Augusta, Angélica e Consolação

Tom Zé's song 'Augusta, Angélica e Consolação' is a poignant exploration of emotional turmoil and the search for solace. The lyrics personify three streets in São Paulo—Augusta, Angélica, and Consolação—as women who represent different phases and experiences in the narrator's life. Augusta is depicted as a figure of nostalgia and vanity, someone who spent the narrator's money on frivolous things, symbolizing a past filled with superficial pleasures and regrets. Angélica, on the other hand, is portrayed as a source of disappointment and deceit, always letting the narrator down and even smelling of a doctor's office, which could imply a sense of coldness or clinical detachment in their relationship.

The turning point in the song comes with the introduction of Consolação, who offers the narrator a sense of relief and support. The name 'Consolação' itself means 'consolation' in Portuguese, and this character provides the emotional comfort and stability that the narrator desperately needs. This shift from the tumultuous relationships with Augusta and Angélica to the comforting presence of Consolação highlights the narrator's journey from despair to hope.

The song also touches on the broader theme of urban alienation. The reference to the 'Largo dos Aflitos' (Square of the Afflicted) not being large enough to contain the narrator's affliction, and the subsequent move to the 'Estação da Luz' (Station of Light) because of the darkness within his heart, underscores the emotional and existential struggles faced by individuals in a bustling city. Tom Zé masterfully uses these metaphors to convey a deep sense of personal and collective angst, while also offering a glimmer of hope through the character of Consolação.