(Original in Portuguese)

Nísio Teixeira^[1]

The UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) of October 2005, ratified by Brazil in 2007, establishes in its Section III, Definitions, Article 4, the meaning of “Cultural Diversity”:

[it] refers to the manifold ways in which the cultures of groups and societies find expression. These expressions are passed on within and among groups and societies.
Cultural diversity is made manifest not only through the varied ways in which the cultural heritage of humanity is expressed, augmented and transmitted through the variety of cultural expressions, but also through diverse modes of artistic creation, production, dissemination, distribution and enjoyment, whatever the means and technologies used.

According to items 4 to 6, still in Section III of the CDCE cited above, cultural activities, goods and services refer to those that incorporate or transmit cultural expressions, independently of the commercial value they may have, with cultural industries producing and distributing such goods and services, which themselves need culture-related policies and measures on the local, regional, domestic or international level. Such policies must focus on culture as such, or intend to have a direct effect on the cultural expressions of individuals, groups, or societies, impacting the creation, production, diffusion and distribution of activities, goods and cultural services, as well as access to them.

It is with this perspective in mind that the present article understands the songs: as forms of a society’s expression of diversity, both from the point of view of the lyrics as from the point of view of the music. The songs help to understand different social conjunctures, and their incorporation as research material has been more and more common due to their recognition as “historical documents” as well (Valente 2003: Moraes 2010). Valente indeed suggests that the song can be understood as a “testimonial narrative”, not only when the cultural text found in the music carries a register that can have been prevented from taking place in literary, historiographical or even journalistic narratives, but, above all, as the representation of a society’s individual or collective aspect. In these evolving times of ICT (Information and Communication Technology), especially the Internet, we are aware that universal access to these collections has become easier, though it faces a dual challenge: to actually find the song in order to listen to it, and most importantly, in our case, a song that was produced decades before the advent of the vinyl LP (long play), and which only circulated on 76 or 78 RPM (rotations per minute) records.

Memory appears here as a research challenge and a key concept to comprehend the testimonial value of the song, since the remembrance and/or the recollection triggered off by the lyrics-music combination, beyond the song as a document, are found therein. The song brings what Valente calls a “memory capsule” – not only individual but collective as well (as we know, there are several examples of striking songs for each specific historical period or social group). On the other hand, a challenge exists in accessing and understanding the cultural industries and policies linked to the different media resources that provide these songs. Resources which, again, and even in the Internet age, become scarcer the further back in time these songs were recorded and phonographically produced.

Thus, before going further, we should highlight the contribution of the Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS) as an extremely important actor in facilitating access to this musical collection. The IMS digital collection not only enables the exercise of cultural diversity expression within an ethnocentric rupture line, by offering an ample collection of various expression forms in Brazil, but also an ethnochronic rupture, since it precisely allows an ample and free access to listening to these “memory capsules” produced in the Brazil of yesterday.

In the first place, it should be noted that its music collection is only one of IMS’ four heritage pillars. Besides music, its collection includes literature, iconography, and (the biggest of them all) photography. Its actions “are supported by an endowment initially set up by Unibanco and expanded later by the Moreira Salles family” (IMS 2015). The IMS is present in three cities: Poços de Caldas (municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, where the institute was founded in 1992), Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Besides exhibition catalogues, photograph albums, literature and music, the IMS “publishes two magazines on a regular basis: the biannual ZUM, about contemporary photography in Brazil and worldwide, and the quarterly Serrote, about essays and ideas” (IMS 2015). All collections go through conservation, organization and diffusion processes which can be detailed as follows:

The Photography collection comprises 800 thousand images, from the most important testimonials of the XIX century – Marc Ferrez’s splendid images particularly stand out here – to the relevant collections that nearly encompass the whole XX century. In these latter, it is important to mention the names of Marcel Gautherot, José Medeiros, Maureen Bisilliat, Thomaz Farkas, Hans Gunter Flieg and Otto Stupakoff, among others. And it is the IMS’ priority to incorporate images of the XXI century in its collection. This formidable set – 40 collections, 19 of them being the photographers’ complete works – accredits the IMS as the most important photography institution in the country. Music accounts for the early days of Brazilian songs recordings. The collection is replete with 78 rpm records, a repository of 80 thousand phonograms, underpinned by the invaluable collection of José Ramos Tinhorão and Humberto Franceschi. But there are also collections of three seminal composers that enrich Brazilian musical fortune – Chiquinha Gonzaga, Ernesto Nazareth, and Pixinguinha. Letters, papers, several documents, and books compose the Literature collection. Personal files of Otto Lara Rezende, Érico Veríssimo, Clarice Lispector, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Rachel de Queirós, Lygia Fagundes Telles and Paulo Mendes Campos, among others, are deserving of researchers’ attention and enhance knowledge about the country’s literary activity with valuable information. The Prehistory of Photography, the IMS’ Iconography, entirely expressed on paper (watercolours, prints, drawings) is a precious record mostly executed by travelling artists who came to Brazil on board of diplomatic or specifically cultural expeditions in the XIX century. In this collection we can point out the beautiful watercolours left by Charles Landseer, who arrived here in 1825, and the drawings of German artist Von Martius (Carl Friedrich Philipp), who explored Brazilian nature between 1817 and 1820 (IMS 2015, emphasis added).

Apart from regular exhibitions of its collection through programs that also include exhibiting and discussing visual art and cinema, one of the IMS’ central objectives is the wide dissemination of its whole heritage. This is the reason why it constantly invests in the universal and free propagation of its collections, as well as programming on the Internet through the site www.ims.com.br. In the case examined hereafter, the musical collection also receives the support of a radio station, Rádio Batuta, which explores the potentials of this collection “and produces documentaries about great composers and interpreters.”

