by Alvaro Neder
The first Caetano Veloso solo album was recorded in 1967. Soon after
the III FMPB, where Veloso took fourth place with "Alegria, Alegria,"
he and his group (which would soon constitute the tropicália movement)
were news, dividing opinions concerning the group's interest in fusing
Brazilian music with international pop culture, lysergic psychedelia,
generalized irreverence, and whatever crossed their minds. The arrangements
were done by three classically trained composers, fully committed to the
most adventurous experiments in modern music: Júlio Medaglia, Damiano
Cozzella, and Sandino Hohagen. Veloso's concept was that the album should
surpass the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's, being also very Brazilian and, at
the same time, international. The record has immortal classics, such as
"Clarice," "Soy Loco Por Ti América" (Gilberto
Gil/Capinam), composed under the effect of the recent death of Che Guevara,
"Superbacana," "Tropicália," and "Alegria,
Alegria." The rest of the album has had less success but consists
of excellent tracks that remain modern until today. "Tropicália,"
the title track, was an unnamed song when its recording began. By suggestion
of the then photographer Luís Carlos Barreto, Veloso used the same
name of an installation by the visual artist Hélio Oiticica, which
was composed by a labyrinth made with plants and birds conducing to a
television set. The suggestion was accepted -- and the tropicália
was born.
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