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.
Casamiento De Negros
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
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Todo cubierto de negro
Negros novios y padriños
Negros cuñados y suegros
Y el cura que lo casó
Era de lo mismo negro
Cuando empiezaron la fiesta
Negro llegaran al postre
Se servieron higos secos
Y se fueron a acostar
Debajo de un cielo negro
Y allá está las dos cabezas
De la negra con el negro
Y amanecieron con frio
Tuvieron que prender fuego
Carbón trajo la negrita
Carbón que también és negro
Algo duele a la negra
Vindo el médico del pueblo
Recetó emplastro del barro
Pero del barro más negro
Que le dieron a la negra
Zumo del maquí del cerro
Ya se murió la negrita
Que penaba pobre negro
La por cientro de un cajón
Cajón pintao de negro
No prienderon ninguna vela
Ay! Que velorio tan negro
The lyrics to Milton Nascimento's song, "Casamiento De Negros" describe a wedding between two black individuals. The entire event, including the bride, groom, guests, and even the priest, is covered in black. The wedding celebration features all black decor, including a black tablecloth and serving of black figs. The newlyweds spend their wedding night under a black sky and must start a fire to stay warm, burning coal brought by the bride. The lyrics then take a dark turn as the bride falls ill and dies, and her funeral is devoid of any light or celebration, leaving a bleak and mournful atmosphere.
The song is a poignant commentary on the marginalization and discrimination of black people in Brazil. The lyrics draw attention to the fact that black Brazilians have historically been excluded from positions of power and the country's social elite, resulting in a cultural identity permeated by feelings of otherness, pain, and loss. While the lyrics may initially appear simple, they are rich with cultural themes and offer a powerful reflection on the struggle of Brazil's black community.
Line by Line Meaning
Se ha formado casamiento
A wedding has taken place.
Todo cubierto de negro
Everything was covered in black.
Negros novios y padriños
Black groom and groomsman.
Negros cuñados y suegros
Black brothers-in-law and parents-in-law.
Y el cura que lo casó
And the priest who married them,
Era de lo mismo negro
Was also black.
Cuando empiezaron la fiesta
When the party began,
Pusieron el mantel negro
They put a black tablecloth.
Negro llegaran al postre
The dessert was also black.
Se servieron higos secos
They served dried figs.
Y se fueron a acostar
And they went to bed.
Debajo de un cielo negro
Under a black sky.
Y allá está las dos cabezas
And there are the two heads,
De la negra con el negro
Of the black woman and man.
Y amanecieron con frio
And they woke up feeling cold.
Tuvieron que prender fuego
They had to light a fire.
Carbón trajo la negrita
The little black girl brought charcoal.
Carbón que también és negro
Charcoal that is also black.
Algo duele a la negra
Something is hurting the black woman.
Vindo el médico del pueblo
The town doctor came.
Recetó emplastro del barro
He prescribed a mud poultice.
Pero del barro más negro
But the blackest mud.
Que le dieron a la negra
They gave the black woman.
Zumo del maquí del cerro
Juice of the mountain maqui.
Ya se murió la negrita
The little black girl has died.
Que penaba pobre negro
Who was suffering, poor black child.
La por cientro de un cajón
They put her in a box.
Cajón pintao de negro
A box painted black.
No prienderon ninguna vela
They did not light any candles.
Ay! Que velorio tan negro
Oh! What a dark funeral.
Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.