Thus, we set our focus on what is available on the IMS website in terms of phonograms of its ample musical collection. The IMS’ Musical Technical Reserve was inaugurated in early 2000, and maintains 14 collections that are centred on two aspects: musical practice itself within its multiple functions (composer, arranger, conductor, etc.), and research and collecting activities. The great diversity of musical representation supports that exist can be roughly organized along two guidelines: one that exists through the music scores, and one that exists through the recordings.

We shall focus on the recordings. Available on the IMS web portal are digitized phonograms of records once launched in 76 and 78 rpm; these collections take on a special importance. “The main ones are Humberto Franceschi’s and José Ramos Tinhorão’s, with about six thousand pieces each. But there are smaller samples also in Pixinguinha’s and Antonio D’Aura’s collections, besides the donations received from several cities in Brazil, and the contributions of small collectors that lend us their records to be digitized here” (Leme 2015). All recordings come with a detailed technical datasheet of the phonogram.

Added to this material are recordings coming from other supports, such as roll and cassette magnetic tapes that contain non-commercial material (essays, presentations, interviews and radio programs), besides “purely musical supports”, such as, again, Tinhorão’s collection, “in which, apart from an over six-thousand-volume library, complete collections of magazines and various rare works, there are about 2,600 photographs, a collection of over 15 thousand newspaper and magazine clippings, and hundreds of important documents, the whole thing being focused on the researcher’s great passion for urban popular culture” (Leme 2015).

In this study, and from this ample collection of IMS’ recordings, we will highlight the testimonials of Brazilian Christmas carols so that we can understand, with and through them, how the song, as an important historical document and testimonial narrative, reveals some aspects of how part of the Brazilian society interpreted the period. Listening to this production that saw the day in Brazil between 1913 and 1956 was made possible precisely through accessing the IMS collection research site (http://acervo.ims.com.br), for which we only selected the “música” (music) item, and did a search using the expression Natal (Christmas) and similar ones (Papai Noel (Santa Claus), dezembro (December), festas (parties), etc). It should be noted that producing Christmas theme songs, which was once a common occurrence in the Brazilian phonographic industry (just like what it is done to this day in other countries, notably in the USA), has become increasingly scarce. Recent exceptions (not included in the IMS’ collection) can be pointed out, such as the singer Simone, who launched a record in 1995 (but with standards and adaptations of worldwide Christmas carols), and more than ten years later, in 2006, the album of new songs Um Natal de Samba (A Samba Christmas), with compositions of samba musicians Almir Guineto, Cláudio Jorge, Luiz Grande and others, part of which is included in the samples used for this work.

Thus, the article hereafter presents an analysis of 45 songs on the Christmas theme produced by the Brazilian phonographic industry. As we said before, the largest array of samples were selected between 1913 and 1956 – thanks to the collection accessed through the IMS website – but it also includes a 1976 song and the aforementioned album from 2006^[2]. Without pretending to establish categories that are in fact interchangeable, we have divided our impressions of the Christmas carols testimonials analysed under nostalgia, description, relationship, and dispirit. It is our intention, with this small exercise, to demonstrate how the songs, and through them the role of a digital collection such as the IMS’, contribute to the dissemination and promotion of cultural diversity.

I – Nostalgia

In this first case, nostalgia can be perceived in the waltzes Sinos de Natal (Christmas Bells), by Erotildes de Campos, 1925, recorded by Pedro Celestino (Vicente’s brother):

Saudades de outrora Que eu já esquecia Que alegres crianças Sonhando esperanças Quanta alegria No trono de Deus Há tantas doçuras Imensas ternuras Que vêm lá do céu

Nostalgia of the old times That I was already forgetting. What joyful children! Dreaming of hopes. There’s plenty of joy On God’s throne. So much sweetness, Immense tenderness that come from the sky above.

And in Meu Natal (My Christmas), performed by Francisco Alves (composed by himself with Ary Barroso, 1934):

Nessa noite em criança Sempre tinha a esperança De um presente de valor Colocava na janela Meu sapato de fivela Pensando em nosso Senhor

On this night when I was a child I always hoped for A present of value I would put in the window My buckled shoe Thinking of Our Lord.

Or another one performed by Alves and Trio de Ouro: Natal (Christmas) (Herivelto Martins and Rogério Nascimento composers 1945):

Dorme, dorme filhinho, Meu anjinho inocente, Natal chegou, meu santinho, A mamãezinha está contente.

Sleep, sleep my little son, my innocent little angel, Christmas has come, my little saint, Mommy is happy.

Or also in the waltzes recorded in 1954 by Roberto Paiva, such as Boas festas (Happy Holidays, by Rui de Almeida and Guido Medina composers), and Dezembro (December) (Amil and Gaó composers, 1954). This latter one, for example, contains the following verses:

Dezembro, mês de sonhos e poesias Tudo era belo e encantador na vida Natal, presépios, noites de alegria Da minha infância linda e tão querida Ó tempo vem por hoje dizimar Eu punha atrás da porta os sapatinhos E Papai Noel me dava brinquedinhos Nas noites estreladas de Natal Dentre os presentes todos que ganhei Ganhei também um lindo palhacinho De roupas bonitinhas Que comigo sempre conservei Nunca está triste Invejo-lhe a maneira Traz nos seus lábios um mordaz sorriso.

