Tropicália's OVNI's (UFO’s): The First Wave

For the 15th edition of Sonoridade, Béco Dranoff selects some of his favorite original Tropicália gems from '67, '68, '69, '70 as well as a few more recent recordings by the creators of the movement: Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Tom Zé, Gal Costa, Jorge Mautner and more. The music embodies the free spirit of that era and the aim for liberty and freedom of speech. This is a companion to last month's show that featured the songs from the Tropicália movement as covered by contemporary artists and featured in the benefit project Red Hot + Rio 2, released in June 2011. Tracks included showcase artists like Gal Costa, Tom Ze, Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso and more! Boa Viagem!


Written below is the original liner notes of ‘Mutantes’ 1969 album by Nelso Motta, translated by Béco Dranoff.

TROPICÁLIA’S OVNI’s / TROPICÁLIA’s UFO’s: The First Wave
(Objetos Voadores Não Identificados) / (Unidentified Flying Objects)

The images of 2001 are becoming more alive and less like dreams (or nightmares). With each passing day, as the world turns faster, concepts change, the sense of things change, the direction of emotions change and art walks freely through the strangest and most impossible paths. Long gone are the “Art” days, and the modern world has decreed the inevitable connection between art-consumerism, art-communication, art-industry, art-mass, art-utility: Mutantes.

With a rare sense of invention and freedom, they composed a jingle for Shell. It takes courage to listen to it clearly and be sure the sound is new, clean, inventive and free. But still lot’s of people get chicken-skin when hearing the word ‘Jingle’ and are horrified with the idea of making money with music, even if they make lot’s of money with music.

Those who live in a consumerist society have two alternatives: to join in or to be devoured by it. There are no ways out. The Mutantes jingle – that I prefer to call ‘music’ - is a thousand times better than most of the songs in the streets and hit parades. Why not record it in an album?

They recorded it with no pride or shame, normally, like any other song. The intention for its creation is not important, what matters is the final sound. Besides achieving the objectives of promoting sales, Shell’s public image and brand, they are collaborating with contemporary Brazilian music with magnitude and competence.

Nelson Motta / 1969

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