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.
Corações A Mil
Gilberto Gil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dez corações de uma vez
Pra eu poder me apaixonar
Dez vezes a cada dia
Setenta a cada semana
Trezentas a cada mês
Isso, sem considerar
De um desses corações gamar
Muitas vezes num só dia
Ou todos eles de uma vez
Todos dez
Desatarem a registrar
Toda gente fina
Toda perna grossa
Todo gato, toda gata
Toda coisa linda que passar
Meus dez mil corações a mil
Nem todo o Brasil vai dar
Gilberto Gil's song Corações A Mil is a playful and light-hearted reflection on love and romance. In the song, Gil sings about his desire to fall in love with ten different people at once, stating that his ambitions are "ten hearts at once". He goes on to say that he wants to fall in love ten times a day, seventy times a week, and three hundred times a month. He acknowledges that this might not be realistic, as one of these ten hearts might fall in love with him, or all of them at the same time. Despite the unlikelihood of achieving this goal, he remains optimistic about his chances of falling in love, expressing his interest in anyone who catches his eye, whether they are "fine people", "thick-legged people", handsome men or beautiful women.
The song has a lighthearted and playful tone, but there are some deeper themes at play. In particular, it speaks to the longing for connection and the desire for love that is common to so many people. It also highlights the way that our desires can sometimes be unrealistic, and the fact that we are often forced to compromise and settle for less than we hoped for. Overall, the song captures the joy, the excitement, and the heartache that comes with falling in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Minhas ambições são dez
My ambitions are ten
Dez corações de uma vez
Ten hearts at once
Pra eu poder me apaixonar
So I can fall in love
Dez vezes a cada dia
Ten times a day
Setenta a cada semana
Seventy times a week
Trezentas a cada mês
Three hundred times a month
Isso, sem considerar
That's without considering
A provável rebeldia
The probable rebellion
De um desses corações gamar
Of one of these hearts to fall in love
Muitas vezes num só dia
Many times in one day
Ou todos eles de uma vez
Or all of them at once
Todos dez
All ten
Desatarem a registrar
Start recording
Toda gente fina
All the classy people
Toda perna grossa
Every curvy leg
Todo gato, toda gata
Every handsome man, every beautiful woman
Toda coisa linda que passar
Every beautiful thing that passes by
Meus dez mil corações a mil
My ten thousand hearts racing
Nem todo o Brasil vai dar
Won't be enough for all of Brazil
Contributed by Isaiah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.