December, month of dreams and poetry, All was beautiful and lovely in life; Christmas, nativity scenes, joyful nights Of my beloved, wonderful childhood. Oh Time who comes today to wipe it out; I would put my little shoes behind the door; And Santa would give me little toys; On the starry nights of Christmas; among all the presents I got There was also a beautiful little clown dressed in pretty little clothes which I have always kept He is never sad I envy him the way He puts on his lips a mordacious smile.

Among other examples, we also find Jerusalém, performed by Zilá Fonseca (Castro Perret and Jane composers 1953):

Noite feliz de Natal que nos põe alegria Dentro da alma cansada na vida vazia Noite de amor que nos traz novamente a lembrança Uma janela, um sapato, um cismar de criança.

Happy Christmas night that brings us joy To our tired souls and empty life Night of love that brings us back the memory A window, a shoe, a child’s daydream.

And Papai Noel (Santa Claus), performed by Carlos Galhardo (Ivo Santos e Raul Pompéia composers 1956):

Papai Noel Que saudade que me vem Já escuto lá longe o badalar Dos sininhos de Belém Papai Noel O meu tempo já passou Mas na noite tão alegre de Natal Bem feliz eu sou Eu também fui pequenino, pequenino Mas depois eu fui crescendo, fui crescendo E as minhas ilusões quando menino Foram desaparecendo E a vida foi seguindo para frente Com saudades sou feliz hoje também Porque já sou papai Noel

Santa Claus, that nostalgia that comes I can hear tolling in the distance the little bells of Bethlehem. Santa Claus, my time has gone already But on such a happy Christmas night I am very happy I, too, was little, little; But then I started to grow and my illusions as a child went fading away and life went on and on with nostalgia I am also happy today because now I am Santa Claus.

And Papai Noel esqueceu (Santa has forgotten), performed by João Dias and Ângela Maria (David Nasser and Herivelto Martins composers, undefined year):

Meu sapato no sereno Ficava a noite inteirinha Na janela do meu quarto Quando eu era criancinha E dormindo meio acordado Eu esperava ela vir Trazendo um brinquedo novo Papai Noel era você, mamãezinha.

My shoe in the cool air would lie all night long at my bedroom window; when I was a child and sleeping half awake I waited for her to come bringing me a new toy: Santa Claus was you, Mommy.

It is curious to note that this strong memory from childhood, associated to the mother figure on Christmas nights, came at a period when this kind of recording was starting to become rarer in Brazil, in the 1970s, in the rock-soul Hoje é Natal (Today is Christmas) by Cassiano (Cassiano and Paulo Zdanowski composers 1976). Apart from all the European references such as fireplace and swans, in the end it is all about a longing cry for the mother:

Hoje é Natal de estrelas no céu Hoje é Natal, Papai Noel Deixou pra você os sinos do amor E em meio às flores na sala, no bar Lareira e as crianças a brincar E no jardim o nosso cão a rosnar Nossos cisnes enfeitam o pomar… Mamãe…

Today is Christmas with stars in the sky! Today is Christmas, Santa Claus! He left the bells of love for you Amidst the flowers in the room, in the bar Fireplace, and the children at play. In the garden our dog is growling Our swans embellish the orchard… Mommy…

II – Description

Still in the form of waltzes and lullabies, but also with a greater occurrence of marchinhas (a popular style of dance music, characteristically joyful, with military march rhythm and binary or quaternary beat – NDT), some songs describe either a traditional Christian version of the history of Christ’s birth, or how this celebration occurs in diverse places, in the city or in the countryside, like in Natal no Sertão (Christmas in Sertão) by Capitão Furtado and Tia Chiquinha (Villa Lobos and O.F. Pessoa composers 1939):

Meia noite o galo canta Todo mundo se alevanta Alegremente dobra o sino Toda gente vai para a igreja E a terra toda festeja O nascer do bom menino Toda gente tá contente No terreiro o violeiro cantarola uma suave viola.

At midnight the rooster crows gaily the bell tolls. Everybody goes to church and the whole land celebrates the birth of the good Boy, Everybody is happy In the farmyard the viola player fingers a gentle viola.

There is also Natal dos Caboclos (Christmas of the Caboclos – said of an individual born from a Caucasian and an indigenous, physically characterized by their brown or coppery skin and straight black hair – NDT), performed by Quarteto Tupã and Paraguassú (Paraguassú and Ariovaldo Pires composers 1938):

Noite de alegria, noite de amor Nasce nesse dia Cristo Redentor Como é divinal lá no meu sertão Ao chegar Natal quanta tradição Toca alegre o sino na igreja da Serra É o senhor menino que desceu à Terra. Noite de alegria, noite de amor Nasce nesse dia Cristo Redentor Como é divinal lá no meu sertão Ao chegar Natal quanta tradição Toca alegre o sino na igreja da Serra É o senhor menino que desceu à Terra.

Night of joy, night of love, On this day Christ the Redeemer is born; How divine it is in my sertão, when Christmas comes there’s plenty of tradition. Gaily tolls the bell in the hill church, It is the Lord Child that came to Earth. Night of joy, night of love, On this day Christ the Redeemer is born; How divine it is in my sertão, when Christmas comes there’s plenty of tradition. Gaily tolls the bell in the hill church, It is the Lord Child that came to Earth.

Cartão de Natal (Christmas Card) performed by Isis de Oliveira and Luiz Gonzaga (Gonzaga and Zé Dantas composers 1954):

Boas-festas Feliz Ano Novo Ouvindo os sinos de Deus Repicando na matriz Para você e os seus Peço um Natal bem feliz.

Happy Holidays! Happy New Year! Hearing God’s bells Chiming in the Mother Church To you and yours I wish a very Happy Christmas.

