Due to the success of "Galeria do Amor", Agnaldo
recorded two more albums that had some similar songs: Perdido na Noite (1976) and Eu Pecador (1977). There are those who argue that if the "hetero" world would have known about the truth behind these songs probably they would have not been that famous. |
Agnaldo Timoteo: 1975
From 1975 to 1977 Agnaldo recorded three albums that are called the trilogy of the night. In 1975, galeria do Amor is an explicit song that refers to the Galeria Alaska in Copacabana, a common gay gathering in Rio de Janeiro. The following sentences are taken from the lyrics of galeria do amor: "One night of insomnia I went out, I was searching for different emotions and after some time I stopped, curious for a particular environment where many looked at one another in the search for love. In the galeria do amor is like that, people looking for people, it is a place of different emotions, in which people who is people understand each other and can love each other freely (...) Now, when I have insomnia, I have a place to go, I found the place I was looking for (...)" |
WandoIn 1978 Wando, a famous romantic singer whose fans used to throw their underwear in his shows, recorded Emoções, a song that talks about a love story between two young boys.
GILBERTO GILGilberto Gil, a very close friend of Caetano, also has created some songs related to gay orientation. One of them is Pai e Mae:
"I have spent some time learning how to kiss other men in the same was as I kiss my dad (...) Tell my dad to don´t be ashamed of me when he sees me kissing other men. Tell him that when I kiss a friend, I am sure that person is like him, with his strength to protect me, with his love to make me feel comfortable. That person is someone with the eyes and heart wide open to understand me". In super-homen Gilberto Gill express: "One day I lived in the illusion that being a man was enough, that the masculine world will give me everything I wanted but now, I realised my feminine side is the best part I have with me, it is what make me live". Leci Brandão
In 1978 Leci released the sad song called Ombro Amigo that talked about the difficult condittion in which gay people lived at that time. The lyrics start by affirming the marginal condittion in which love is associated with prejudice or stigma: "you have to live hidden, always answering with fear, I know that people is bad to you and they also forbid the way you love (...) one day you would be able to go out with your love without fear, now it is not time my dear friend for you to tell the world". These lyrics bring hope for the future in a time where gay people needed to live hidden. Also, they speak about how in the 1970´s gay people only were found in the guetos or special clubs. It was only in these places where they could feel comfortable and they could express their feelings freely. From Onbro amigo to Essa tal Criatura, Leci Brandão experiences a transition in its music from opression to freedom. |
Odair Jose
In the 1970, another gay icon such as Odair Jose wrote the song: Forma de Sentir. In this song he sings: "I know you are clever and you understand, I understand and I accep your way of love". The word "entendido" (understand) identifies gay people of the time.
Chico Buarque de Hollanda
Chico Buarque contributed to the Brasilian gay musical universe. Three of his songs need to be highlighted: Bárbara, Geni e o Zeppelin, and Mar e Lua. Barbara talks about the love between two women. Geni e o Zeppelim talks about the sad situation of a travesty that is only accepted for her community when she is about to be killed. Geni is the only person that can safe the catastrophe. Mar e lua is a beautiful poetry that talks about the suicidal love between two women. In particular, we can see that in the following sentences: "they loved the forbidden love as everyone knows that one walked alone, pregnant of the moon, and the other walked naked, in search of the ocean". Nei Matogrosso is an icon that is linked to the gay history of the MPB. He appeared in 1973 as the vocalist of the band “Secos e Molhados”. His appearance caused an aesthetic shock.
People did not know if he was a woman or a man. If he was gay or transexual. He had a feminine voice that contrasted with his masculine body and his hairy chest. Since Carmen Miranda, Brasil did not know much about such an exotic figure in the popular music. In 1980 Leo Jaime wrote two songs in which, using a funny approach, he talked about gay issues. One of them is called Aids which was a big success among the audiences who sang aloud: "Aids, you do not have to put band-aid". The lyrics say:
"It is the last fashion that came from New York and it must be good as everything that come from the North, your mom is going to like it, your dad will find it modern, it´s more hot than the real hell, that fashion is killing, a new trend is comming, Nike tennis, walk man, big mac...Aids, you do not have to put band-aid". Things became more explicit in Sonia: " Sonia please don´t turn me on because I am wearing my bathing suit (...) Sonia it is for you that I masturbate, thinking of you I have this sensation, without realising I am with "the thing" in my hand, Sonia I really like you, I love you, please come closer, let´s go to the party and we do the "train", you can be in the front and I will be in the back and behind me another boy, Sonia that´s amazing!, Sonia I stopped being that good boy and you have no idea what I can do, they say I am a cool guy, I can have anal and oral sex (...) I just want to have sex, I do not want any commitment, Sonia my love, I love you! |
caetano velosoCaetano Veloso is essential in the history of the MPB. His controversial character has often been associated with gay orientations.
Caetano has emphasized couple of times that he does not have sex with men. However, after he came back from London in the 1970´s he generated rumors when he went to the brasilian stages dressing like a woman. He has stated it in an interview that he has an internal desire to be "multiple". He confessed he has had a femenine identification since little. Also, in front of the audiences, Caetano used to kiss in the mouth all his band musicians. Here there are some songs that have a gay look: 1). Menino do Rio: Part of the lyrics say: "when I see you, I desire your desire, please take this song as a kiss". This song is considered a tribute to men beauty. 2). Ele me deu um beijo na boca: " After singing "ele me deu um beijo na boca", Caetano ends the song singing: "I reply to that kiss". 3). Podres poderes: In this song Caetano claims against the elite by offering a tribute to all the indians, gays, black, women and young that make possible the Carnaval and bring happiness to the world. 4). In Três Travestis and Amor mais que discreto, Caetano is even more explicit. In Amor mais que discreto he sings: " But you are too pretty, too complex, too good to become the lover of the lover (...) I am older but we are two young boys, our destinies are mutually interesting". Caetano clarifies that the lyrics are gay but that the word gay originated initially in the United States to explain happiness. Unfortunatelly, this word today has became something bad. LULU SANTOS AND OTHERSLulu Santos, in Toda Forma de Amor, stated a sentence that refers to a universal respect: "We consider fair all forms of love".
In Meninos e meninas Renato Russo is also explicit about his sexual orientation: "I like boys and girls and it is going to be like that forever". Cazuza made in O tempo não pára a desperate call: "They called you a thief, gay, a drug addict...". . |