is considered by many to be one of Cartola's most beautiful compositions, and regarded by literary critics, as well as musicians, to be the epitome of classic samba poetry. Please forgive my attempt at translating such an amazing work of art. English also does not do the words justice.

Bate outra vez com esperanças o meu coração
Pois já vai terminando o verão, enfim
Volto ao jardim com a certeza que devo chorar
Pois bem sei que não queres voltar, para mim
Queixo-me às rosas, mas que bobagem as rosas não falam
Simplesmente as rosas exalam
O perfume que roubam de ti
Devias vir para ver os meus olhos tristonhos
E, quem sabe, sonhava meus sonhos, por fim

("The Roses Don't Speak")
Beat once more with hopes, my heart
For the end of summer is near, at last
I return to the garden with the certainty that I must cry
For I know that you won't return to me
I protest to the roses, but it's silly the roses can't speak
They simply exhale the perfume stolen from you
You should come to see my sad eyes
And, perhaps, dream my dreams, at last


"Preciso Me Encontrar" (Candeia)

This song was featured in the film City of God during one of the most intense scenes. The bassoon is an interesting addition, not typical of samba at all. But Dino's playing is especially incredible in this piece. Also note that the song is written by Candeia, of recent posts past... another nod to Mestre Candeia... "I Need to Find Myself" is also typical of Candeia's deeply reflective work. All three songs are from Cartola's second self-titled album from 1976.

The photos were "mined" from the internet and I have no information on the photographers.