Carolina

Caetano Veloso's song "Carolina" is a poignant exploration of unacknowledged beauty and missed opportunities. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a woman named Carolina, whose deep, sorrowful eyes reflect the weight of the world's pain. Despite the narrator's attempts to bring joy and light into her life, Carolina remains trapped in her own sadness, unable to see the beauty and love around her. This is evident in lines like "Eu já lhe avisei que não vai dar / Seu pranto não vai nada ajudar" (I already told you it won't work / Your crying won't help at all), where the narrator tries to console her, but to no avail.

The song juxtaposes the vibrant life outside with Carolina's inner turmoil. The imagery of a rose blooming, people dancing, and a star falling contrasts sharply with Carolina's inability to perceive these wonders. The narrator's repeated efforts to show her the beauty of the world, as in "Eu bem que mostrei sorrindo / Pela janela: Ói, que lindo!" (I even showed smiling / Through the window: Look, how beautiful!), highlight the tragedy of her blindness to joy. This contrast underscores a central theme of the song: the tragedy of being unable to appreciate the present moment and the beauty that life offers.

In the latter part of the song, the tone shifts to a sense of resignation. The narrator reflects on the passage of time and the end of their shared experiences, symbolized by the rose dying, the party ending, and their boat departing. The line "O tempo passou na janela / E só Carolina não viu" (Time passed by the window / And only Carolina didn't see) encapsulates the essence of the song. It speaks to the universal human experience of missed opportunities and the sorrow of watching someone you care about remain oblivious to the fleeting beauty of life.