Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos
1970
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
The 1970 Roberto Carlos album is a fundamental milestone in the King's discography, solidifying his transition from a Jovem Guarda idol to the great romantic and versatile artist who would become a symbol of MPB. Released by Discos CBS, this work not only dominated the charts but also represented musical and thematic maturity, incorporating new sounds that conversed with global trends of the time, such as soul and funk. It is a portrait of an artist in full evolution, capable of moving and innovating simultaneously. This LP is notable for its stylistic diversity, blending deeply sentimental ballads with vibrant tracks influenced by North American black music. The album's sound, with carefully crafted arrangements and Roberto Carlos's unmistakable interpretation, set a standard for Brazilian popular music, reaching a vast audience and preparing the ground for the hegemony the singer would exert in subsequent decades. It is a work that demonstrates Roberto Carlos's ability to reinvent himself and dictate trends, maintaining his relevance in the music scene.
Context
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Brazil was living under the military dictatorship, a period of cultural effervescence and, at the same time, repression. Roberto Carlos, who had achieved stardom with Jovem Guarda, was at a crucial point in his career, seeking to expand his musical palette beyond youthful rock'n'roll. The emergence of black music in the United States, with icons like James Brown, and the success of spiritually themed musicals, such as Hair and Jesus Cristo Superstar, profoundly influenced the artistic directions of the era, and Roberto Carlos demonstrated a keen sensibility for absorbing these trends into his own work. This period marked Roberto Carlos's deepening exploration of a more sophisticated sound, with lyrics that explored themes such as love, spirituality, and existentialism. His pre-album trajectory had already established him as one of the greatest names in Brazilian music, and the recording of this album reinforced his status as a complete artist, capable of moving between different genres and winning over an even wider and more diverse audience, whilst affirming his musical identity.
Recording
The recording of Roberto Carlos (1970) took place during a productive period at the CBS studio, located in Rio de Janeiro. The album was conceived using 4-channel technology, an advancement for its time, which allowed for greater depth and sound clarity. This LP holds the historical significance of being Roberto Carlos's last work to be entirely recorded on Brazilian soil, as, from the following year, the singer would opt to record his projects in the United States, marking a new phase in his musical production. The album's production was overseen by Evandro Ribeiro, with instrumental accompaniment from talented musicians from the bands RC 7 and Renato e Seus Blue Caps, in addition to the participation of keyboardist Lafayette and the CBS String and Brass Orchestra, conducted by maestri Chiquinho de Morais and Alexandre Gnattali. The recording sessions took place on different dates between May and November 1970, with engineers Eugênio and Ademar at the sound desk. The album's iconic cover, a photograph by Thereza Eugênia, was captured during the show "Roberto Carlos a 200 Km Por Hora" at Canecão, where the artist is seen playing with an imported Tin Prine microphone, a moment that became one of his trademarks.
Songs
The repertoire of Roberto Carlos (1970) is notable for the richness of its compositions and arrangements, which traverse different genres and emotions. The album's major highlight is, undoubtedly, the song "Jesus Cristo", a funk/gospel anthem that almost didn't make it onto the record due to difficulties in finding a pianist who could reproduce the desired black music sound. The solution came with the recommendation of Dom Salvador, who, with his group Abolição, brought the perfect touch, propelling the song to become the third most played on Brazilian radio stations that year. The song was inspired by the popularity of North American black music and musicals of the time, such as Jesus Cristo Superstar. Other tracks on the album also became classics, demonstrating Roberto Carlos's versatility. The soul ballad "Ana", for instance, is a lyrical tribute inspired by Ana Paula Rossi, the singer's stepdaughter. Meanwhile, "Vista a Roupa Meu Bem" explores the charleston rhythm, with Roberto simulating a nasal, gramophone-like sound, evoking the atmosphere of the 1920s. A moment of profound intimacy is the track "Meu Pequeno Cachoeiro", composed by Raul Sampaio, a fellow native of Roberto Carlos, in homage to his hometown, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim. The album further presents the public with "120...150...200 Km Por Hora", where the theme of speed intertwines with the existential crisis brought about by the loss of a great love, revealing the lyrical depth of the record.
