Chico Buarque 's song Com
açucar, com afeto
is at the heart of a controversy in Brazil after the Brazilian music icon announced that he would no longer sing it to
"prove feminists right".
Feminists who indeed judge this macho title.
Composed in 1966 by Chico Buarque for Nara Leao, interpreter of Bossa Nova, this song speaks of the suffering of a woman awaiting the return of her companion.
She has baked her husband his favorite cake with
“sugar and affection”
(Com açucar, com afeto, the title of the song in Portuguese), but waits in vain for him as he hangs out in a bar.
And despite everything, when he returns home, the lyrics say that she
“warms up his plate for him (...), arms open”
.
Read alsoA meeting in Brazil with the new song by Chico Buarque
“Feminists are right and I will always agree with them
,” the legendary 77-year-old singer and songwriter said in a documentary on the life of Nara Leao, posted online last month on the Globoplay digital platform.
"You have to understand that at the time, it never crossed our minds that it was a form of oppression, that women shouldn't be treated like this
," admitted Chico Buarque in the film.
"I won't sing this song anymore and if Nara Leao was still here, she wouldn't sing it either
," he added of the singer who died in 1989, aged 47.
These remarks revived the debate around
“cancel culture”
and political correctness.
The country is very polarized at the start of the election year which will see far-right President Jair Bolsonaro stand for re-election in October.
"This is completely crazy !
It's all because of feminists
,” a Twitter user complained.
"It was time !
I have always hated this stupid macho song”
, could we read on the contrary in another comment on the same social network.
Read alsoBrazil: a huge crowd gathered in tribute to singer Marilia Mendonça, who died at 26
Some commentators felt that the controversy that has boiled social networks was exaggerated: Chico Buarque would not have sung this title in concert since the 80s.
“This episode was used to criticize feminists and social movements, which would (according to their detractors) censor artistic creations to impose political correctness
,” wrote columnist Amara Moira on BuzzFeed.
On Wednesday, singer Viviane Davaglio posted an alternative version on YouTube in which it is the woman who comes home late at night to her crying husband.
And it is he who warms up his wife's dish.