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 Paz
Gilberto Gil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De repente me encheu de paz
Como se o vento de um tufão
Arrancasse meus pés do chão
Onde eu já não me enterro mais
A paz fez um mar da revolução
Invadir meu destino, a paz
Uma bomba sobre o Japão
Fez nascer o Japão da paz
Eu pensei em mim
Eu pensei em ti
Eu chorei por nós
Que contradição
Só a guerra faz
Nosso amor em paz
Eu vim
Vim parar na beira do cais
Onde a estrada chegou ao fim
Onde o fim da tarde é lilás
Onde o mar arrebenta em mim
O lamento de tantos "ais"
A paz invadiu o meu coração
De repente me encheu de paz
Como se o vento de um tufão
Arrancasse meus pés do chão
Onde eu já não me enterro mais
A paz fez um mar da revolução
Invadir meu destino, a paz
Como aquela grande explosão
Uma bomba sobre o Japão
Fez nascer o Japão da paz
Eu pensei em mim
Eu pensei em ti
Eu chorei por nós
Que contradição
Só a guerra faz
Nosso amor em paz
Eu vim
Vim parar na beira do cais
Onde a estrada chegou ao fim
Onde o fim da tarde é lilás
Onde o mar arrebenta em mim
O lamento de tantos "ais"
"Ais"
"Ais"
Uh, a paz, uh
Gilberto Gil's song "A Paz" talks about the peace that invaded his heart all of a sudden. It is a feeling of peace that fills his whole being like a tornado that takes him off his feet. The song talks about the power of peace to create new possibilities and the beauty of how it can change lives. The singer compares this peace to a great explosion that happened in Japan, which gave birth to "Japão da paz" (Japan of Peace).
The lyrics of the song show that the singer is thinking about himself, his lover, and their relationship that was once torn apart by war, but now they have to learn how to love each other again in peace. The singer talks about coming to the end of a journey on the pier where the road ends and the sea breaks upon him, and he hears the lamentations of many who have cried out in pain.
Line by Line Meaning
A paz invadiu o meu coração
Suddenly, peace filled my heart
De repente me encheu de paz
Peaceful feelings quickly took over me
Como se o vento de um tufão Arrancasse meus pés do chão
As if a hurricane wind pulled me off the ground
Onde eu já não me enterro mais
Where I don't bury myself anymore
A paz fez um mar da Revolução invadir meu destino, a paz
Peace made a sea of the Revolution invade my destiny, peace
Como aquela grande explosão
Like that big explosion
Uma bomba sobre o Japão
A bomb over Japan
Fez nascer o Japão da paz
Gave birth to Japan of peace
Eu pensei em mim
I thought of myself
Eu pensei em ti
I thought of you
Eu chorei por nós
I cried for us
Que contradição
What a contradiction
Só a guerra faz nosso amor em paz
Only war makes our love peaceful
Eu vim
I came
Vim parar na beira do cais
Stopped at the edge of the dock
Onde a estrada chegou ao fim
Where the road ended
Onde o fim da tarde é lilás
Where the end of the afternoon is lilac-colored
Onde o mar arrebenta em mim
Where the sea crashes into me
O lamento de tantos 'ais'
The lament of so many 'ahs'
Uh, a paz, uh
Uh, peace, uh
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, Joao Donato De Oliveira Neto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind