Paulo Vanzolini's sambas look like São Paulo
The composer of Ronda and Volta Por Cima claims to have lost interest in music
Carlos Calado
16/01/2001
When it comes to the samba made in São Paulo, he is always a name that comes to mind. Paulo Vanzolini has written about 60 highly poetic songs, and became famous for the samba-tune and for Volta Por Cima, a big radio hit from the early 60s.
Dissatisfied with most of the recordings of his songs, inspite of not being able to read music, the veteran songwriter reveals what he regards as the right formula with his sincere and acid remarks: "Never do I interfere in the recording of my songs, but I do think that you have to be a little bold to sing them. When you insert too much emotion into the lyrics and the singer reinforces the idea, the whole thing turns out ridicule. My music has to be interpreted with the right posture and preferably by choro musicians from São Paulo, with a 7-string guitar and mandolin".
The author of original sambas like Cravo Branco, Mulher Que Não Dá Samba, Samba Erudito and Samba Abstrato had constant partners: guitarists Luís Carlos Paraná and Paulinho Nogueira, besides occasional ones like Toquinho and Elton Medeiros. The deaths of the first two were a definitive reason to decrease his interest in music. His latest composition, Quando Eu For, Eu Vou Sem Pena, is from 1997. He hasn't written a new song since.
"It's not fun, anymore, because music is something that I used to make with my friends", explains the zoologyst Paulo Vanzolini, one of the most respected scientists in the country. "Music is over, for me".
AllBrazilianMusic - According to the Enciclopédia da Música Brasileira (Art Editora/PubliFolha), your samba-tune Ronda would be turning 50 in 2001. Do you subscribe to that information?
Paulo Vanzolini - No. I wrote Ronda in 1945. In fact, that recording was quite nutty. (Singer) Inezita Barroso was friends with my wife. She managed to record a single called Moda de Pinga. She was going to record in Rio, on a Saturday afternoon, so my wife and I went along with her. As we arrived, Inezita was asked what she was recording on the B-side, but she hadn't thought about it. There were plenty of songs that she could have recorded, but where would she get a composer's permission on a Saturday afternoon? That's why she came up with Ronda. And she even sang the lyrics wrong .
AllBrazilianMusic - Is it true that, in spite of Ronda being your most acclaimed song you do not like it?
Paulo Vanzolini - It's just something silly that I did when I was 21. I dislike it because it is too slushy. My daughter always says: "You've done it, now you have to take it"(laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - And what about the fact that Ronda is still one of the most requested songs at nightclubs of São Paulo?
Paulo Vanzolini - That song has escaped my control, it's got a life of its own. I have nothing to do with it, no more. Of course, I gladly receive the money for it. My Zoology library, one of the best in South America, was bought with the money from Ronda and Volta Por Cima. You know, the Japanese girl is suffering from a bad break-up and she goes to the karaoke and sings Ronda (laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - Where did you get the inspiration for that song?
Paulo Vanzolini - The funniest thing is that people think that it is an anthem for the city of São Paulo, but in fact it is about a hooker (laughs). I was in the Army, at that time, and I used to patrol the red light district. One night, I was having a beer in the downtown area when I saw this woman opening the door of the pub and looking around. I figured she was looking for her boyfriend. He was thinking that she wanted to get back together with him, but she was out to shoot the guy (laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - Why did you stop making music?
Paulo Vanzolini - I have no ambitions as a songwriter. I gradually lost my drive to do it after Paraná and Adauto died. To me, it used to work like a panel thing. What really took that feeling away from me was Paraná's death, we were close friends. It was a stupid death. He had had hepatitis, as a child, and it had never been treated right. By the time he was 40, he had cirrhosis. Never sipped alcohol in his life and died with cirrhosis.
AllBrazilianMusic - You guys used to meet at the pub Jogral, In São Paulo...
Paulo Vanzolini - Yeah, Jogral was owned by Paraná. The pub was the starting point for two of the greatest musicians in Brazil: Martinho da Vila and Jorge Ben.
AllBrazilianMusic - Did you get to know Jorge Ben well?
