As Quatro Estações

As Quatro Estações (Portuguese for The Four Seasons) is the fourth studio album by Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana. It was released on October 26, 1989. It was the first album of the band to not feature Renato Rocha on its line-up — Rocha left Legião Urbana during the recording sessions of this album due to creative divergences with the rest of the band.

It has received a Platinum Certification by ABPD.^[2]

History

Due to the fatidical incident at a Legião Urbana concert in the Mané Garrincha Stadium where fans got overexcited and were stomped to death, Renato Russo acquired a stronger stage fright, what was mirrored on the introspective production this album had. Another contributive factor to the troubled production of the album was the sudden departure of bassist Renato Rocha.

The lyrics of As Quatro Estações tend to speak about bisexualism, such as in "Meninos e Meninas", in which Renato Russo confesses he is bisexual, and "Maurício". They also speak about religion, what can be seen in "Monte Castello", that features excerpts of St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians and of a sonnet by Portuguese poet Luís de Camões. "Feedback Song for a Dying Friend" was written in honor of Cazuza, whose health was eventually aggravating due to AIDS.

Fans, as well as Renato Russo himself, considered this album to be the best one made by Legião, and the tracks "Há Tempos", "Pais e Filhos", "Quando o Sol Bater na Janela do Teu Quarto" (that was re-recorded by Barão Vermelho), "Meninos e Meninas", "Monte Castello" and "Maurício" are the most well-known songs of Legião.

A concert promoting the album took place at the Palestra Itália Stadium in 1990, and it was released as a live album in 2004, under the name As Quatro Estações ao Vivo.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Renato Russo, all music composed by Legião Urbana.

Covers

Brazilian rock band Titãs made a cover of "Sete Cidades", on their album As Dez Mais.

Personnel

Legião Urbana

• Renato Russo: vocals, bass, electric guitar, classical guitar, keyboards
• Dado Villa-Lobos: classical guitar, electric guitar, bass
• Marcelo Bonfá: drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Fred Nascimento: rhythm guitar, classical guitar
• Bruno Araújo: electric bass
• Mu Carvalho: keyboards

Trivia

• During the performance at the Palestra Itália Stadium in 1990, Renato Russo said he wrote "Pais e Filhos" while in the bathroom, and dedicated it to "a cockroach that is more important than the people [we] love". That was a reference to a music by Brazilian punk band Inimigos do Rei named "Uma Barata Chamada Kafka" ("A Cockroach Named Kafka"). Years later, Inimigos do Rei vocalist Paulinho Moska would make a cover of "Meninos e Meninas".
• The lyrics of "1965 (Duas Tribos)" makes references to Revell models and the Hanna-Barbera Studios.
• Although Renato Russo disapproved Brazilian singers writing their songs in English, "Feedback Song for a Dying Friend" was fully written in English. It was originally a Portuguese-language song named "Rapazes Católicos" ("Catholic Boys"), but Renato Russo disliked the lyrics and then changed them to English.
• The name of the track "Monte Castello" is a reference to the Battle of Monte Castello.

References