The concept of cultural transfers and reflections about Brazilian versions of English-language rock songs

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to analyze a frequent phenomenon in Brazilian music: the production of musical versions, in Portuguese, based on English-language songs. Among these versions, our study emphasizes versions associated with the concept of “brega style” and original songs associated with “rock”. We aim to discuss the singularities of this cultural transfer and the problematic of stylistic and qualitative attribution, given that this attribution is very dissimilar, even though versions keep the same melodies of the original songs. The theoretical basis of this article is principally constituted by the concept of “cultural transfers”, developed by Walter Moser and other researchers in Canada. Besides Moser, authors like Michel Espagne and Hans-Jurgen Lusebrink also gave great contributions to the development of this concept. Considering this perspective, a cultural transfer involves more than the object itself; it implies at least two different cultural backgrounds, divergent conceptual networks, sociohistorical relations and the issue of otherness. Stylistic and qualitative classification of original songs and versions is determined according to discursive practices that produce meanings and knowledge (about music and styles, for instance) within a culture.