By focusing on the "invisible" worker, Buarque bypassed government censors to highlight the human cost of Brazil's "economic miracle," which prioritized infrastructure over individual dignity.
The strings mimic the worker's "flight" like a bird and his subsequent heavy fall "like a floppy package". Construção
This wordplay changes the meaning of the worker's actions—for example, he kisses his wife "as if it were the last time" in the first verse, but "as if it were logical" in the third. This repetition mirrors the mechanical, repetitive nature of labor. By focusing on the "invisible" worker, Buarque bypassed
The use of clashing chords (such as E minor and F major played simultaneously) mimics the chaotic noise of city traffic. By focusing on the "invisible" worker