Gilberto Gil (born 26 June, 1942) is a Brazilian singer, guitarist and song… Read Full Bio ↴Gilberto Gil (born 26 June, 1942) is a Brazilian singer, guitarist and songwriter, and Brazil's former minister of culture.

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 Volta Da Asa Branca
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando olhei a terra ardendo
Qua fogueira de São João
Eu preguntei a Deus do céu, uai
Por que tamanha judiação

Que braseiro, que fornaia
Nem um pé de prantação
Por farta d'água perdi meu gado

Moreu de sede meu alazão

Inté mesmo a asa branca
Bateu asas do sertão
Intonce eu disse adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração

Hoje longe muitas léguas
Numa triste solidão
Espero a chuva cair de novo
Para eu voltar pro meu sertão

Quando o verde dos teus oio
Se espalhar na prantação
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu

Que eu voltarei, viu
Meu coração

Overall Meaning

The song A Volta da Asa Branca, which translates to "The Return of the White Wing," tells the story of a man who has to leave his homeland due to drought and the loss of his cattle. The song starts with the man looking at the burning land and the fire of the festival of São João. He questions why there is so much suffering and pain in the world. He then talks about the extreme heat and the lack of water that has led to him losing all his cattle, including his prized horse. Even the white winged bird known as "Asa Branca," which is a symbol of hope in the region, has flown away, leaving him alone.

The song is full of deep emotions and the pain of having to leave one's homeland. The man is in a state of melancholy and seeks hope in the rain. He longs for the green of his homeland and promises to return when the rain comes. The song is a tribute to those who had to leave their homes because of drought, and it highlights the importance of water and the impact of droughts on the people of Brazil.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando olhei a terra ardendo
Upon seeing the land burning

Qua fogueira de São João
Like a Saint John's bonfire

Eu preguntei a Deus do céu, uai
I asked God in heaven, uai (an interjection used in Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Por que tamanha judiação
Why such oppression/suffering

Que braseiro, que fornaia
What a blaze, what a furnace

Nem um pé de prantação
Not a single crop

Por farta d'água perdi meu gado
Due to lack of water, I lost my cattle

Moreu de sede meu alazão
My chestnut mare died of thirst

Inté mesmo a asa branca
Even the white-winged dove

Bateu asas do sertão
Flew away from the backlands

Intonce eu disse adeus Rosinha
So I said goodbye to Rosinha