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.
Nová
Gilberto Gil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quase esquecem do eterno é
Só você poder me ouvir agora
Já significa que dá pé
Novo tempo sempre se inaugura
A cada instante que você viver
O que foi já era, e não há era
O tempo que você perdeu, perdeu, não volta
Embora o mundo, o mundo, dê tanta volta
Embora olhar, o mundo cause tanto medo
Ou talvez tanta revolta
A verdade sempre está na hora
Embora você pense que não é
Como seu cabelo cresce agora
Sem que você possa perceber
Os cabelos da eternidade
São mais longos que os tempos de agora
São mais longos que os tempos de outrora
São mais longos que os tempos da era nova
Da nova, nova, nova, nova, nova era
Da era, era, era, era, era nova
Da nova, nova, nova, nova, nova era
Da era, era, era, era, era nova
Que sempre esteve, que está pra nascer
Falam tanto
nesta música do Gilberto Gil sobre uma nova era que está por vir, mas ele nos alerta para não esquecermos do que é eterno. A música começa falando sobre como todos estão falando sobre uma nova era, mas a verdadeira importância está no que é eterno. Ele diz que o fato de alguém poder ouvi-lo agora significa que estão abertos a essa verdade.
Gilberto continua falando sobre a inauguração de um novo tempo a cada instante em que vivemos. O que foi já não é mais e não há como trazê-lo de volta, não importa quão nova seja a próxima era. Por mais que o mundo pareça causar medo ou revolta, a verdade está sempre presente. Ele faz uma comparação com o crescimento dos cabelos, que acontece sem que possamos perceber, assim como os cabelos da eternidade são mais longos do que os tempos que vivemos aqui e agora.
Nos versos finais, ele repete a ideia de uma nova era que está por nascer, mas que sempre esteve presente. Ele usa a repetição de palavras para enfatizar a importância desse tema e deixar claro que, enquanto buscamos por algo novo e diferente, devemos lembrar daquilo que é eterno.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the idea of progress and change. While it is important to look forward to new eras, we must keep in mind that the eternal things in life will always be with us.
Line by Line Meaning
Falam tanto numa nova era
People talk a lot about a new era
In the new, new, new, new era
In this supposedly new era
Almost forget about what is eternal
Almost forget about what truly lasts
Only you being able to hear me now
The fact that you're listening to me now
Already means it's possible
Already means there's hope
A new time always begins
A new opportunity always arises
With every moment that you live
With every passing second
What has been, is already gone, and there is no era
The past is gone, and we can't go back to it
No matter how new it might bring back
Regardless of how much we try to revive it
The time you lost, lost, will not return
We can't change the past, or get the lost time back
Although the world, the world, goes around so much
Although the world keeps spinning
Although looking at the world might cause so much fear, or maybe even revolt
Although the world might scare us or make us angry when we observe it
The truth is always on time
The truth always reveals itself at the right moment
Although you might think it's not
Although we might not believe it's true
As your hair grows now, without you even noticing
As time passes and changes occur without our awareness
The hairs of eternity are longer than the times of now
The eternal is greater than the present or the past, and of any supposed new era
Of this new, new, new, new era
In this current supposed new era
That always existed, and is yet to be born
That has always been present and will continue to exist in the future
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mrCetus
00:00 - eu vim da Bahia
5:53 - palpite infeliz
9:46 - girl from Ipanema
14:57 - Sampa
19:58 - vivo sonhando
22:55 - Bésame mucho
25:39 - una mujer
29:22- eu quero um samba
34:07 - Corcovado
38:21 - de conversa em conversa
40:37 - rosinha
44:29 - you do something to me
47:10 - doralice
49:55 - ave Maria no morro
54:12 - izaura
59:38 - desafinado
1:03:35 - pra machucar meu coraçao
1:08:38 - sorriu pra mim
1:11:45 - falsa baiana
1:15:30 - eu Sambo mesmo
@Rednoi
i don't speak Portuguese, i've never been to Brazil, I don't have any connection to Brazil or the Brazilian community at all. But man this music soothes me, it calms me, i don't understand a word is says...well, maybe a few words as i do speak spanish....but this music just speaks to me and settles in me so effortlessly.
@Lady_A.R.Browne
¡QUE BUENA ESTA MÙSICA!
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
@alexandergoldrich1922
Your comment resonates with me, Dennis.
-Al
@worldtraveller118
Same here. I got a DNA test done to check if I have any Brazilian ancestors. Results are coming in soon. I find the language and music very pleasant to the ear.
Update: The results came out with 16% Iberian DNA 🤩
@viniciusbrand4742
This guy died a few years ago, he is a giant in modern brazilian music.
@yoannes6882
Oq que é isso ? Essa coisa esquisita que sentimos, é um sentimento mt estranho e um pouco gosto
@peterchoquette4860
I started studying Portuguese when I met my wife to be who is from Portugal. My first teacher was an American who learned Portuguese in Brazil. Her passion for teaching us about Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language was a great inspiration. Forty years after that first class my own passion for speaking this beautiful language is as strong as ever. When I first started listening to bossa nova I could appreciate the beauty without understanding the words. Over time listening to the music and learning the meaning of the the words has made bossa nova my favorite music. This really is beautiful music and understanding it has helped my to learn to speak Brazilian Portuguese and has also inspired me to learn more about Brasil , it’s history and it’s culture.
@Grimm--
I don't know if you know but brazilian portuguese is very different from european portuguese, and this difference is only in the accent
@eddiesantos4978
Brazil is special, no matter what they say
@williamrallis83
You cannot allow a damned commercial while listening to jazz or bossa nova,
… it kills the ambiance.