Rebichada

Chico Buarque's song 'Rebichada' is a masterful blend of satire and social commentary, wrapped in a playful and seemingly whimsical narrative. The lyrics are rich with metaphors and allegories, using animals and repetitive storytelling to critique societal norms and human behavior. Buarque, a renowned Brazilian artist known for his poetic and politically charged lyrics, uses this song to reflect on the cyclical nature of history and the absurdity of certain social structures.

The song opens with the narrator expressing indifference to working hard, likening himself to various animals such as dogs, donkeys, and cats. This animal imagery serves to highlight the dehumanizing aspects of labor and societal expectations. The narrator's resilience and refusal to remain silent when wronged ('Mas se pisam no meu calo / Não me calo / Eu tenho que falar') underscore a theme of resistance and the importance of speaking out against injustice.

Buarque cleverly intertwines a fable-like story that spans generations and continents, involving characters like a German, a Greek, and a pirate. This narrative device emphasizes the repetitive and often nonsensical nature of history ('Não sou eu quem repete essa história / É a história que adora uma repetição'). The absurdity of the tale, with its convoluted transactions and eventual downfall, mirrors the often irrational and cyclical patterns of human society. The song's playful tone and animal sounds ('Au, au, au, hi-ho, hi-ho / Miau, miau, miau, cocorocó') add a layer of irony, making the critique both entertaining and thought-provoking.

'Chico Buarque's 'Rebichada' is a brilliant example of how music can be used to reflect on and critique societal norms. Through its clever use of metaphor and narrative, the song invites listeners to question the status quo and recognize the absurdities in the world around them.