by Alvaro Neder

The first Caetano Veloso solo album was recorded in 1967. Soon after the III FMPB, where Veloso took fourth place with "Alegria, Alegria," he and his group (which would soon constitute the tropicália movement) were news, dividing opinions concerning the group's interest in fusing Brazilian music with international pop culture, lysergic psychedelia, generalized irreverence, and whatever crossed their minds. The arrangements were done by three classically trained composers, fully committed to the most adventurous experiments in modern music: Júlio Medaglia, Damiano Cozzella, and Sandino Hohagen. Veloso's concept was that the album should surpass the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's, being also very Brazilian and, at the same time, international. The record has immortal classics, such as "Clarice," "Soy Loco Por Ti América" (Gilberto Gil/Capinam), composed under the effect of the recent death of Che Guevara, "Superbacana," "Tropicália," and "Alegria, Alegria." The rest of the album has had less success but consists of excellent tracks that remain modern until today. "Tropicália," the title track, was an unnamed song when its recording began. By suggestion of the then photographer Luís Carlos Barreto, Veloso used the same name of an installation by the visual artist Hélio Oiticica, which was composed by a labyrinth made with plants and birds conducing to a television set. The suggestion was accepted -- and the tropicália was born.