Desamor is a Portuguese compound word combining the prefix des- ("un-" or "lack of") with amor (love). It describes the absence of love, a kind of emotional coldness or heartbreak that goes beyond simple sadness.
In the line "O bem é pra acabar com o desamor" ("Goodness is meant to end lovelessness"), the song frames kindness as the remedy for this emotional emptiness, giving the word real weight in its message of hope.
Arlindo Cruz gives us an uplifting classic samba that focuses entirely on goodness. In a world full of traps and betrayal, the lyrics observe that sometimes the traitor is the one who gets praised and idolized: "Às vezes é bem mais valorizado / Amado, endeusado quem é traidor" ("Sometimes the one who is valued, loved, and deified is the traitor"). Instead of getting bitter, Arlindo offers a clear antidote: "o bem" (goodness, doing what is right). He describes goodness like a loyal companion: "É quem dá o abrigo / É quem estende a mão" ("It's what gives shelter / It's what lends a hand").
The message builds around steady hope. As long as nature runs its course, evil cannot win: "Se a luz do sol não para de brilhar / Se ainda existe noite e luar / O mal não pode superar" ("If the sunlight doesn't stop shining / If night and moonlight still exist / Evil cannot overcome"). The chorus invites anyone with faith to say "amém" ("amen") and recognize that creating a world of peace and love starts with a simple choice: "Quando faz só o bem" ("When one only does good").
Arlindo Cruz was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1958 and was playing cavaquinho and banjo as a child. He learned his craft in the samba circles of the city, with the great Candeia as a mentor, and came up through the Cacique de Ramos scene next to Zeca Pagodinho and Sombrinha.
He spent twelve years in Fundo de Quintal, the group that shaped modern pagode, and wrote more than 550 songs recorded by singers like Beth Carvalho and Alcione, plus winning carnival sambas for Império Serrano. Solo, he made albums such as Batuques e Romances and the live Batuques do Meu Lugar, where Caetano Veloso and Zeca Pagodinho joined him. A stroke in 2017 kept him off stage for his last years, and he died in August 2025 at 66.