“Brazil” is a song by English singer Declan McKenna. It came out on December 4, 2015, as the first single from his first album called “What Do You Think About the Car?”
The song talks about the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the poverty in Brazil, and the corruption involving FIFA officials like Sepp Blatter. The BBC News said it’s impressive for a 16-year-old songwriter to create such a mature song.
In this article, we’ll look at the song’s lyrics to understand what they really mean.
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“Brazil” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
I heard you sold the Amazon
To show the country that you’re from
Is where the world should want to be
For a fine something all people need
I’m faithless now
Though we win every time and I don’t know how
‘Cause I haven’t bought you and I haven’t sold me
But the people are dying to, to get on TV
In Verse 1, the singer is addressing Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, who faced allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement. The singer accuses Blatter of selling the Amazon rainforest to promote Brazil for hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This action is seen as a way to make Brazil appear attractive to the world.
The singer is not happy with Blatter’s choice. He says that the Amazon is important for everyone. Even though the World Cup was a success, the singer has doubts and feels like Blatter let them down. It seems like Blatter cared more about his personal gain than the country and the environment.
[Chorus]
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He got eyes, but he can’t see
Well, he talks like an angel, but he looks like me
In the Chorus, the singer describes the opulent lifestyle of Sepp Blatter, who was the President of FIFA and faced allegations of corruption. Blatter is portrayed as someone living extravagantly, with possessions like six cars and even a grizzly bear. The line “He’s got eyes, but he can’t see” is a mockery of Blatter, who is ignoring the consequences of his corrupt behavior.
Despite this lavish lifestyle, there’s a contradiction in Blatter’s character. He may talk like an angel, suggesting that he presents himself as virtuous or righteous, but the singer points out that he “looks like me.”
This implies that Blatter’s actions or true nature don’t match his outward image. He’s just as immature and childish as the singer himself, who was 16 years old when he wrote this song.
[Verse 2]
Oh, Lord! What have I become?
I’m the face of God, I’m my father’s son
I’m not what you think you see
I know you can’t eat leather, but you can’t stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I’ve got a mission and my mission is real
Because you’ve had your chances, yeah, you’ve had enough
I’m gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh, Lord, how it gets me down
In Verse 2, the singer continues to blame Sepp Blatter for his unethical behavior.
The singer starts by questioning his own conscience, saying, “Oh, Lord! What have I become?” This shows a moment of self-reflection and realization about his role in the situation.
He claims to represent God and acknowledges his connection to his “father,” possibly highlighting a sense of responsibility or moral duty. However, he clarifies that his true identity differs from how others see him.
The singer points out that material wealth, symbolized by “leather,” cannot stop him from pursuing his mission. He expresses unwavering determination to fulfill his purpose, even if it means taking drastic actions. He sings, “I’m gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love/And it gets me down.” The phrases “Because you’ve had your chances” indicate that the singer has had enough of Sepp Blatter being an opportunist.
The singer acknowledges the emotional weight of their mission, suggesting that it burdens them, saying, “And it gets me down.” This verse underscores his commitment to addressing the issues related to Blatter’s leadership and the broader problem of corruption and mismanagement.
[Bridge]
I wanna play the beautiful game while I’m in Brazil
‘Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while out in Brazil
‘Cause it’s all you’ve ever wanted, and it’s all that you want still
Don’t you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I’m in Brazil
‘Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while out in Brazil
It’s all you’ve ever wanted, and it’s all that you want still
Don’t you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
(Oh yeah!)
In the Bridge, when the singer mentions “the beautiful game,” they are referring to soccer, which is widely celebrated in Brazil. The singer expresses their desire to play soccer while in Brazil, just like many others do.
The line “Don’t you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil” carries a deeper meaning. It implies that people in Brazil, including soccer players, have the opportunity to participate in global competitions like the World Cup or professional leagues without resorting to selling the Amazon to fund such events.
The critique here is that Brazil doesn’t have to sacrifice its natural resources or disregard the poverty of its people to support extravagant events like the World Cup.
In the end, the Bridge suggests that there are better ways to thrive and compete on the international stage without compromising the environment and the well-being of its citizens.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Brazil”
In August 2015, McKenna released his first single, “Brazil.” He initially shared it on his YouTube channel on December 2, 2014. The song criticized FIFA, the organization overseeing soccer, for choosing Brazil as the host for the 2014 FIFA World Cup without addressing the significant poverty issues in the country.
“Brazil” gained widespread attention, with many sports commentators interpreting it as commentary on the emerging FIFA corruption scandal.
In an interview with DIY, McKenna said he wrote the song because “it’s politics and what I see in the news, and it’s just general things I feel strongly about, things happening in my life.”
In the song, McKenna sings about a man who has “Six cars and a grizzly bear,” describing a wealthy person. The lyrics continue: “He’s got eyes but he can’t see/Well he talks like an angel but he looks like me.”
McKenna explained in a video, “I guess this sort of sticks to the playfulness of the song. It’s almost cartoony, the way I sort of set the scene with those lyrics. It’s kind of exaggerative of the whole grizzly bear thing.”
For the line, “He talks like an angel but he looks like me,” McKenna said: “I was talking about the sort of extravagant leader of the corporation, i.e. Sepp Blatter. Maybe doing certain bad things in a way that they would think that they’re supernatural or like an angel but actually just being the same as everyone else in kind of being a horrible person.”
Sepp Blatter, a Swiss sports administrator, became President of FIFA, the organization overseeing international football, on June 8, 1998. He held this position until 2015. However, his tenure was marred by allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement.
The controversies reached a critical point on September 25, 2015, when Swiss investigators announced they were looking into Blatter’s involvement in the sale of World Cup TV rights to Jack Warner, the president of the Caribbean Football Union, at a significantly lower value. There were also concerns about payments made to Michel Platini, the president of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations).
Three months later, the independent FIFA Ethics Committee removed Blatter from office and imposed an eight-year ban on his participation in any FIFA activities.
Ultimately, “Brazil” serves as a critique of the societal and environmental issues surrounding Brazil, particularly during the time of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the song, McKenna expresses a desire for Brazil to thrive without compromising its natural resources and the well-being of its people.
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