Salve Papai Noel (Hail Santa Claus), a dobrado (said of music played in a military march rhythm style – NDT) performed by Bandinha do Altamiro Carrilho (Altamiro Carrilho’s band) and Carequinha (Carequinha and Mirabeau composers, undefined year):

Salve, salve Papai Noel! Com alegria vamos todos festejar. Salve, salve Papai Noel! Meu sapatinho na janela vou botar

Hail, hail Santa Claus! Let’s all celebrate with joy. Hail, hail Santa Claus! My little shoe in the window I will lay.

Nature itself (the rooster, the stars, the light), as well as the small urban centres, especially dotted with bell chimes, mark the Christian influence and transform themselves so as to announce the coming of Jesus, an aspect also reinforced in other songs of the past, with no less than three songs named Sinos de Natal (Christmas Bells). The first one, performed by Carlos Galhardo (Sanches de Andrade composer 1941):

Construí uma casinha Lá no meio do caminho Que foi feita de papel (que foi feita de papel) Vou receber este ano Com prazer uma visita do Papai Noel

I’ve built a little home There down the way Which was made of paper (which was made of paper) This year I’m gladly going to receive A visit from Santa

And another, performed by Francisco Alves (Victor Simon and Wilson Roberto composers 1950):

Numa simples manjedoura Num presépio de luz Veio ao mundo um menino O menino Jesus Vinte e cinco de dezembro É o dia de Natal Luz no céu, paz na Terra, Glória universal!

In a simple manger, In the nativity crib, A Boy came to the world, Jesus Child. Twenty-fifth of December Is Christmas Day, Light in Heavens, peace on Earth, Universal Glory!

The third one, performed by Aurora Miranda (André Filho and Orestes Barbosa composers 1934):

Ô, ô, ô, ô, ô, O galo já cantou E o Natal anunciou.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, The rooster has crowed, And Christmas has been announced.

Besides these, there is also Natal Divino (Divine Christmas) (Milton Amaral composer 1935):

Natal, Natal! A lua cor de ouro emite a luz Vê que a humanidade está risonha Festejando o divino aniversário de Jesus.

Christmas, Christmas! The gold-colored moon sheds light, and sees that mankind is smiling, celebrating the divine birth of Jesus.

There are several other examples, such as Chegou Papai Noel (Santa has come), performed by João Petra de Barros (Kid Pepe and Roberto Martins composers 1934):

Chegou Papai Noel Faz anos que Jesus nasceu O galo cantou no terreiro Uma estrela lá no céu apareceu.

Santa has come It’s been years since Jesus was born The rooster crowed in the farmyard A star appeared in the sky.

Cantiga de Natal (Christmas Carol), performed by Elizeth Cardoso (Lina Pesce composer, circa 1950):

Uma noite no oriente Uma estrela apareceu Anunciando à toda gente A mensagem lá do céu Meu Jesus Jesus menino Para o nosso bem nasceu Trouxe paz, trouxe alegria Quanto amor ofereceu.

One night in the East, a star came up to bring us all a message from heaven up there: My Jesus, Jesus Child, for our own good was born bringing Peace, bringing joy. How much love He has offered!

Natal das crianças (Children’s Christmas), performed by Blecaute (Blecaute composer 1955):

Natal, Natal das crianças Natal da noite de luz Natal da estrela guia Natal do menino Jesus

Christmas, Children’s Christmas! Christmas of a night of light, Christmas of the guiding light, Christmas of Jesus Child.

Noite de Natal (Christmas Night), performed by Alvarenga and Ranchinho (Murilo Alvarenga and Newton Mendonça composers 1941):

É noite de Natal A lua no céu anuncia Reina paz na terra Nessa noite de alegria É noite de Natal.

It is Christmas night. The moon in the sky announces There is Peace on Earth In this night of joy It is Christmas night.

Prece de Natal (Christmas Prayer), performed by Leny Eversong, with Aloísio, Seu Conjunto e Coro (Aloísio, His Band and Chorus), (José Saccomani, Lino Tedesco, Walter Melo composers 1956):

Lindas estrelas nascem no céu Anunciando que o Natal chegou Cubra-se o mal com um véu Façamos preces ao nosso senhor.

Beautiful stars are born in the sky announcing that Christmas has come. May evil be covered with a veil Let’s say our prayer to our Lord

A Valsa de Natal (Christmas Waltz), performed by Orlando Silva (Hilton Gomes and Sivan composers 1953):

Preces falando de amor neste dia de paz Sinos vibrando e rezando na mesma oração Benção de nosso Senhor espalhando clarões E todos cantam a mesma canção Natal ao meu Senhor

Prayers speaking of love on this day of peace Bells tolling and praying the same prayer Our Lord’s blessings gleaming over and all sing the same song, Christmas of my Lord.

And Presente de Natal (Christmas Present), performed by Zelinha do Amaral (Alvarenga and Ranchinho composers 1936):

Reina paz na Terra A lua no céu anuncia Que vai chegar o Papai Noel Trazendo pra nós alegria Que belo bailinho no céu As estrelinhas luzentes Parece que estão dizendo Eu também quero um presente.

There is peace on Earth the moon up there announces That Santa is coming bringing us joy. What a nice dance in the sky! The little stars twinkle, They seem to be saying: “I want a present too”.

A present that Brazil itself gets, too: in Sonhos de Natal (Christmas Dreams), performed by painter-singer Gastão Formenti (Henrique Vogeler, J. Menra and Lamartine Babo composers 1929), a play upon words between the Christian festivity and the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte:

Nesta noite o bom velhinho Ao Brasil dera afinal Lá do fundo do saquinho A cidade de Natal.

