He began his career as a bossa nova musician, but soon began writing songs that reflected a new focus on political awareness and social activism, along with fellow singer Caetano Veloso. In the 1970s, Gil added new elements of African and North American music to his already broad palette, and continued to release a steady stream of albums, including Realce and Refazenda. João Gilberto recorded Gil's "Eu Vim da Bahia" ("I Came from Bahia") on his classic João Gilberto LP.
In 1969, Gil and Veloso, whose status in Brazil was, and is, equivalent to that of John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the English-speaking world, were arrested by the military government of Brazil for anti-government activities. Upon their release, the pair both moved to London. Gil began playing with groups like Yes, Pink Floyd and The Incredible String Band, while continuing his solo career. In the 1970s, he toured the US and recorded an English-language album. He worked with Jimmy Cliff and released in 1980 a cover of "No Woman, No Cry" (Bob Marley & the Wailers) that was a massive hit and introduced reggae to Brazil.
Gil continued recording, performing and involving himself in various social causes, and was eventually elected a city councillor in his home town Salvador in 1989. His 1993 album with Caetano Veloso, Tropicália 2, featured a cover of a Jimi Hendrix song, "Wait Until Tomorrow", and is regarded as one of his finest efforts since the late 1960s.
When President Lula da Silva took office in January 2003, he chose Gil to serve as Brazil's new Minister of Culture, a post he held until 2008. While minister, Gil released his songs "Refazenda", "Rebento" and "Refavela" under the Creative Commons Sampling License.
In May 2005 Gil was awarded the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the first Latin American recipient of the annual award, which was given to him by the King of Sweden. Gil also performed four songs in an outdoors concert the day before the award show and again at the show with only two songs, accompanied by Jimmy Cliff.
In September 2005 he was awarded the Légion d'honneur from the French Government. This coincided with the Année du Brésil en France (Brazil's Year in France).
His daughter Preta Gil is also a musician.
A Novidade
Gilberto Gil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
A novidade veio dar à praia
Pra qualidade rara de sereia
Metade o busto de uma deusa maia
Metade um grande rabo de baleia
A novidade era o máximo
Do paradoxo estendido na areia
Alguns a desejar seus beijos de deusa
Alguns a desejar seu rabo pra ceia
Ó mundo tão desigual, tudo é tão desigual, ô ô
De um lado este carnaval, de outro a fome total, ô ô
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
E a novidade que seria um sonho
O milagre risonho da sereia
Virava um pesadelo tão medonho
Ali naquela praia, ali na areia
A novidade era a guerra
Entre o feliz poeta e o esfomeado
Estraçalhando uma sereia bonita
Despedaçando o sonho pra cada lado
Ó mundo tão desigual, tudo é tão desigual, ô ô
De um lado este carnaval, de outro a fome total, ô ô
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Ô ô ô ô ô ô ô
Ah aaaah
Gilberto Gil's "A Novidade" is a social commentary on the unequal and contradictory nature of society. The lyrics describe a new arrival at the beach, a creature with the body of a beautiful Mayan goddess and the tail of a whale. The new arrival represents a paradox, as some desire her as a goddess while others desire her tail for a feast. This paradox extends to the larger world, where a carnival of excess and joy exists alongside total famine and poverty.
The creature, initially seen as a dream and a miracle, becomes a nightmare as it incites a war between the happy poet and the starving person. The beauty of the creature is destroyed as it is torn apart, reflecting the larger destruction and fracturing of dreams in society. The song illustrates the stark divisions and contradictions in the world, which are often hidden beneath a veneer of happiness and celebration.
Overall, "A Novidade" is a poignant critique of society's division and hypocrisy, and a call for greater equality and justice.
