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.

Asa Branca
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando olhei a terra ardendo
Qual fogueira de São João
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação
Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
Por que tamanha judiação

Que braseiro, que fornalha

Nem um pé de plantação
Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão

Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Morreu de sede meu alazão

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

Entonce eu disse, adeus Rosinha
Guarda contigo meu coração

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

Espero a chuva cair de novo
Pra eu voltar pro meu sertão

Quando o verde dos teus olhos
Se espalhar na plantação
Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu
Que eu voltarei, viu
Meu coração

Eu te asseguro não chore não, viu

Que eu voltarei, viu
Meu coração

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gilberto Gil's song "Asa Branca" tell a poignant story of drought and loss in the sertão, or Brazilian semi-arid region. The singer witnesses the devastation of the land, burned like a São João bonfire, and wonders why God could allow such suffering. The imagery of the "braseiro" (hot coals) and "fornalha" (furnace) conveys the intensity of the heat and the absence of even a single plant growing. The singer has lost his cattle, including his beloved alazão, due to a lack of water. Even the asa branca, or white-winged bird, has left the sertão in search of water. The singer must say goodbye to his love, Rosinha, and leave his heart with her as he journeys far away from his home.

Despite the hardship and isolation, the singer retains hope that the rain will come and allow him to return to his beloved sertão. He describes his eyes "verde" (green) spreading across the land like plants, and promises Rosinha not to cry because he will surely return. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and resilience in the face of difficult circumstances, reflecting the spirit of the Brazilian people.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando olhei a terra ardendo
When I looked at the burning land

Qual fogueira de São João
Like a São João bonfire

Eu perguntei a Deus do céu, ai
I asked God in heaven, ai

Por que tamanha judiação
Why such cruelty

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

Nem um pé de plantação
Not even a single plant

Por falta d'água perdi meu gado
Due to water shortage, I lost my cattle

Morreu de sede meu alazão
My bay horse died of thirst

Inté mesmo a asa branca
Even the white-winged dove

Bateu asas do sertão
Flew away from the countryside

Entonce eu disse, adeus Rosinha
Then I said, goodbye Rosinha