Tonight good old Santa To Brazil has given at last From the bottom of his bag The city of Natal (Natal also means Christmas in Portuguese – NDT).

Still in this descriptive category, with the 1950s come the classical Portuguese versions of foreign Christmas standards such as Jingle Bells, performed by João Dias (James Pierpoint composer, in the famous version by Evaldo Rui 1951):

Hoje a noite é bela Juntos eu e ela Vamos à capela Felizes a cantar Ao soar o sino Sino pequenino Vai o Deus menino Nos abençoar.

Today the night is beautiful, Together she and I Go to the chapel Happily singing. When the bell tolls, Little tiny bell, The Lord Child shall Bless us all.

And a version also recorded as Sinos de Belém (Bells of Bethlehem) performed by Sônia Delfino and Club do Guri. Or the versions of O Silent Night (Franz Gruber) translated as Noite de Natal (Noite Feliz), performed by Dalva de Oliveira (version by Mário Rossi, undefined, c.1950):

Noite feliz, noite lustral É Natal, é Natal Em Belém uma estrela irradia A mensagem que a todos conduz Filho da Virgem Maria Nasce o Menino Jesus

Happy night, blessed night! It’s Christmas, it’s Christmas! In Bethlehem a star radiates the message that leads us all! Son of Virgin Mary, Jesus Child is born.

Or another version, Noite de Luz, performed by Zilá Fonseca (Osvaldo Moles composer, undefined, c. 1950):

Noite de luz Noite de paz Nasce Jesus Pra nos salvar E as estrelas sentiram o amor.

Night of light, Night of peace, Jesus is born to save us all, And the stars felt love.

And also Noite Feliz, performed by Duo Moreno (by Arlindo Pinto and Mário Zan, undefined, c.1950):

Noite feliz O céu também diz Dobra o sino Num som divino…

Happy night! The heavens also say The bell tolls In a divine sound.

Still around that period, the traumas of World War II and the imminent Cold War can also be found in Christmas lyrics, such as in Paz no sapato do mundo (Peace in the Shoe of the World), performed and composed by Castro Barbosa (1949):

Meu bom Papai Noel Que coração tão profundo Pede a Deus a paz do céu Para o sapato do mundo

My good Santa Claus What a deep heart! Ask God for heavenly peace To fill the shoe of the world

Or also in Canção de Natal do Brasil (Brazil’s Christmas Song) performed by Francisco Alves (by himself, David Nasser and Felisberto Martins 1951):

Varrei o ódio da guerra Protegei o bem contra o mal Abençoai nossa terra, Senhor Nesta noite de Natal.

Wipe the hatred of war away, Protect the good from the evil, Bless our land, Lord, On this Christmas night.

A recent counterpoint, in the 2006 album mentioned earlier, in Momentos de Paz (Moments of Peace), Luiz Grande (by himself, Barbeirinho and Marcos Diniz) describes a different type of Christmas party:

Boas-festas compadre vou me mandar Hoje é noite de Natal Eu só vou tomar uma De maneira alguma Não posso ficar Minha nega já está Com a caxanga arrumada Não falta mais nada Vou chegar pra lá Encontrar os parentes Amigos da gente Pra comemorar.

Happy Holidays, compadre! I’m getting out of here Today is Christmas night I’ll just take a nightcap No way I can’t stay My woman has packed already. there’s nothing missing, I’ll get going To meet my folks, Friends of ours, To celebrate.

Yes, the amorous interlude will also take a ride in the Christmas lyrics, such as it does in the following examples.

III – Relationship

The beloved person as received, desired, or lost Christmas present also punctuates part of the Christmas songbook, such as the funny marchinha Dia de Natal (Christmas Day), performed by Carmen Miranda (Hervê Cordovil composer 1935), in which the best present, besides the beloved person, was to get Carnival to arrive soon to party:

Hoje é dia de Papai Noel Hoje é dia de Natal Vou pedir ao meu Papai Noel pra fazer Chegar depressa o Carnaval Eu este ano vou pedir a ele E quero ver se ele consente Vou pedir pra nunca mais eu perder Você que foi o meu melhor presente.

Today is Santa’s day! Today is Christmas day! I’m going to ask my Santa to make Carnival come soon. This year I’m going to ask him, I wonder if he will consent, I’m going to ask him not to let me lose My best present that’s You.

In a similar way, the same Carmen Miranda sings Recadinho de Papai Noel (Santa’s Little Message), (Assis Valente composer 1934), in which love sounds like a toy, and the perfect Christmas present would be a honeymoon:

Papai Noel se quiser vai me fazer um favor Eu quero a lua p’rá mim, para mim e meu amor Aquela lua-de-mel, em noite nupcial Prá ver se assim sou feliz, na linda noite de Natal.

Santa, if you please you’ll do me a favor, I want the moon for me, for me and my love, That honeymoon, on a wedding night To see if that way I am happy, on the beautiful Christmas night.

The same can be observed in Noite de Natal (Christmas Night), performed by Orlando Silva (Maugeri Neto and Maugeri Sobrinho composers 1952):

Noite Feliz Noite de Natal Noite tão feliz Fico a recordar meu lindo sonho de amor Juntos na capela rezando perto dela Eu pedi a graça do Senhor Num prolongado beijo As nossas vidas se encontraram.

Happy night! Christmas night! Such a happy night! I keep remembering my beautiful Together in the chapel praying by her side, I asked for the Lord’s grace In a prolonged kiss Our lives met.

