Nascimento was born in Rio de Janeiro, and grew up in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais. His mother was the maid Maria do Carmo Nascimento. When he was just a few months old, the boy was adopted by the family for whom his mother had previously worked: the couple Josino Brito Campos (a banker, mathematics teacher and electronic technician) and Lília Silva Campos (a music teacher). He lived in the boroughs of Laranjeiras and Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. When he was 18 months old, his biological mother died and he moved with his adoptive parents to the city of Três Pontas, in the State of Minas Gerais.
In the earlier stages of his career, Nascimento played in two samba groups, Evolussamba and Sambacana. In 1963 he moved to Belo Horizonte, and his friendship with the Borges brothers (Marilton, Márcio e Lô Borges) led to the Clube da Esquina ("corner club") movement. Other members included Beto Guedes, Toninho Horta, Wagner Tiso, and Flavio Venturini.
Nascimento is famous for his chime-clear falsetto and tonal range, as well for highly acclaimed songs such as "Canção da América" ("Song from America") and "Coração de Estudante" ("Student's Heart"). The lyrics of "Coração de Estudante" remembers the funeral of the student Edson Luís, killed by police officers in 1968. The song became the hymn for the diretas Já campaign in 1984 and it was also played in the funeral of the late president Tancredo Neves the next year, who died before assuming the presidency.
While his reputation within Brazil was firmly established with his Clube da Esquina works, Nascimento's international breakthrough came with his appearance on jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter's 1974 album "Native Dancer". This led to widespread acclaim, and collaborations with American stars such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Pat Metheny.
Through his friendship with guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, Nascimento came to work with the pop-rock band Duran Duran in 1993. Nascimento co-wrote and performed (in the Portuguese language) the song "Breath After Breath", featured on the band's 1993 album "Duran Duran". He also performed with the band in concert when they toured in Brazil, in support of that album. Nascimento earned a Grammy award for "Best World Music Album" in 1998 for his album "Nascimento", and was also nominated in 1991 and 1995.
A Feminina Voz Do Cantor
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Minha voz vem da mulher
Minha voz veio de lá, de quem me gerou
Quem explica o cantor
Quem entende essa voz
Sem as vozes que ele traz do interior?
Sem as vozes que ele ouviu
Como pode sua voz ser uma Elis
Sem o anjo que escutou
A Maria Sapoti
Quando é que seu cantar iria se abrir?
Feminino é o dom
Que o leva a entoar
A canção que sua alma sente no ar
Feminina é a paixão
O seu amor musical
Feminino é o som do seu coração
Sua voz de trovador
Com seu povo se casou
E as ruas do país são seu altar
Feminina é a paixão
No seu amor musical
Feminino é o som do seu coração
Sua voz de trovador
Com seu povo se casou
E as ruas do país são seu altar
A cidade é feliz
Com a voz do seu cantor
A cidade quer cantar com seu cantor
Ele vai sempre lembrar
Da lenha de um fogão
Das melodias vindo lá do quintal
As vozes que ele guardou
As vozes que ele amou
As vozes que ensinaram: bom é cantar
The opening lyrics of "A Feminina Voz Do Cantor" by Milton Nascimento pay homage to the feminine voice that gave birth to the singer's own unique sound. He asks who can explain the essence of a vocalist or understand the soulful impact of their voice, which is shaped by the personal experiences and inner voices of the singer. He reflects on the countless voices that have inspired him throughout his personal journey with music - voices from his mother and the women in his life, to those he heard in his youth as an apprentice, including the angelic voice of Maria Sapoti.
The song seems to suggest that the ability to sing and make good music is not just a gift that a person acquires by training or practice, but is rather a unique combination of both masculinity and femininity. The song is filled with deep appreciation for the feminine voice that has inspired so many great singers and songwriters over the years. The song also acknowledges the way that music can connect people from diverse backgrounds and break down barriers between people.
Line by Line Meaning
Minha mãe que falou
My voice comes from a woman, as my mother once told me
Minha voz vem da mulher
My voice stems from a feminine source
Minha voz veio de lá, de quem me gerou
My voice came from the one who gave me life
Quem explica o cantor
Who can truly understand the singer?
Quem entende essa voz
Who comprehends the essence of the voice?
Sem as vozes que ele traz do interior?
Without the internal voices that he brings forth?
Sem as vozes que ele ouviu
Without the voices he heard
Quando era aprendiz
When he was an apprentice
Como pode sua voz ser uma Elis
How could his voice ever match Elis'?
Sem o anjo que escutou
Without the angel who listened
A Maria Sapoti
To Maria Sapoti
Quando é que seu cantar iria se abrir?
When would he finally let his singing voice out?
Feminino é o dom
The gift is feminine
Que o leva a entoar
One that leads him to sing
A canção que sua alma sente no ar
The song his soul feels in the air
Feminina é a paixão
The passion is feminine
O seu amor musical
His musical love
Feminino é o som do seu coração
The sound of his heart is feminine
Com seu povo se casou
He married his people
E as ruas do país são seu altar
And the streets of his country are his altar
A cidade é feliz
The city is happy
Com a voz do seu cantor
With the voice of its singer
A cidade quer cantar com seu cantor
The city wants to sing with its singer
Ele vai sempre lembrar
He will always remember
Da lenha de um fogão
The firewood of a stove
Das melodias vindo lá do quintal
The melodies coming from the backyard
As vozes que ele guardou
The voices he kept
As vozes que ele amou
The voices he loved
As vozes que ensinaram: bom é cantar
The voices that taught him that singing is good
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juliana Ferreira Oliveira
Os brasileiros precisam descobrir o Brasil!!!! Que voz de anjo!!! Música belíssima.
Marcela Tavernard
Quem conhece a história de Milton, um pouco de sua biografia retratada por Maria Dolores, sem dúvida, se emociona com esta linda canção!
Danilo discotecário Rocha
Maravilha. Nesta canção Milton declara seu amor a Ângela Maria. Cantora que ele ouvia quando era criança.
P-ROberto Silveira
Que Orgulho... Emoção pura
Rodrigo Carvalho
Milton tem razão nessa musica como pode alguem aprender a cantar sem ouvir a Maria sapoti? nossa amada angela Maria. nossa maior cantora nossa maior inteprete
Carol Morilhe
meu deus!!! milton é perfeito, impossível não se emocionar
Espírito da Verdade
Lindíssima música!... Profunda!... Milton, tu estás em nosso coração! Nós escutamos essa música nas sessões de ayhuasca, ela nos traz imensos ensinamentos! Milton, gratidão!
Cinthia Yam
Esta es la melodía de un alma que de despliega dichosa!!!
Yuri Sanxes
Queria muito entender o porquê eu não consigo e nunca consegui ouvir essa musica uma vez sequer sem chorar.
leon deste
No mínimo A Voz!...Eu no bar da praça,a presença...Ainda amo minha época! Grato por essa encarnação!