Untwining

I'm listening to Vinicius de Moraes, Maria Creuza and Toquinho playing 'Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar'. In the repeat modus. "Eu sei que vou te amar. Por toda a minha vida eu vou te amar." In Portuguese it sounds simplesmente much more sweet than in English "I know I'll love you. All my life I'll love you." Isn't it lovely? "And for each absence I'll cry" :)

Since last week several sources of information are entangled in my head. Rio de Janeiro. Santiago de Chile. Sea. Beach. Big houses that no longer exist. Living in exile. Writing. Bossa Nova music. In this letter to you I'll try to untwine what came from which source.

Let me first show you Helô Pinheiro (1945). At the age of 17 she was the girl that inspired Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980) to his song 'Girl of Ipanema' (1962). Look at that beautiful thing. Full of grace.

 

Last week I started to read Isabel Allende's book 'Mi País Inventado'. In a Dutch translation: 'Herinnering aan mijn Chili'. I only read the first half of this book when I received, via the postman, Chico Buarque de Holanda's book 'Leite Derramado'. I finished reading Chico's book - in a Dutch translation 'Herinneringen aan Rio' - in two evenings. After that, I read the second half of Isabel's book. 

In between I checked out wikipedia on Chico Buarque de Holande, Vinicius de Moraes and Augusto de Campos. Finding out that for Chico and Vinicius it was/ is a natural thing to write songs, make poems and write books. Such an unusual combination in my country. As if there is somewhere an unwritten rule that mixing of skills is not allowed. 

Untwining:

• Isabel Allende (1945). Lived in Santiago de Chile. Her father and stepfather were diplomats. She lived a part of her life in a big house with her grandfather. A house that no longer exists. Her grandfather almost became 100 year old. She went in exile (Venezuela) in 1975. Her book is about the memories and saudade of Chile. The country she was forced to leave when Pinochet became dictator (1973-1990) of her country. 
• Vinicius de Moraes.  Rio de Janeiro. Stayed at his grandfather's house when he attended primary school. Legal and Social Sciences. Poet. Film censor. Oxford University. Diplomat. One of the founders of Bossa Nova with album 'Cancão do Amor Demais' (1958). Writer of song 'Girl of Ipanema' (portuguese 'Garota de Ipanema'). In 1969, at the age of 55, he was forced to retire by the Brazilian Military Government (1964-1985). Vinicius wrote protest songs like 'A Tongo da Mironga do Kabuletê'. 
• Chico Buarque de Holanda (1944). Rio de Janeiro. Privileged family background. Performed Bossa Nova in early 1960s as singer and songwriter. Poet. Writer of books. Wrote many protest songs. E.g.   'Apesar de Você'. Went in 1970 for 18 months in exile (Italy). Chico's book is about a 100 year old man looking back at his life. His wife that left him. His jealousy. His big house - in Rio - that had to be sold. A house that no longer exists. A slow decline of financial and physical assets. 

For me the entangled information is untwined. For the biggest part. Did it make any sense to you?

P.S. I'm wondering if being the girl from Ipanema was/ is for Helô Pinheiro hell, blessing or ...? It must have changed her life for sure. Won't it?