America vs Brazil: National Music (Good or bad)

It seems that my opponent has left this site before we could finish this debate. Nevertheless, he already presented a significant amount of songs in round 2, so this will still be a valid debate. Considering that he presented a greater amount of songs the I did so far, I decided, in the name of fairness, to present only as many songs on this round as necessary to equate my number of songs with my opponent's. Here they are:8 - O Bêbado e a Equilibrista(The Drunk and the Tightrope Walker)http://www.youtube.com...Translation: Evening fell like a bridgeA drunk wearing a funeral suitReminded me of Chaplin’s trampThe moon,Like a brothel madamBegged from each cold starA rented shineAnd clouds,Up there in the blotting paper of the skySucked on tortured stains,What crazy agonyThe drunk wearing a bowler hatWas being irreverentFor Brazil’s night,My BrazilThat dreamsWith the return of Henfil’s brotherAnd with so many people who leftOn the tail of a rocketOur gentle motherland criesMarias and Clarices cryOn Brazil’s soilBut I knowThat pain this sharpWon’t be in vainHope dancesOn the tightrope with an umbrellaAnd with each step on this ropeIt can get hurtBad luck,But the balancing hopeKnows that each artist’s showMust go on This is one of the most known protest songs from the period of the military dictatorship (1964-1985), a prime example of the MPB style (Brazilian Popular Music) that flourished during the military regime. Performed by the extraordinary voice of Elis Regina, its popularity had a key role in the achievement of amnesty for the political exiles, who had left the country due to the repression during the worst period of the regime (1968-1973). It's full of remarkably clever metaphors, like "stars" meaning generals, "sky" meaning prisons and obviously, the "drunk", which is the whole system.9 - Apesar de Você(In Spite of You)http://www.youtube.com...Translation: (Tomorrow will be another day…)Today, you’re the one who calls the shotsIt's said, it’s been spokenThere’s no arguing (no)My people walk around todaySpeaking to the side and looking at the ground (got it?)You, who invented this state,Invented by inventingAll darknessYou who invented sinForgot to invent forgivenessIn spite of youTomorrow shall be another day I ask you, where will you hideFrom the great euphoria?How will you prohibitWhen the rooster insists on crowing?New water flowing,And our people loving one another, without stopping When the moment arrivesThis suffering of mineI’ll charge with interest (I swear)All this repressed loveThis contained screamThis samba in the darkYou who invented sadnessCome on, be so kind as to disinvent itYou’re going to pay – and doubledEvery tear shedIn this anguish of mineIn spite of youTomorrow shall be another dayI will still pay to seeThe garden bloomLike you didn’t want toYou’re going to become embitteredSeeing the day breakWithout asking your permissionAnd I’m going to die of laughterFor that day shall comeSooner than you thinkIn spite of youIn spite of youTomorrow shall be another dayYou will have to seeThe morning rebornAnd pour out poetryHow will you explain to yourselfSeeing the sky clear, suddenlyWith impunity?How are you going to stifleOur chorus singingRight in front of youIn spite of youIn spite of youTomorrow shall be another dayYou’re going to to be out of luckEtcetera and so onLa laiá, la laiá, la…. This song is the proof that censorship is the most stupid thing invented by human kind. Chico Buarque had many of his songs censored by the regime, however this clearly subversive song was approved by the censors when the author said that it was a message to a rooster that mistakenly believed that the day only broke as a result of his song, until one night when the rooster lost track of time and realized that day broke in spite of him. The song immediately made a huge success - and it was right during the "lead years" of the dictatorship, until some rumors that the song was actually dedicated to president/general Médici appeared, and the song was finally censored, but it was too late: it had already become an anthem against the dictatorship.10 - Que País é Esse?!(What Kind of Country is this?!)http://www.youtube.com...Translation:In the slums, in the SenateThere's mess everywhereNo one respects the ConstitutionBut everybody believes in the future of the nationWhat kind of country is this?! (3x)In Amazonas, Araguaia,In the Fluminense lowlands,Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais,And in the Northeast, everything's in peaceI'll rest when my death comesBut the bloodshed goes on and onStaining papers,Truthful documentsTo bosses and kingpins' relieveWhat kind of country is this?! (3x)This 3th world thing,It's just foreign mockeryBrazil will get richWe'll earn a millionWhen we sell all the soulsOf our indiansIn an auctionWhat kind of country is this?! (3x)Another protest song, but this time from a different period. In the 80s, democracy was finally on it's way, but there was still a general feeling that politics only benefited the same oligarchs of always, while the people languished in endless crisis, rampant inflation and generalized poverty. This song from the golden age of Brazilian rock by Legião Urbana still remains, in more than one way, disturbingly relevant today. 11 - País Tropical(Tropical Country)http://www.youtube.com... I live in a tropical country Blessed by GodAnd beautiful by natureWhat a beautyIn FebruaryThere is carnivalI have a fusca¹ and a guitarI am Flamengo²And I have a girlfriend named TeresaSambaby³, SambabyI may not be a band leader (that's right)But even so, back home all my friends, my little comrades look up to me (that's right)that is the reason for the sympathyFor the power of the "something else" and for the joy. Notes:1. Fusca: nickname of the VW beetle2. Flamengo: most popular Brazilian football/soccer team3. Sambaby: portmanteau of "samba" and "baby" Leaving protest songs aside, this song portrays some of the most striking features of Brazilian culture, and has enjoyed large popularity since it was originally composed by Jorge Ben in 1969, and it had been recorded several times. This is the most recent version by Ivete Sangalo, in axé music style. 12 - Aquarela do Brasil(Watercolor of Brazil)http://www.youtube.com...Translation: BrazilMy Brazilian Brazil My cunning mulatto I will sing of you in my verses Oh, Brazil, samba that gives swing,That makes people swayOh, Brazil of my loveLand of Our LordBrazil! Brazil!For me... for me...Ah, open the curtain of the pastBring the Black Mother1 down from the cerradoPlace the Congo King2 in the congado3Brazil! Brazil!Let the minstrel sing againIn the melancholy moonlightEvery song of his loveI want to see the Bahian woman4walking,Trailing through the salons5Her lacy skirts6Brazil! Brazil!For me... for me...BrazilGood and savory landOf the cunning dark-skinned womanWith an indiscreet gazeOh, Brazil, green that makesThe world amazedOh, Brazil of my loveLand of Our LordBrazil! Brazil!For me... for me...Oh, this palm tree that gives coconutsWhere I hang my hammockOn clear moonlight nightsOh, hear these murmuring fountainsWhere I slake my thirstAnd where the moonlight comes to playOh, this Brazil, beautiful and swarthyIs my Brazilian BrazilLand of samba and pandeiroBrazil! Brazil!For me... for me...Notes:1. Black Mother: main figure in the Ilê Aiyê fest2. Congo King: a slave crowned in a traditional fest3. Congado: feast of Our Lady of the Rosary4. Bahian woman: metaphor for Black Brazil5. Salons: metaphor for White Brazil6. Lacy skirts: traditional costume of Bahian women To end on a high note, this is probably the most famous Brazilian song in history, being a sort of unofficial anthem of the country. First recorded in the late 30s, it was featured in the Disney movie "Saludos Amigos" as the theme song of the Brazilian character Joe Carioca. The version presented here, was recorded by Gal Costa in 1980.