Rita Lee, who died on Monday night (8) in São Paulo at the age of 75, was one of the most censored artists during the Brazilian military dictatorship, between 1964 and 1985, and was also arrested during the regime. It was 1976 and she was pregnant with her first child, Beto Lee. At the time, the Deic (State Department of Criminal Investigations) claimed that she had drugs at home.
The artist recalled the episode in “Rita Lee: an autobiography”, released in 2016. She said that the police themselves spread the news of her arrest.
“They sat me down in front of the delegate and on his table was a pile of cannabis already laid out, ready to roll. Great quality weed, by the way. ‘Do you have anything to say about this here that my men found in her residence?’ ‘That’s not mine, deputy. I am pregnant and currently do not use drugs. Nor Coca-Cola, for you to have an idea. I saw when your men put this in my house, you can ask my godmother who was there too”, wrote the artist about the episode.
On that occasion, according to the book, she received a visit from Elis Regina (1945 – 1982), who found out about her arrest and went to the place.
“Elis did not represent a person of interest of the dictatorship, on the contrary, she was recognized as the musical queen of Olympus and no generaleco would dare to mess with her. She stayed there on duty until I was medicated and the bleeding stopped. She even ordered food from a restaurant because she thought I was too skinny for a pregnant woman”, said Rita about the episode.
censored menstrual cycle
Of the dozens of excerpts and songs by Rita Lee censored during the Dictatorship, one of them was “The Two Faces of Eva”, from 1981. According to documents from the National Archive, the censors found the excerpt inappropriate: “Women are a strange animal, every month it bleeds”.
“It could also refer to the woman’s menstrual cycle, which will raise early inquiries around the subject”, said the censors.
According to the Archive, Rita’s label at the time, Sigla, appealed the decision. The defense argued that “the existence of the menstrual cycle is no longer a reason for shame or fear”.
“Also remembering the large number of advertisements, ‘not always in good taste’, dedicated to the sale of tampons conveyed by television, magazines and newspapers. If it doesn’t occur to anyone to prohibit advertisements for sanitary pads that ‘adherent to panties’ or that ‘allow all movements’, or ‘strictly invisible’ [um desses, mostrando a foto de uma linda mulher montada em uma bicicleta, com um sumaríssimo short]why ban the mention of the cause of this advertisement, which is the monthly bleeding?”, argued the defense.
The song, which later became one of the artist’s most famous, also contains the iconic phrase: “So don’t provoke, it’s hot pink”.
In an interview with the newspaper “O Estado de S Paulo”, Rita spoke about the censorship she suffered and that she wrote lyrics with “what she gave you on the tile”.
Another song that was partially censored was “Banho de Espuma”, which would be called “Aphrodite”. With the edits made to be released by the censors, the song got a new title and was released on the LP “Saúde”, in 1981.
“I never thought that what I did for 50 years was what is called feminism: I turned on the fuck and entered the little world considered male, singing about whatever I wanted; from menstruation to menopause, from shag to orgasm. Apart from the rest”, said the artist at the time.
The singer died at age 75 in São Paulo. The news was confirmed, this Tuesday morning (9), in a publication on the official social networks of the singer and her husband, Roberto de Carvalho.
“We announce the death of Rita Lee, at her residence, in São Paulo, capital, late last night, surrounded by all the love of her family, as she always wanted”, writes the note.
The wake will take place in a ceremony open to the public, at the Planetarium in Ibirapuera Park, this Wednesday (10), from 10am to 5pm.
“According to Rita’s wishes, her body will be cremated. The ceremony will be private. In this moment of deep sadness, the family appreciates everyone’s affection and love “, concluded the statement.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
