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.

Com Que Roupa?
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Agora eu vou mudar minha conduta
Eu vou à luta, pois eu quero me aplumar
Eu vou te tratar você com força bruta
Pra poder me reabilitar
Pois essa vida não está sopa, e agora com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
Com que roupa eu vou?

Pro samba que você me convidou.

Agora eu já não ando mais fardeiro,
Pois o dinheiro não é fácil de ganhar
Mesmo eu sendo um cara trapaceiro
Não consigo ter, nem pra gastar
Eu já corri de vento em popa, e agora com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.

Vai!

Eu hoje estou pulando como o sapo
Pra ver se escapo dessa praga de urubu
Eu estou coberto de farrapos,
Eu vou acabar ficando nu
Meu terno virou estopa, e agora com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.

Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.

Overall Meaning

In Gilberto Gil's song "Com Que Roupa?" the singer is addressing the challenges of poverty and the struggle to maintain a sense of dignity in the face of financial hardship. He declares his intention to change his ways and take a more forceful approach to his situation in order to rehabilitate himself. He laments that life is not easy and questions what he will wear to the samba to which he has been invited. He reflects that he can no longer afford to dress in the fancy clothes he used to wear, and without money, he is left with threadbare rags. He jumps around like a frog, hoping to escape the vultures of society. The singer is proud and does not want his financial status to define him, yet he acknowledges that his clothes are in shambles, and he faces the difficult decision of how to dress for the samba while preserving his dignity.

Line by Line Meaning

Agora eu vou mudar minha conduta
From now on I'm going to change my behavior

Eu vou à luta, pois eu quero me aplumar
I’m going to fight because I want to improve my situation

Eu vou te tratar você com força bruta
I'm going to deal with you using brute force

Pra poder me reabilitar
So I can rehabilitate myself

Pois essa vida não está sopa, e agora com que roupa?
Because life is not easy, and now what clothes do I wear?

Com que roupa eu vou?
What clothes should I wear?

Pro samba que você me convidou.
For the samba you invited me to!

Agora eu já não ando mais fardeiro,
Nowadays I don't dress up anymore

Pois o dinheiro não é fácil de ganhar
Because money is hard to come by

Mesmo eu sendo um cara trapaceiro
Even though I'm a cheat

Não consigo ter, nem pra gastar
I can't manage to have enough even to spend