Meaning behind the song titles

Altamiro Carrilho describes below the meaning behind the titles of compositions included in this songbook:

Guaracy - “That was a small contest I organized when I was working at Mauá Radio Station, according to which those who wanted to send suggestions for the title of that waltz could do it by letter. But I never thought I would receive so many letters. Such a quantity of letters that I even had to ask an assistant to help me with it. And among the various pretty names there were also some, I mean, like Etelvina, which was a little weird because it is a name that is no longer used. Then I received this one, Guaracy, which I liked, because it’s an Indian word and it reminds us of the tupi-guarani language, so I said, “Well, I’ll choose this one, Guaracy.” And also, when I met the real Guaracy that had sent the letter, it was a gorgeous girl, as pretty as the waltz.”

Frevinho Carioca (Frevinho from Rio de Janeiro) - “There was this guy from the State of Pernambucano who one day, in a café, was having his beer and said: ‘It’s ok with a chorinho, but a frevo? Only if composed by someone from the Northeast, and preferably from Pernambuco. Over there people make the real frevo.’ Then I told him: ‘You mean that a guy from Rio de Janeiro cannot write a frevo?’ And he went like: ‘Oh, it’d be very difficult, show me one!’ And I said: ‘Right now!’ And I grabbed the flute and started to improvise. And he kept looking at me in amazement, like asking: ‘Why, does it exist already?’ And I said: ‘No, I’m doing it right now. We, from Rio, are so dumb to write frevos that we do it on the double, on the spur of the moment.’ The first part was written then and there, in the café.”

Bem Brazil (Very Brazil) – “This is because above all I’m a Brazilian wretch just like all the others, but I’m happy for having been born in this country, which I regard as the best in the world. I wouldn’t trade Brazil for anything, so you can offer me a collection of golden flutes that I won’t trade it. I want to be Brazilian, I am Brazilian, and I will be Brazilian until the end of my days.”

Beija-flor (Hummingbird) – “I once saw a hummingbird, that little bird that hovers in the air like a chopper, sucking out nectar from flowers in my aunt’s garden, and I found that very interesting, I was still a little boy, and I kept that idea – ‘I’m going to write a song with the name hummingbird,’ and suddenly I did it, it reminded me of the hummingbird flight stability, and there it was.”

Flauteando na Chacrinha (Playing the Flute at the Chacrinha) – “This one I wrote to honor Chacrinha, the TV host, the famous Abelardo Barbosa, who would put on a show in one small farm in the city of Niterói, it was a real small farm, the name is correct - Chacrinha (small farm). Then he would put on that show all by himself, I mean, with only a sound engineer. He would have all sorts of gizmos on the table, and would get a bell, a whistle, a horn...Hello Terezinha! - but he still did not have his own signature tune, his was a foreign song, a Greek one, if I’m not mistaken, the only record in good condition was that, the rest wouldn’t even play, all scratchy, 78 RPMs! I had just recorded a choro that still didn’t have a name, and I said: ‘Listen Abelardo, would you accept one of my still unpublished songs as your signature tune? I’ve never played it anywhere, I just recorded it recently.’ He said: ‘Well, it will depend on the song, If it’s a good one I’ll have it.’ Next day I took it there, for he had a daily show, and I showed it to him and he said: ‘Yes, I’ll have it, we have a deal! It’s going to be my signature tune.’ At that time he was not rich yet, he was just beginning.”

Aeroporto do Galeão (Galeão Airport) – “Aeroporto do Galeão has a curious story, I was going to Fortaleza for two shows at the Fortaleza Theater, and we were waiting for the plane at the old Galeão Airport (not the Tom Jobim but the old one, which was called Galeão. Then the bell that long time ago used to call for the flight rang, and I heard those notes, which stuck in my brain, and I immediately started singing ‘that can turn into a choro,’ I said to the guys. And they said: ‘Yeah, right.’ And they smiled to each other, like saying ‘the guy is losing it...’ Well, the choro was written on the plane. Then we heard the second call for our flight, I got some brown paper and improvised a staff already on the plane, sitting on the plane, and kept writing and that’s how it was, when we got to Fortaleza the chorinho was ready, first and second parts included. Then I took advantage of it, and played it for the first time at the theater in Fortaleza.”

Rio Antigo (Old Rio) - “It was composed when Rio de Janeiro celebrated its 400th anniversary. The guys in São Paulo had released two songs about the 400th anniversary of São Paulo. Well, following the example of the guys from São Paulo, who paid a tribute to the city with those songs, I composed Rio Antigo to celebrate Rio’s anniversary. And the idea of honoring the city was highly praised, and the song became a great hit, with an uncommon sales volume at the time.”

Caco de vidro (Shard of Glass) – “I was walking barefoot (which I enjoy doing at my mother’s place in Niterói, where houses still have big backyards, trees, etc). Suddenly I stepped on a shard of glass and it started bleeding, so I looked at that blood and felt that pain and pulled it out with rage and threw it to the trees so it would disappear from my sight. Instead, it got stuck to one of the trees, and then I said ‘A place for everything and everything in its place,’ and that’s how the choro was composed.”

Não resta a menor dúvida (There is no doubt about it) – “It was composed to honor a friend of mine who would agree with everything you would say to him – you could say anything he would never agree with, and the answer would always be ‘Não resta a menor dúvida!’”

O Chorinho do Rodrigo (Rodrigo’s Chorinho) – “This I composed for the son of a guy who used to play cavaquinho with me; he played for some years, then he was unable to play, for he got seriously ill and spent months in treatment, and I had to invite another player, who is still with me, Maurício Verde.”

Pra tia Amélia (For Aunt Amélia) - “Tia Amélia was a very aged pianist who still played at 92, she played with the vibration of an 18-year-old girl. At that age her vitality was remarkable, I don’t know, it seemed that the woman was made of stainless steel... she used to play some old maxixes, very interesting. And she told me: ‘Altamiro, you are a good composer...’ and I said: ‘I’m not great, but I am a composer.’ And she said: ‘Please write me a maxixe so I can start dancing my shows, while you play the signature tune. It can be something small, a short piece, but something to be my own signature tune.’ And I said: ‘all right.’ And I composed that one, Pra tia Amélia, and it was so in accordance with what she wanted that she starting jumping for joy, she even forgot her age, 91 going 92, it was amazing, and she was a very nice person, she would talk to everyone, play with everyone.”

Vivaldino (Rascal) - “Vivaldino is a Brazilian slang for a smart, intelligent guy, a rascal, and in the end they suffer more than we do, because of their trickeries. But anyway I was studying this concerto by Vivaldi in order to record it with a piccolo solo, string orchestra, wind instruments, horn, etc. And at the ending I play Vivaldino with that Vivaldi ending. A tribute to Vivaldi.”