Cгўlice (cale-se). Chico Buarque & Milton Nascimento. May 2026

A religious plea echoing the Passion of Christ: "Pai, afasta de mim esse cálice" ("Father, take this cup from me").

The lyrics use biblical imagery to mask brutal critiques of the regime's violence. CГЎlice (Cale-se). Chico Buarque & Milton Nascimento.

The power of the song lies in its phonetic wordplay. The title word ([ˈkalisi], meaning "chalice") is phonetically identical in Portuguese to "Cale-se" (meaning "shut up" or "be silent"). A religious plea echoing the Passion of Christ:

A direct scream against censorship: "Pai, afasta de mim esse 'cale-se'" ("Father, take this 'shut up' from me"). Lyric Analysis & Symbolism This guide focuses on the definitive 1978 recording

is one of the most significant protest anthems in Brazilian music history, originally composed by Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil in 1973. This guide focuses on the definitive 1978 recording featuring Chico Buarque and Milton Nascimento , a collaboration born after Gil left the PolyGram label. Historical & Political Context