Or even in the recent Presente de Natal (Christmas Gift), performed by Fundo de Quintal (Roque Ferreira composer 2006):

Eu gosto de namorar No pé da ladeira Debaixo do pé de araçá Ao pé da fogueira Amor ardente é o desejo Quando vem pra pegar Toca na boca da gente Um gosto bom de amar É bom provar do seu mel Seu beijo fatal Abre a roda que sou eu Sou eu o seu presente de Natal.

I like dating At the foot of the hill Under the araçá tree, By the bonfire, Passionate love is the desire, When it comes to us, It leaves in our mouths A good taste of love. How good it feels to taste your honey, Your deadly kiss, Open the circle for I am, I am your Christmas gift.

But, we can also try to ask Santa to bring us the beloved one, as in Se Papai Noel quisesse (Only if Santa wanted), performed by Sílvio Caldas (Cristóvão Alencar and Hervê Cordovil composers 1936):

Se Papai Noel quisesse Eu seria tão feliz Pois eu lhe pedia que me desse A mulher que não me quis.

If Santa wanted, I would be so happy For I asked him to give me The woman that didn’t want me.

Or in Eu sou pobre, pobre (I’m poor, poor), performed by Aurora Miranda (André Filho and Orestes Barbosa composers 1934):

Papai Noel, tenha pena de mim Meu sapatinho furou Não posso mais viver assim Não tenho amor Não tenho nada Sou pobrezinho Papai Noel, seja meu camarada Eu sou pobre, pobre pobre de marédeci Vou te dar meu endereço pra com mais facilidade você me encontrar Moro na rua da Saudade, longe da felicidade Será fácil me achar.

Santa, have mercy on me! My shoe has a hole in it, I can no longer live like this, I have no love, I have nothing, I am a poor thing. Santa, be my pal! I’m poor, poor, as poor as the tide! I’m going to give you my address so you can easily find me: I live on Nostalgia Street, far away from Happiness. You can’t miss it.

In this respect, a malicious counterpoint can be heard in Listinha de Natal (Christmas List), (Indía and Jorge Henrique composers 1956), in which the star Virgínia Lane brings on lyrics full of bad intentions towards the good old man:

Papai Noel, eu quero um casaquinho de arminho Sempre fui pra você, meu velhinho O que de mais honesto se vê. Papai Noel Eu quero um Cadillac azulzinho Diamantes também E prometo que em troca lhe darei um beijinho Quanto tempo eu perdi Quantos brotos eu deixei de namorar Ano que vem serei igual Se atender minha listinha de Natal Papai Noel Eu quero apartamento e joias também Talõezinhos de cheque Prometo ser sua só e de mais ninguém.

Santa, I want an ermine coat; I’ve always been to you, my dear old man, The most honest person ever. Santa, I want a blue Cadillac, Diamonds, too. I promise I’ll give you a kiss in exchange. The time I’ve wasted, The young men I didn’t date, Next year I’ll do the same If you fulfill my Christmas list, Santa, I want an apartment and jewels, too; Check books, I promise to be only yours and nobody else’s.

IV – Dispirit

But not all is joy at Christmas, as Almir Guineto describes in Meu Natal (My Christmas) (Guinet, Gilson Souza, Mi Barros composers 2006):

Pra uns o Natal é feliz Pra outros é sabor de fel Vivi o Natal que não quis Tão cruel… Não ouse dizer pras crianças Que Papai Noel não existe Pra ter esperança Não ser triste É Natal É Jesus Divinal que conduz.

For some Christmas is happy, For others it tastes bitter, I had a Christmas I didn’t want So cruel… Don’t you dare tell the children That Santa does not exist To have hope and not to be sad. It’s Christmas! It’s Divine Jesus That leads us.

In other words, not everyone can have everything they want, as also expressed in Quando chega o Natal (When Christmas comes), performed by Neide Fraga (Sereno composer 1950):

Meu sapatinho é tão velho Que eu tenho vergonha de pôr no fogão Quando o Natal vem chegando Eu fico pensando no Papai Noel Quantos brinquedos bonitos Soldados de chumbo, trenzinhos de apito Mas nada disso eu queria Se Papai Noel me pudesse atender Era trazer alegria e levar a tristeza Do meu padecer.

My shoe is so old That I’m ashamed to put it by the fireplace. When Christmas is coming I keep thinking of Santa. So many beautiful toys! Lead soldiers, whistling trains, But I didn’t want any of them. If Santa could only hear my prayers Bring me joy and take away the sadness Of my suffering.

Or even more critically out of Ângela Maria’s lips, in Outros Natais (Some other Christmases), (Cláudio Luiz composer 1956):

Vocês que moram em palácios E dormem em colchão de mola Que perdem na mesa de jogo Bem mais do que dão de esmola No dia em que os sinos cantarem Trazendo um Natal a mais Procurem lembrar-se que existem outros natais Natal das crianças doentes Das nossas favelas Anjinhos da fome que a idade se conta nos dedos Que pedem a Papai Noel Que passe também perto delas Trazendo ao menos remédios Em vez de brinquedos Natal das crianças que dormem na dura calçada Debaixo do teto opulento de nossas marquises Natal sem castanha, sem bolo, sem cobre Sem nada Natal das crianças que morrem pra serem felizes.

You, people, who live in palaces, And sleep on spring mattresses, Who lose money gambling Far more than the alms you give, On the day when the bells toll, Bringing another Christmas, Try to remember that there are other Christmases. The Christmas of sick children, Of our slums, Hungry little angels whose age you can count on your fingers, Who ask Santa To pass by their homes too Bringing at least medicines Instead of toys; The Christmas of children that sleep on hard streets, Under the opulent ceiling of our marquees. Christmas with no chestnuts, no cake, no coins, Not a thing! The Christmas of children that die to be happy.