Legacy
Roberto Carlos (1970) was not only a tremendous commercial success, but also an album of significant cultural impact in Brazil. According to Paulo Cesar de Araújo's book O Réu e o Rei, the record sold approximately 520,000 copies, becoming the best-selling album in the country that year. This commercial achievement reaffirmed Roberto Carlos's position as Brazil's most popular artist, setting a standard for the success of his subsequent annual releases. The song "Jesus Cristo" transcended immediate success, becoming one of the greatest classics in his repertoire and one of the biggest hits of his career, adopted by many as a true anthem of faith and hope. Roberto Carlos's innovation in incorporating elements of funk and gospel into his music influenced generations of artists and paved the way for the experimentation of new sounds in MPB. The album solidified Roberto Carlos's image as a timeless artist of immense impact, whose work would continue to resonate with the public for decades, marking the history of Brazilian music.
Tracks
Credits
Armando Canuto
Thereza Eugenia
Podcasts
Discoteca Básica Podcast · Parasol Storytelling
UM PONTO FORA DA CURVA NA FASE MAIS CRIATIVA DE ROBERTO CARLOS. Convidado do episódio: Chico Barney. Tem mais conteúdo para assinantes do CLUBE DISCOTECA BÁSICA: Assina lá! https://podcastdiscotecabasica.com/assine/ Segundo o produtor deste álbum, o conceito era a “simplicidade”. Bom repertório para quem toca um instrumento. Aproveite os 10% de desconto no nosso link da MusicDot e toque também
QUER QUE EU RESENHE? · André Marx
Em seu vídeo da semana, André Marx resenha um discaço meio esquecido de um dos maiores nomes de nossa música: Roberto Carlos, e seu álbum homônimo de 1970. Sejam bem-vind@s ao Canal/Podcast QUER QUE EU RESENHE? e esperamos que vocês gostem.
Videos
ANÁLISE DOS DISCOS DE ROBERTO CARLOS - LP 1970 (JESUS CRISTO/ANA) com DANIEL BUENO
Daniel Bueno Oficial
ROBERTO CARLOS-80 ANOS - ANA - 1970 - TODA MÚSICA TEM HISTÓRIA- - com DANIEL BUENO
Daniel Bueno Oficial
A História Real por Trás da Capa Clássica e a história do microfone de Roberto Carlos em 1970
Pitadas do Sal
conheça os discos de Roberto Carlos nos anos 70
João do VINIL
Roberto Carlos | A polêmica de “Jesus Cristo”: o lado que ninguém contou sobre a gravação de 1970
Pitadas do Sal
Books
Analyses
Roberto Carlos – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Roberto Carlos é o décimo álbum de estúdio do cantor e compositor Roberto Carlos, lançado em dezembro de 1970 pela gravadora Discos CBS. Segundo Paulo Cesar de Araújo em seu livro O Réu e o Rei, vendeu em torno de 520 mil cópias, sendo o mais vendido naquele ano no Brasil. Seu maior destaque foi a faixa Jesus Cristo, mas outras como Ana, Vista a Roupa Meu Bem, Meu Pequeno Cachoeiro e 120...150...200 Km Por Hora também ficaram conhecidas do grande público. == Histórico == Gravado em 4 canais no
Roberto Carlos 1970: O Último Álbum com Influências de Soul e Black ...
blog.atomicpapers.com.br
Released in 1970, this Roberto Carlos LP marked his final phase with influences of soul and black music. Discover the context, the tracks, and the album's importance.
"Roberto Carlos" (1970, CBS), Roberto Carlos
discosessenciais.blogspot.com
With just over 520,000 copies sold, the 1970 Roberto Carlos album was very well received by the public and critics. The tracks "Ana", "O Astronauta", "120... 150... 200 Km Por Hora" and, most notably, "Jesus Cristo", became major radio hits.
T01E15: Roberto Carlos - Roberto Carlos (1970) - Discoteca Básica
podcastdiscotecabasica.com
Despite the hits "120, 150, 200 km/h", "Ana" and "Jesus Cristo", Roberto Carlos's 1970 album is often considered the most eccentric of the period when Roberto transitioned from a young to an adult audience.
Roberto Carlos - Roberto Carlos (CBS, 1970)
musicaacima.blogspot.com
The 1970 album stands out in Roberto Carlos's discography. It features a beautiful repertoire and an attractive cover, but it suffers from muffled, often flat sound.
Discogs
Roberto Carlos – Discogs
discogs.com