Nesta antevéspera de Natal, feriado prolongado, temos um legítimo exemplar da boa música negra americana, reeditado recentemente na caixa com 3 CDs da coletânea com músicas da Motown, a lendária gravadora americana.
Trago aqui “Behind a Painted Smile”, de 1967, do grupo “The Isley Brothers”. Atrás de uma melodia dançante e irresistível temos uma triste canção de amor, que também pode ser lida como uma “canção de aparências”: por trás de uma falsa alegria, uma tristeza infinita.
Vamos à letra:
“Whenever you’re near i hide my tears
Behind a painted smile
You can’t imagine the tears and sorrow
Behind a painted smile
My life’s a masquerade
A world of let’s pretend yeah
Since you took your love
Pretending never ends dear
But i can’t let you know
That i still need you so no
Darling i hide the tears that i cry
Whenever you’re near i hide my tears
Behind a painted smile
You can’t imagine the tears and sorrow
Behind a painted smile
I can’t let you see
All the tears i’m crying
You would pity me
That would be like dying
If i can’t have your love
I don’t need your sympathy
Darling i hide the tears that i cry
Whenever you’re near i hide my tears
Behind a painted smile
You can’t imagine the tears and sorrow
Behind a painted smile
My life is a masquerade
Since you took your love away
Whenever you’re near i hide my tears
I just can’t let you see
How much you hurting me
Whenever you’re near i hide my tears
Behind a painted smile”