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Chico Buarque

A Brazillian singer/songwriter, Chico Buarque (born on June 19th, 1944) has become famous for his music, which comments on Brazil's social, economic and cultural situation.

During Brazil's military coup of 1964, Chico wrote about the situation and avoided censure by using cryptic analogies and word play. For example, using the Portuguese words for "shut up" (cali-se) and "chalice" (cálice) allowed Chico to sing about the military's oppression under the guise of a bible story in the song "Cálice."

Lyric in Portuguese
Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice
De vinho tinto de sangue.
Como beber dessa bebida amarga
Tragar a dor, engolir a labuta.
Mesmo calada a boca, resta o peito
Silêncio na cidade não se escuta.
De que me vale ser filho da santa
Melhor seria ser filho da outra
Outra realidade menos morta
Tanta mentira, tanta força bruta.

Translation
Father, take away this chalice
of wine tinted red with blood. Literally: Of wine tinted of blood.
How can I drink from this sour drink
Take in the pain, swallow the drudgery.
Even if the mouth is shut, the heart still remains
Silence isn't heard in the city.
What good is it to be son of the saint (female)
It would be better to be son of another
Another reality less dead
So many lies, so much brute force.

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