Paulo Vanzolini - I did, Jorge is very sweet and intelligent. I was the one who sent out for Nereu, in Rio. They needed a tambourine player to complete the Trio Mocotó lineup. And Nereu came.
Dissatisfied with most of the recordings of his songs, inspite of not being able to read music, the veteran songwriter reveals what he regards as the right formula with his sincere and acid remarks: "Never do I interfere in the recording of my songs, but I do think that you have to be a little bold to sing them. When you insert too much emotion into the lyrics and the singer reinforces the idea, the whole thing turns out ridicule. My music has to be interpreted with the right posture and preferably by choro musicians from São Paulo, with a 7-string guitar and mandolin".
The author of original sambas like Cravo Branco, Mulher Que Não Dá Samba, Samba Erudito and Samba Abstrato had constant partners: guitarists Luís Carlos Paraná and Paulinho Nogueira, besides occasional ones like Toquinho and Elton Medeiros. The deaths of the first two were a definitive reason to decrease his interest in music. His latest composition, Quando Eu For, Eu Vou Sem Pena, is from 1997. He hasn't written a new song since.
"It's not fun, anymore, because music is something that I used to make with my friends", explains the zoologyst Paulo Vanzolini, one of the most respected scientists in the country. "Music is over, for me".
AllBrazilianMusic - According to the Enciclopédia da Música Brasileira (Art Editora/PubliFolha), your samba-tune Ronda would be turning 50 in 2001. Do you subscribe to that information?
Paulo Vanzolini - No. I wrote Ronda in 1945. In fact, that recording was quite nutty. (Singer) Inezita Barroso was friends with my wife. She managed to record a single called Moda de Pinga. She was going to record in Rio, on a Saturday afternoon, so my wife and I went along with her. As we arrived, Inezita was asked what she was recording on the B-side, but she hadn't thought about it. There were plenty of songs that she could have recorded, but where would she get a composer's permission on a Saturday afternoon? That's why she came up with Ronda. And she even sang the lyrics wrong .
AllBrazilianMusic - Is it true that, in spite of Ronda being your most acclaimed song you do not like it?
Paulo Vanzolini - It's just something silly that I did when I was 21. I dislike it because it is too slushy. My daughter always says: "You've done it, now you have to take it"(laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - And what about the fact that Ronda is still one of the most requested songs at nightclubs of São Paulo?
Paulo Vanzolini - That song has escaped my control, it's got a life of its own. I have nothing to do with it, no more. Of course, I gladly receive the money for it. My Zoology library, one of the best in South America, was bought with the money from Ronda and Volta Por Cima. You know, the Japanese girl is suffering from a bad break-up and she goes to the karaoke and sings Ronda (laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - Where did you get the inspiration for that song?
Paulo Vanzolini - The funniest thing is that people think that it is an anthem for the city of São Paulo, but in fact it is about a hooker (laughs). I was in the Army, at that time, and I used to patrol the red light district. One night, I was having a beer in the downtown area when I saw this woman opening the door of the pub and looking around. I figured she was looking for her boyfriend. He was thinking that she wanted to get back together with him, but she was out to shoot the guy (laughs).
AllBrazilianMusic - Why did you stop making music?
Paulo Vanzolini - I have no ambitions as a songwriter. I gradually lost my drive to do it after Paraná and Adauto died. To me, it used to work like a panel thing. What really took that feeling away from me was Paraná's death, we were close friends. It was a stupid death. He had had hepatitis, as a child, and it had never been treated right. By the time he was 40, he had cirrhosis. Never sipped alcohol in his life and died with cirrhosis.
AllBrazilianMusic - You guys used to meet at the pub Jogral, In São Paulo...
Paulo Vanzolini - Yeah, Jogral was owned by Paraná. The pub was the starting point for two of the greatest musicians in Brazil: Martinho da Vila and Jorge Ben.
AllBrazilianMusic - Did you get to know Jorge Ben well?
Paulo Vanzolini - I did, Jorge is very sweet and intelligent. I was the one who sent out for Nereu, in Rio. They needed a tambourine player to complete the Trio Mocotó lineup. And Nereu came.
|
Read more about Paulo Vanzolini:
|