When Bossa Nova, one of the most famous Brazilian music genres, was born, it mainly expressed the beauty and the uniqueness of Brazil. Today, Bossa Nova has also proved to be a subtle tool to express dissatisfaction towards the government, such as for the high costs of the World Cup.
Tired of the silence from the artistic class, Edu Krieger, a singer and composer, decided to have a say. He composed “Desculpe Neymar” (literal translation “I am sorry, Neymar”). The song, which mentions many famous Brazilian footballers, talks about the corruption behind the development of the World Cup venues and the price the population has to pay for an event whose main beneficiary will be FIFA.
“Desculpe Neymar” was launched on You Tube on the 14th of March and has become a real hit with thousands and thousands of views. Almost as often as the video was watched, was the repetition of the same comment below it: #nãovaitercopa (#therewontbeworldcup).
Along with the protests in Brazil on the delays surrounding the construction of stadiums, the song and the reaction it caused certainly show that the World Cup 2014 not only will be the most expensive event of its kind, but perhaps also the most tumultuous one that we will ever see.
Desculpe, Neymar [I am sorry, Neymar]
Mas nesta Copa eu não torço por você [But in this Cup, I do not support you]
Estou cansado de assistir ao nosso povo [I am tired of watching our people]
Definhando pouco a pouco [Slowly languising]
Nos programas das TVs [In the TV programmes]
Enquanto a FIFA se preocupa com padrões [While FIFA worries about its standards]
Somos guiados por ladrões [We are guided by thieves]
Que jogam sujo pra ganhar [That play dirty to win]
Desculpe, Neymar [Sorry, Neymar]
Eu não torço desta vez [I don’t support this time.]
Parreira, eu vi [Parreira, I saw]
Aquele tetra fez o povo tão feliz [That championship made the people so happy]
Mas não seremos verdadeiros campeões [But we won’t be true winners]
Gastando mais de 10 bilhões [Spending more than 10 billion]
Pra fazer Copa no país [To host the Cup in the country]
Temos estádios lindos e monumentais [We have beautiful and monumental stadiums]
Enquanto escolas e hospitais [While schools and hospitals]
Estão à beira de ruir [are about to collapse]
Parreira, eu vi [Parreira, I saw]
Um abismo entre Brasis [An abysm between two Brazils]
Foi mal, Felipão [It wasn’t nice, Felipão]
Quando Cafu ergueu a taça e exibiu [When Cafu raised the trophy and showed]
Suas raízes num momento tão solene [His roots in a so solemn moment]
Revelou Jardim Irene [Revealed Jardin Irene]
Um retrato do Brasil [A portrait of Brazil]
A primavera prometida não chegou [The promised spring hasn’t arrived]
A vida vale mais que um gol [Life is more valuable than a goal.]
E as melhorias onde estão [and where are the improvements]
Foi mal, Felipão [it wasn’t nice, Felipao]
Nossa pátria não floriu [Our country hasn’t flourished]
Eu sei, torcedor [I know, supporter]
Que a minha simples e sincera opinião [That my humble and honest opinion]
Não vai fazer você, que ganha e vive mal [Won’t make you, who earns and lives badly]
Deixar de ir até o [finally let you go until the end]
Junto com nossa seleção [Along with our team]
Mesmo sem grana pra pagar o ingresso caro [Even without cash to pay the expensive ticket]
Nunca vai deixar de amar o [Won’t stop loving the]
Nosso escrete aonde [team wherever it goes]
Eu sei, torcedor [I know, supporter]
É você quem tem razão [You are the right one].
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