São coisas nossas: tradição e modernidade em Noel Rosa

Abstract

The present paper is a study of the body of work of the composer Noel Rosa (1910-1937) and how it relates to the social, political, economic and cultural transformations which took place in Brazil between the 20’s and the 30’s of the 20th. Century. This paper aims at concluding that Noel Rosa, a middle class citizen who interacted with popular elements and lower social classes of Rio de Janeiro, represents, through his songs, the interaction between the slums and the city, between traditional and modern, contributing, therefore, to the characterization and understanding of the formation of the Brazilian identity during the mentioned period.

Hence, by analyzing Noel Rosa’s lyrics and his social condition, it can be observed that they display elements, often counteractant, which represent the socio-cultural changes Brazil was going through during that period. In his work, are present the “malandragem” (spiv) ideology, which is highly characteristic of the 20’s and the valorization of work, motivated by the gov