O Que Será (À Flor da Terra), by Chico Buarque de Hollanda

[alfstone]

O Que Será (À Flor da Terra) is a song composed in 1976 by Chico Buarque de Hollanda, as soundtrack for the brazilian movie Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmQamTTfB4

I remember that I saw the movie (very beautiful anyway), but the thing that impressed me more was the chord progression of the soundtrack...exactly O Que Será.

Then I discovered the lyrics, and I fell in love even more with this wonderful song.

Now, since of course I cannot sing in Portuguese, I whisper (...more than sing... ) the Italian translation by the great Italian songwriter Ivano Fossati, but don't worry, here is the English translation: 

What could it be, what is it?
that there's people sighing it in the alcoves
that's being whispered down in verses and rhymes
that people have been plotting in the dark of caves
that's up in every head and in each mouth
there's people lighting candles in the alleys
that's being spoken loudly in pubs and bars
and shout out loud in markets, which for sure
is in the wilderness, could be, what is it?
what's not sure and will never be
what cannot be fixed now and won't ever be
what cannot be measured

What could it be, what is it?
that lives within the minds of lesser lovers
that's sung by the most delusional poets
that's sworn by drunkards prophets
it's in the pilgrimage of maimed people
that's in the fantasy of the unhappy ones
it's in the daily routine of prostitutes
in schemes of crooks and thieves and helpless people
in each and every sense, could be, what is it?
the one who ain't got no sense of decency, nor will ever get
the one that has no self-containment, nor ever will have
what just ain't got no sense

If, instead, someone of you would like to follow my whispering:

"Oh, che sarà, che sarà
che vanno sospirando nelle alcove
che vanno sussurrando in versi e strofe
che vanno combinando in fondo al buio
che gira nelle teste, nelle parole
che accende candele nelle processioni
che va parlando forte nei portoni
e grida nei mercati che con certezza
sta nella natura nella bellezza
quel che non ha ragione né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha rimedio né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha misura.

Oh, che sarà, che sarà
che vive nell'idea di questi amanti
che cantano i poeti più deliranti
che giurano i profeti ubriacati
che sta sul cammino dei mutilati
e nella fantasia degli infelici
che sta nel dai-e-dai delle meretrici
nel piano derelitto dei banditi
oh, che sarà, che sarà
quel che non ha decenza né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha censura né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha ragione.

Ah che sarà, che sarà
che tutti i loro avvisi non potranno evitare
che tutte le risate andranno a sfidare
che tutte le campane andranno a cantare
e tutti gli inni insieme a consacrare
e tutti i figli insieme a purificare
e i nostri destini ad incontrare
persino il Padreterno da così lontano
guardando quell'inferno dovrà benedire
quel che non ha governo né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha vergogna né mai ce l'avrà
quel che non ha giudizio.".

Technical stuff:

myself: vocals (quoting James: it is what it is... ); acoustic guitar; GR-300 patch by GR-55
drums/bass/electric piano/pad: BIAB

Enjoy! 

[cuthbert]

That was fantastic, Alfredo.

Don't know the original song, but this was beautifully done - your vocals sound great to me, and the music is very interesting.

[Redler]

Top class job, Alfredo! I'm not sure have I heard you singing before, but you sing this very well!

Bravo!

[Janpol1953]

Very good job!
I intend to make a cover one day but in french from Claude Nougaro...

[Hilary]

Well that was a lovely surprise 

Sounds great Alfredo, you should do more!

[Mike_S]

Lovely Alfredo... that is quite some chord progression. Super playing and great singing too.

Mike

[Groundy]

Superb, Alfredo,
Top class singing and as always beautiful playing.


Alex.

[Jean Pierre]

Magnifique Alfredo!

[but the thing that impressed me more was the chord progression/quote] ....I love this progression so much, too,
and I love this song so much that I was sure I had made it (in its French version "tu verras" by Claude Nouugaro)...well no I looked from top to bottom and bottom to top in my personal juke box and it's not there!
I have to hurry up and do it before my friend Jean Paul 

To come back to your version, great voice in this song and superb orchestration, excellent mix.... in short I love

[Jean Pierre]

BUMP!!

 I love this song and Alfredo's version is beautiful.

I'm gonna do this song as much just for fun.

[dobrodaddy]

Thanks for bumping this Jean Pierre!  I can hear why you love this.

Alfredo, this is GREAT! I really like how your vox works to present the lyrics. Beautiful melody and chord progress. Very well done!