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.

Retiros Espirituais
Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nos meus retiros espirituais
Descubro certas coisas tão banais
Como estar defronte de uma coisa e ficar
Horas à fio com ela
Bárbara, bela, tela de TV
Você há de achar gozado Barbarela dita assim dessa maneira
Brincadeira sem nexo
Que gente maluca gosta de fazer

Eu diria tudo não passa
Dos espirituais sinais iniciais desta canção
Retirar tudo o que eu disse, reticenciar que eu juro
Censurar ninguém se atreve
É tão bom sonhar contigo, oh
Luar tão cândido

Nos meus retiros espirituais
Descubro certas coisas anormais
Como alguns instantes vacilantes e só
Só com você e comigo
Pouco faltando, devendo chegar
Um momento novo, vento devastando como um sonho
Sobre a destruição de tudo
Que gente maluca gosta de sonhar
Eu diria sonhar com você jaz nos espirituais sinais iniciais desta canção
Retirar tudo o que eu disse, reticenciar que eu juro
Censurar ninguém se atreve
É tão bom sonhar contigo, oh
Luar tão cândido

Nos meus retiros espirituais
Descubro certas coisas tão banais
Como ter problemas, ser o mesmo que não
Resolver tê-los é ter, resolver ignorá-los é ter
Você há de achar gozado ter que resolver de ambos os lados
De minha equação
Que gente maluca tem que resolver
Eu diria o problema se reduz
Aos espirituais sinais iniciais desta canção
Retirar tudo o que eu disse, reticenciar que eu juro
Censurar ninguém se atreve

É tão bom sonhar contigo, oh
Luar tão cândido

Overall Meaning

In Gil's song Retiros Espirituais, he explores some of the insights he has gained during his spiritual retreats. He notes that during these retreats, he has discovered simple, banal things such as spending hours in front of a television and finding humor in the mispronunciation of the name Barbarella. These mundane experiences serve as initial spiritual signs of his impending journey through the song. He then talks about some moments of hesitation that one can experience, particularly when they are alone with someone they care for. He speaks to the excitement of the unknown and the possibility for new experiences. Lastly, he talks about how he has discovered that having problems is not the same as not solving them. Coming up with solutions can be challenging, but it's a necessary part of the process, which ends with the beauty of a clear and candid moon.

One possible interpretation of the song is that it is about the journey of self-discovery that one can undergo during spiritual retreats. The seemingly banal experiences and frustrating moments can offer a chance for reflection, growth, and deeper understanding of oneself. It is important to note that these insights are initial signs of something greater yet to come, and the song suggests that further spiritual growth is possible.

Line by Line Meaning

Nos meus retiros espirituais
During my spiritual retreats

Descubro certas coisas tão banais
I discover certain things that are so ordinary

Como estar defronte de uma coisa e ficar
Like being in front of something and staying

Horas à fio com ela
Hours on end with it

Bárbara, bela, tela de TV
Barbara, beautiful, TV screen

Você há de achar gozado Barbarela dita assim dessa maneira
You may find it funny for me to say Barbara in that way

Brincadeira sem nexo
A joke with no connection

Que gente maluca gosta de fazer
That crazy people like to do

Eu diria tudo não passa
I would say it all comes down to

Dos espirituais sinais iniciais desta canção
The spiritual initial signs of this song

Retirar tudo o que eu disse, reticenciar que eu juro
Withdraw everything I said, hesitate to swear

Censurar ninguém se atreve
No one dares to censor

É tão bom sonhar contigo, oh
It's so good to dream with you, oh

Luar tão cândido
Such candid moonlight

Nos meus retiros espirituais
During my spiritual retreats

Descubro certas coisas anormais
I discover certain abnormal things

Como alguns instantes vacilantes e só
Like some fleeting and lonely moments

Só com você e comigo
Only with you and me

Pouco faltando, devendo chegar
Almost there, should arrive

Um momento novo, vento devastando como um sonho
A new moment, wind devastating like a dream

Sobre a destruição de tudo
About the destruction of everything

Que gente maluca gosta de sonhar
That crazy people like to dream

Eu diria sonhar com você jaz nos espirituais sinais iniciais desta canção
I would say that dreaming about you lies in the spiritual initial signs of this song

Retirar tudo o que eu disse, reticenciar que eu juro
Withdraw everything I said, hesitate to swear

Censurar ninguém se atreve
No one dares to censor

É tão bom sonhar contigo, oh
It's so good to dream with you, oh

Luar tão cândido
Such candid moonlight

Nos meus retiros espirituais
During my spiritual retreats

Descubro certas coisas tão banais
I discover certain things that are so ordinary

Como ter problemas, ser o mesmo que não
Like having problems, being the same as not having them

Resolver tê-los é ter, resolver ignorá-los é ter
Solving them is having them, ignoring them is having them

Você há de achar gozado ter que resolver de ambos os lados
You may find it funny to have to solve from both sides

De minha equação
Of my equation

Que gente maluca tem que resolver
That crazy people have to solve

Eu diria o problema se reduz
I would say the problem is reduced