Happiness disguised by consumerism – combined to a frustrated marriage – is also expressed in the critical Sapato na janela (The Shoe in the Window), performed by Emílio Santiago (Claúdio Jorge composer 2006):

Acho que esse amor não tem mais jeito O vazio em nosso peito Tá difícil de aturar Cenas desse nosso casamento Desencontro, sofrimento Veja só, os nossos filhos vão chorar É melhor partir pra decisão Libertar essa paixão E tentar em outro porto ser feliz Já está chegando o fim do ano Novos ares, novos planos De plantar nova raiz Procurar a paz pela cidade Enfrentar a realidade É o que o coração nos diz Mas na rua vejo a propaganda É papai Noel chegando Com presentes pr’eu comprar Na TV nos jogam nessa trilha Um Natal sempre em família Fora disso não é fácil suportar.

I think this love is hopeless, The emptiness in our chests Is hard to bear; Scenes from our marriage, Disagreement, suffering… Look, our children are about to cry! We’d better take a decision, Set this passion free, And try to be happy somewhere else, Since the end of the year is coming Fresh air, new plans Of planting new roots, Searching for peace around the city, Facing reality. This is what the heart tells us, But in the streets I see announcements, Santa is coming With presents for me to buy On TV we are thrown on this trail Christmas in family as always Otherwise, it is not easy to bear.

A synthetic song in this respect might be one of the biggest hits of the Brazilian Christmas songbook: Boas festas (Happy Holidays), (Assis Valente composer 1933), made famous by Carlos Galhardo. Suicidal and solitary, composer Assis Valente summarizes in scathing lyrics the death of Santa and of happiness itself, typical of the period, camouflaged by a marchinha that, in counterpoint, gives it a happy and rhythmic melody:

Anoiteceu, o sino gemeu e a gente ficou feliz a rezar Papai Noel, vê se você tem A felicidade pra você me dar Eu pensei que todo mundo Fosse filho de Papai Noel E assim felicidade Eu pensei que fosse uma Brincadeira de papel Já faz tempo que eu pedi Mas o meu Papai Noel não vem Com certeza já morreu Ou então felicidade É brinquedo que não tem.

The night has come, the bell has wailed and we were happy praying. Santa, see if you have got Some happiness to give me. I thought everybody was Santa’s children, And so happiness I thought it was a paper toy It’s been a long time since I asked, But my Santa won’t come. Certainly, he is already dead, Or else happiness Is a toy he hasn’t got.

Conclusions

This analysis does not include the phonographic recording which might have been the first of the period: Natal das crianças pobres (Poor children’s Christmas): a dobrado recorded in 1913 by the 10th Infantry Regiment Band, composed by Eduardo F. Martins, also available in the IMS collection. Though it is not a song, this piece which is probably the first one dedicated to the period, contains the childhood theme associated with Christmas, which seems to strengthen the nostalgia aspect mentioned, the time of no return, a past forever gone. Such aspects, as we saw, were reinforced by the discourse of the lyrics, and reiterated by the musical tone of various songs – normally, and not by chance, associated with rhythms such as acalanto (lullaby), samba-rancho (a samba variation – NDT), or waltz. In another set of songs, we discovered a more descriptive character, depicting aspects of the celebration, and finally, other songs that use Christmas to speak of discouragements or other type of affections, such as love. To a lesser extent, some even joke about the season and instead of waltzes, acalantos or samba-ranchos, what we have is a slightly greater occurrence of marchinhas.

If the rarefaction of the Christmas songbook can be interpreted as a sign of crisis faced by the Brazilian (and worldwide) phonographic industry due to the new technology and information reconfigurations, on the other hand, they can also be interpreted as a curious gap in the social testimony of the last few decades. A similar phenomenon, by the way, can be speculated upon regarding the period dedicated to the festas juninas. (June parties celebrating St. Anthony, St. John, and St. Peter – NDT), which perhaps deserves a similar approach, for in both cases there was a production process for the repertoire specific to these times – and also nostalgia: “the oldies”, songs which, back in the day, already dealt with reminiscing. Listening to them today, as we intended to present here with the Christmas songbook, is precisely an example of the song as “memory capsules” (Valente 2003), as well as social narrative testimonies of their time.

In its preamble, the CDEC recognizes “the need to take measures to protect the diversity of cultural expressions, including their contents, especially in situations where cultural expressions may be threatened by the possibility of extinction or serious impairment”. The analysis presented here is only one of many that can happen today thanks to the combination of researchers’ historical efforts, the use of new technologies and, in the present case, the institutional mission of the Instituto Moreira Sales (IMS) to provide wide and free access to listening to this vast Brazilian cultural production, thereby contributing to the exercise of cultural diversity of ethnocentric as well as ethnochronic rupture provided by research, access and listening to these songs of the past – and, now, of forever.

References

Instituto Moreira Salles – IMS (2015) História. Site oficial. <http://www.ims.com.br/ims/instituto/historia> (accessed 06 October 2016).

Leme, B.P. (2015) Pesquisa no acervo de música. <http://www.ims.com.br/ims/explore/acervo/musica> (accessed 06 October 2016).

Moraes, J.G.V. (2010) ‘Entre a memória e a história da música popular’, in Saliba, E.T. & Moraes, J.G.V. (orgs.) História e Música no Brasil, São Paulo: Alameda.

Valente, H. de A.D. (2003) ‘A canção na mídia – ouvidos e olvidos’, in Valente, H. de A.D., As vozes da canção na mídia, São Paulo: Via Lettera.

