Hugo Castro - A Cantiga Só É Arma Quando a Luta Acompanhar!

After decades of censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression, April 25, 1974, opened the doors to "forbidden" music. Musicians and singers who had distinguished themselves by developing repertoires of criticism and protest against the deposed dictatorial regime began to occupy the public and media space, with renewed status and an intervening role. Throughout the revolutionary period and democratic transition, the urgency for profound transformations in social, cultural, and political realities led them to travel throughout the country. They performed in villages, factories, and barracks, deeply involved in supporting the broad and effusive popular movement, organized in workers' and residents' committees, popular assemblies, cooperatives, and artistic and cultural associations, exercising their activity within the orbit of various organizations, unions, and left-wing parties that were then proliferating in the Portuguese political scene. In this context, music was an essential tool for communicating, discussing, and reflecting on the political situation.

This book analyzes the practices inherent in the musical activity of these agents in conjunction with their political positions and ideological affinity with various left-wing movements, especially the Portuguese Communist Party and radical left-wing parties and organizations. Through an analysis of the trajectories, motivations, and political ideologies of various actors, different perspectives for the transformation and valorization of artistic expressions of popular culture are discussed, aligned with the defense of revolutionary values.