TROPICALIA CHAPTER FIVE: THE AFTERMATH: VELOSO's Transa

I will freely admit that there is so much more about the Tropicalia movement that I missed.  I could talk about Tom Ze or Jorge Ben, but their music after the movement is what got me to expand more of my musical tastes in Brazilian music. After seeing Caetano Veloso at the local University I wanted to hear his music after his exile and after the Tropicalia period.  He played two songs that were sung in both English and Portuguese and I was really impressed with both songs.  I now had to find these two beautiful pieces of music.

Thanks to the local paper some review was at the same show I was at and knew a bit more then I.  I say a bit more because he knew the song titles, but missed the point of how much an icon was Caetano Veloso to so many people.  I think he only had so much he could say in the concert review so he made it short and to the point.  My mom read the review and she seemed interested in his music, but she did not ask more.  When I showed my friend the two songs "You Don't Know Me" and "Nine out of Ten." We both had no clue what album they were on.  Thanks to the internet I was able to track them down to one album called Transa.

Now that we found the album they were on, now I wanted to buy the CD.  Going to the local book and record store was an option, but we ran into a road block.  The CD was out of print and they could not get it from their distributor.  So I went back to school and went to the local used CD store and the local book and record store.  When I inquired my friend from college looked up at me and asked if I went to see him in Boston.  I told him that I saw him at the local University and was blown away.  My friend told me that he had a few of his CD's and would make me a copy of the one I was looking for and also said he might have a way to get it from a friend of ours who owns a chain of local used CD's stores in the area.  I was set.  It took a bit longer then I expected, but worth the tracking down that I did to find it.  My friend at the local bookstore came through.

When I first listened to Transa I was blown away and right away too.  It only took one song to hear his feelings on Brazil, and about life in general.  The music here was not like his early albums. He was more mature. His time in exile gave him more reflection.  The music was more accessible to the outsider who did not know his music.  It also kept the tradition of music from Brazil alive.  Most of this 1972 album was recorded while in exile, but his hidden view of Brazilian politics must have been in those songs.  The mix of the English and Portuguese is great and is fresh.

At first listen I have to say it's quick to like Caetano on the first song or the album alone.  Every song is a gem. The music is awesome and Caetano living in London must have had some creative benefits. His little song at the end of the album shows that his world in London changed him.  The song is called "Nostalgia."

You sing about waking up in the morning
But you're never up before noon
You look completely different from those straights
Who walked around on the moon
The clothes you wear
Would suit and old times baloons
You're allways nowhere
But you'll realize pretty soon
That's all that you care
Isn't worth a twelve bar tune

You won't believe you're just one more flower
Among so many flowers that sprout
You just feel faintly pround when you hear they shout
(Very loud) you're not allowed in here, get out
That's what rock'n'roll is all about
That's what rock'n'roll is all about
I mean, that's what rock'n'roll was all about

So if you need an album that explains Post Tropicalia then this one is one of the best.  If you see him in performance then he draws on this album a lot.  He admits that of all the music he made, this album Transa is his favorites. To the collector who loves his music (like myself) this is an album worth finding.  If you find an original then be prepared to dish out over $300. To me the music is priceless. Caetano is many things and this album shows his creative side along with his love of American music.  Check it out and Enjoy!!