The Spirit of the Samba School in the Hall of National Radio of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This paper studies the senses of samba “Fechou o paletó” (Zé Kéti) in the movie Rio Zona Norte (1957), directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos. It analyzes the musical elements of its presentation, highlighting the characteristic harmony of conjuntos regionais. It interprets the narrative elements that make up “the soul” of the song, a complex experience formed in the relationship between malandragem and delinquency, employment and casual job. Finally, it discusses the frustrated meeting between Espírito da Luz Soares, a black man, samba composer who lives in the favela, and the singer Ângela Maria, a great artist of National Radio of Rio de Janeiro.