V (Legião Urbana album)
| V | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Legião Urbana | ||||
| Released | December 15, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | October/December 1991 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, experimental | |||
| Length | 49:50 | |||
| Label | EMI-Odeon | |||
| Producer | Mayrton Bahia | |||
| Legião Urbana chronology | ||||
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"Vento no Litoral"
 from the album V. Recorded in 1991. |
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V is the fifth studio album by the Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana. It was released in December 15, 1991.
History
The album reflects the Brazilian political climate at the time of its recording, including the economic crisis suffered during President Fernando Collor de Mello's government, and Renato Russo's rampant drug dependence. In 1991, Russo discovered he was HIV+.
V's songs are characterized by a dark, medieval influence: the first track, "Love Song", is an adaptation of a love poem written in Galician-Portuguese by Nuno Fernandes Torneol in the 13th century. "Metal Contra as Nuvens", the longest song ever recorded by the band, continues the motif along with "A Ordem dos Templários", a serene instrumental featuring samples from Guillaume de Machaut's "Douce Dame Jolie".
"A Montanha Mágica" is lyrically about drug dependence. "O Teatro dos Vampiros" references the economic crisis then experienced by Brazil; its intro was adapted from Pachelbel's Canon.
However, the second half of the album is slightly more upbeat in theme and music, featuring "Sereníssima", "L'Âge d'Or", "O Mundo Anda Tão Complicado" and "Vento no Litoral", later covered by Cássia Eller. The last track of the album, "Come Share My Life", is an instrumental cover of an American folk song.
V was certified as having sold 700,000 copies. The tour launched to promote the album was the shortest the band ever performed, lasting only from July to September 1992, and allegedly stopped midway through due to Russo's alcoholism.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Renato Russo (except where noted); all music composed by Legião Urbana.
| No. | Title | Title translation in English | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Love Song" (Nuno Fernandes Torneol) | 1:18 | |
| 2. | "Metal Contra as Nuvens" | Metal Against the Clouds | 11:28 |
| 3. | "A Ordem dos Templários" (instrumental) | Order of the Templars | 4:26 |
| 4. | "A Montanha Mágica" | The Magic Mountain | 7:48 |
| 5. | "O Teatro dos Vampiros" | The Theater of Vampires | 3:37 |
| 6. | "Sereníssima" | Most Serene | 4:01 |
| 7. | "Vento no Litoral" | Wind at the Coastline | 6:06 |
| 8. | "O Mundo Anda Tão Complicado" | The World's Been Getting So Complicated | 3:45 |
| 9. | "L'Âge d'Or" | The Golden Age | 5:06 |
| 10. | "Come Share My Life" (instrumental) | 2:02 |
Personnel
- Legião Urbana
- Renato Russo: vocals, rhythm guitar and keyboards
- Dado Villa-Lobos: lead guitar
- Marcelo Bonfá: drums and percussion
- Additional personnel
- Bruno Araújo: electric bass
Trivia
- V would be the first album by Legião to not be accompanied in release by any music video. The other two are A Tempestade, ou O Livro dos Dias and Uma Outra Estação.
- The track "A Montanha Mágica" shares its title with Thomas Mann's 1924 novel The Magic Mountain.