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"Igreja" ("Church") is a single by Brazilian rock band Titãs, released in 1986, as part of their Cabeça Dinossauro album.

Lyrics and composition

According to songwriter and then bassist and vocalist Nando Reis, the song was written on the acoustic guitar at his mother's house in the district of Butantã, São Paulo:

"It was in that year that Godard released the film Je vous salue, Marie, there was a boycott against it and Roberto Carlos, of whom I am a big fan, wrote something in support of the boycott. That, in a certain way, was against my ideals, the matter of liberty. That motivated me to write the song."

By the time of the album's release, Reis said:

"I had a Catholic education, studied in a parochial school, and because of that I have a good degree of anger towards the Church, I don't trust it. It's an organized institution that, in some political moments, has a very worthy position - but that's not what I'm talking about in the song Igreja. Religiously it is something I lost entirely. I don't believe in God. I don't pray."

Reception within the band

It was one of the last songs to be selected for the album and it stirred controversy among the members themselves - vocalist Arnaldo Antunes, at first, didn't want to record it and would even leave the stage sometimes when the song was performed live. When the members had a meeting at vocalist Branco Mello's apartment to discuss the album's repertoire, vocalist, bassist and saxophonist Paulo Miklos also opposed the song's inclusion, but soon changed his mind as the band performed it live.

Antunes, on the other hand, said "the song is against the Church as the institution, but at the same time I have a problem, for me it is difficult to sing that I don't have a religion, because I do. And the Church has great contributions to the history of men, to the arts, take Botticelli for instance."

Personnel

Per the Cabeça Dinossauro liner notes:

• Nando Reis - lead vocals
• Arnaldo Antunes - backing vocals
• Branco Mello - backing vocals
• Sérgio Britto - backing vocals
• Marcelo Fromer - lead guitar
• Tony Bellotto - rhythm guitar
• Paulo Miklos - bass
• Charles Gavin - drums

References

1. ^ Nanini, Lucas (26 June 2016). "'Faltava barulho na música brasileira', dizem Titãs sobre 'Cabeça dinossauro'". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
2. ^ Nando Reis: 50 fatos sobre os Titãs (Parte II): Cabeça Dinossauro e Jesus Não Tem Dentes. YouTube. 13 January 2021. Event occurs at 06:14-07:41. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
3. ^ Petta, Rosangela (22 June 1986). "Cabeça de Titãs". O Estado de S. Paulo (34144). Grupo Estado: Caderno 2, p. 1. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
4. "Encarte: Titãs - Cabeça Dinossauro". Retrieved 2020-12-19.

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