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.

Marmundo
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

O mar do mundo sujou
Manda o mundo se limpar
O mar do mundo secou
Manda o mundo se molhar
O mar do mundo entornou
Manda o mundo se fechar
O mar do mundo acabou
Manda o mundo se acabar

O mar do mundo ficou
Um mar imundo demais
Se a barra mundo pesou
O mundo sabe o que faz

Sabe que o mar leva e traz
Sabe quem mata o rapaz
Sabe do filme em cartaz
Sabe da soja em Goiás
Sabe que o amor é fugaz
Sabe amar os animais

Sabe que a gula é voraz
Sabe que paga o que faz

Overall Meaning

In Gilberto Gil's song "Marmundo," the lyrics describe the state of the world's oceans and the responsibility that humans have to take care of them. The first few lines suggest that the world's ocean has become polluted and dried up. The next lines call for the world to clean up its act and engage with the ocean. The song highlights the interconnectedness of the world and the natural balance that is necessary to maintain it. The final lines acknowledge the consequences of humanity's actions and the importance of taking responsibility for them.

Through this song, Gilberto Gil encourages listeners to consider their actions and their impact on the natural world. He suggests that the problems facing the ocean are emblematic of the larger issues facing the world and highlights the importance of working towards a more sustainable and equitable future. The lyrics of "Marmundo" call attention to the fragility of our planet and the urgent need for action to preserve it.

Line by Line Meaning

O mar do mundo sujou
The world's ocean has become polluted

Manda o mundo se limpar
The world should clean up the polluted ocean

O mar do mundo secou
The world's ocean has dried up

Manda o mundo se molhar
The world should replenish the dried up ocean

O mar do mundo entornou
The world's ocean has overflowed

Manda o mundo se fechar
The world should take action to prevent further overflow

O mar do mundo acabou
The world's ocean has come to an end

Manda o mundo se acabar
The world should come to an end as well

O mar do mundo ficou
The world's ocean remains

Um mar imundo demais
The ocean is too polluted

Se a barra mundo pesou
The world's burden is heavy