Songs

Alencar, C. de, Cordovil, H. & Caldas, S. (1936) Se papai noel quisesse, Odeon.

Alvarenga, Ranchinho & Amaral, Z. do. (12/11/1936) Presente de natal, Acompanhado por Regional RCA Victor, Victor.

Alvarenga, M., Teixeira, N., Alvarenga & Ranchinho. (1941) Noite de natal, Odeon.

Amaral, M. & Miranda, A. (1935) Natal divino, Odeon.

Amil, Gaó & Paiva, R. (1954) Dezembro, Odeon.

Andrade, S. de & Galhardo, C. (1941) Sonho de natal, Victor.

André Filho, Barbosa, O. & Miranda, A. (1934) Eu sou pobre… pobre… pobre, Odeon.

André Filho & Miranda, A. (1934) Sinos de natal, Odeon.

Barbosa, C. & Barbosa, C. (indefinido) Paz no sapato do mundo, Acompanhado por Abel, Conjunto Star, Star.

Barroso, A. & Alves, F. (1934) Meu natal, Victor.

Blecaute. (indefinido) Natal das crianças, Acompanhado por Coro, Orquestra, Copacabana.

Campos, E. de & Celestino, P. (Dezembro/1925-Julho/1928) Sinos de natal, Acompanhado por Grupo dos Ases, Odeon.

Carequinha, Mirabeau & Carequinha (indefinido) Salve papai noel, Acompanhado por Altamiro Carrilho, Bandinha, Coro Infantil, Copacabana.

Cassiano, Zdanowski, P. & Cassiano (1976) Hoje é Natal, Polygram.

Cláudio L. & Ângela Maria. (1956) Outros natais. Acompanhado por Coro, Orquestra, Copacabana.

Cordovil, H. & Miranda, C. (1935) Dia de natal, Odeon.

Diniz, M., Barbeirinho, Grande, L & Grande, L. (2006) Momentos de paz, Caravelas.

Ferreira, R. & Fundo de Quintal (2006) Presente de Natal, Caravelas.

Gomes, H., Sivan & Silva, O. (1953) A valsa do natal, Copacabana.

Gonzaga, L., Dantas, Z., Oliveira, I. de & Gonzaga, L. (1954) Cartão de natal, Rca Victor.

Gruber, F., Moles, O. & Fonseca, Z. (indefinido) Noite de luz, Acompanhado por Coro, Orgão, Columbia.

Gruber, F., Pinto, A., Zan, M. & Duo Brasil Moreno (indefinido) Noite feliz, Acompanhado por Coro, Orquestra, Copacabana.

Gruber, F., Rossi, M., Oliveira, D. de & Inglez, R. (indefinido) Noite de natal, Acompanhado por Orquestra, Odeon.

Guineto, A., Souza, G., Barros, M. & Guineto, A. (2006) Meu Natal, Caravelas.

Índia, Henrique, J. & Lane, V. (1956) Listinha de natal, Todamérica.

Jorge, C. & Santiago, E. (2006) Sapato na Janela, Caravelas.

Martins, E. F. & Banda do 10° Regimento de Infantaria do Exército (1913) Natal das crianças pobres, Odeon.

Martins, H., Nascimento, R., Alves, F. & Trio de Ouro. (1945) Natal, Acompanhado por Orquestra Fon-Fon, Odeon.

Maugeri Neto, Maugeri Sobrinho & Silva, O. (1952) Noite de natal, Acompanhado por Coro, Orquestra, Copacabana.

Medina, G., Almeida, R. de & Paiva, R. (1954) Boas festas, Odeon.

Nasser, D., Martins, H., Ângela Maria & Dias, J. (indefinido) Papai noel esqueceu. Acompanhado por Orquestra, Copacabana.

Nasser, D., Martins, F. & Alves, F. (1950) Canção de natal do Brasil, Odeon.

Perret, C., Jane & Fonseca, Z. (indefinida) Jerusalém, Acompanhado por Coro, Orgão, Columbia.

Pepe, K., Martins, R. & Barros, J.P. de (1934) Chegou papai noel, Odeon.

Pesce, L. & Cardoso, E. (indefinido) Cantiga de natal, Acompanhado por Coro, Orquestra, Severino Filho, Copacabana.

Pires, A., Paraguassú & Quarteto Tupan (26/09/1938) Natal dos caboclos, Acompanhado por Regional RCA Victor, Victor.

Rui, E., Pierpont & Dias, J. (04/10/1951) Jingle bells, Acompanhado por Coro, Solo-Vox, Odeon.

Saccomani, J., Tedesco, L., Melo, W. & Eversong, L. (indefinido) Prece de natal. Acompanhado por Aloísio, Conjunto, Coro, Copacabana.

Santos, I., Sampaio, R. & Galhardo, C. (1956) Papai noel, Rca victor.

Sereno & Fraga, N. (indefinido) Quando chega o natal, Acompanhado por Orquestra, Elite especial.

Simon, V., Roberto, W. & Alves, F. (1950) Sinos de natal, Odeon.

Valente, A. & Galhardo, C. (1933) Boas festas, Acompanhado por Diabos do Céu, Victor.

Valente, A. & Miranda, C. (1934) Recadinho de papai noel, Victor.

Villa-Lobos, L.G., Pessoa, O.F., Capitão Furtado & Tia Chiquinha (11/11/1936) Natal do sertão. Acompanhado por Coro do Apiacás, Victor.

Vogeler, H., Menra, J., Babo, L. & Formenti, G. (1929) Sonhos de natal, Odeon.

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