Line by Line Meaning
A novidade veio dar à praia
Something new arrived at the beach
Na qualidade rara de sereia
It was a rare quality mermaid
Metade o busto de uma deusa Maia
Half of her was the bust of an ancient Mayan goddess
Metade um grande rabo de baleia
The other half was a huge whale tail
A novidade era o máximo
This novelty was the ultimate
Do paradoxo estendido na areia
It was a paradox extended on the sand
Alguns a desejar seus beijos de deusa
Some desired her goddess-like kisses
Alguns a desejar seu rabo pra ceia
Others longed for her tail as their feast
Ó mundo tão desigual, tudo é tão desigual, ô ô
Oh, world so unequal, everything is so unequal
De um lado este carnaval, de outro a fome total, ô ô
On one side, this carnival and on the other, total hunger
E a novidade que seria um sonho
But this novelty, which would be a dream come true
O milagre risonho da sereia
The joyful miracle of the mermaid
Virava um pesadelo tão medonho
Turned into a horrendous nightmare
Ali naquela praia, ali na areia
Right there on that beach, right there on the sand
A novidade era a guerra
This novelty turned out to be a battle
Entre o feliz poeta e o esfomeado
Between the happy poet and the starving
Estraçalhando uma sereia bonita
Tearing apart a beautiful mermaid
Despedaçando o sonho pra cada lado
Shattering the dream for everyone involved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Felipe De Nobrega Ribeiro, Herbert Lemos De Sou Vianna, Sebastiao Goncalves Pimenta, Gilberto Gil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gilpalhares
Hi, Julietta, this music tells us about the story of a mermaid who shows up on the beach. Gil is building with it an example of the difference between those who don't even have the minimum to survive and those who can enjoy the "news" of living with assurance they will be able to feed, dress, dwell...take care of themselves.
- The novelty
The novelty appeared in the beach in the rare mermaid quality. Half the bust of mayan goddess, Half, a large whale tail.
The novelty was the maximum paradox stretched out in the sand. Some wishing your goddess kisses, other, your tail to the supper.
Oh! Uneven world. Everything is so unequal: on one side this carnival, on other the total starvation.
And the new, which would be a dream, the smiley miracle in the sand, turning into a ghastly nightmare. There, on that beach, there, on that sand, the novelty was the war between the happy poet and the starved, ripping apart a beautiful mermaid. Ripping the dream to each side.
@user-co4gq6dv2i
A novidade veio dar à praia, na qualidade rara de
sereia
Metade o busto de uma deusa Maia, metade um grande
rabo de baleia
A novidade era o máximo, do paradoxo estendido na
areia
Alguns a desejar seus beijos de deusa
Outros a desejar seu rabo prá ceia
Ó mundo tão desigual, tudo é tão desigual, ô ô ô
ô ô
De um lado este carnaval, de outro a fome total, ô
E a novidade que seria um sonho, o milagre risonho da
sereia
Virava um pesadelo tão medonho, ali naquela praia, ali
na areia
A novidade era a guerra entre o feliz poeta e o
esfomeado
Estraçalhando uma sereia bonita, despedaçando o sonho
prá cada lado
Encontrou algum erro na letra? Por favor, envie uma correção »
@andersonsdnascimento5099
Curtindo 1 Fevereiro 2020
🎤 A novidade veio dar à praia, na qualidade rara de
sereia
Metade o busto de uma deusa Maia, metade um grande
rabo de baleia
A novidade era o máximo, do paradoxo estendido na
areia
Alguns a desejar seus beijos de deusa
Outros a desejar seu rabo prá ceia
Ó mundo tão desigual, tudo é tão desigual, ô ô ô
ô ô
De um lado este carnaval, de outro a fome total, ô
E a novidade que seria um sonho, o milagre risonho da
sereia
Virava um pesadelo tão medonho, ali naquela praia, ali
na areia
A novidade era a guerra entre o feliz poeta e o
esfomeado
Estraçalhando uma sereia bonita, despedaçando o sonho
prá cada lado 🎼
@opedromoises
O melhor artista brasileiro, na minha humilde opinião.
@milakowalski4539
Ele está entre meus 3 favoritos com certeza.
@aecaballero
Na minhha humilde opinião ele é muito bom. Mas tem outros melhores ainda
@pauloandrepimentelaraujo3927
Só não é NOVIDADE que essa música é uma obra prima da mais pura arte!!!!
@helentonpolacooliveira6987
Quem tá ouvindo em quarentena 2020?
@qgil1079
eeeeeuuuu
@mauriciobr4776
Eu estou ouvindo em 2017 e já morri!
@suelijosefa4982
@@qgil1079 imo
@rafaelasantoscardoso1731
"de um lado esse carnaval, do outro a fome total"
@shirley2072
@@qgil1079 h um jgh no hj kit ghu8 kkk hum f kkk vó üyf for ggu8f hj gm