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.
Janela para o mundo
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Viajar, no fundo, é ver que é igual
O drama que mora em cada um de nós
Descobrir no longe o que já estava em nossas mãos
Minha vida brasileira é uma vida universal'
É o mesmo sonho, é o mesmo amor
Traduzido para tudo o que o humano for
Olhar o mundo é conhecer
(Canto)
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Ê, ê, ê,
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser ê, ê
De janela, o mundo até parece o meu quintal
Viajar, no fundo, é ver que é igual
O drama que mora em cada um de nós
Descobrir no longe o que já estava em nossas mãos
Minha vida brasileira é uma vida universal'
É o mesmo sonho, é o mesmo amor
Traduzido para tudo o que o humano for
Olhar o mundo é conhecer
Tudo o que eu já teria de saber
(Canto)
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Eu não vou
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Ê, ê
É, ê
Ê, ê
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
Eu sou
Eu sou
The lyrics of Milton Nascimento's song Janela para o Mundo (Window to the World) describe a perspective on travel and the world. Looking out of a window, the world appears like the familiar surroundings of one's own backyard. However, traveling can reveal that the human experience, with all of its drama and emotion, is universal. The song emphasizes the idea that discovering things far away can also reveal what was already in our hands all along. Nascimento asserts that his Brazilian life is a universal life, and that the same dreams and love translate into any language or culture. Ultimately, the song affirms that traveling and experiencing the variety of the world is a way to gain knowledge and become a citizen of the world, rather than feeling like a foreigner.
One interesting fact about the song Janela para o Mundo is that it was written by Nascimento in collaboration with Márcio Borges, a poet who was a member of the Clube da Esquina group of musicians who were prominent in Brazil during the 1970s. The song was originally released on Nascimento's 1978 album Clube da Esquina 2, which featured many of the same collaborators as the first Clube da Esquina album, including Borges, Lô Borges, and Fernando Brant. The song has been covered by many other artists over the years, including Gilberto Gil and Marisa Monte.
Another interesting fact about this song is that it is often considered to be a classic of Brazilian popular music, and is widely regarded as one of Nascimento's most famous compositions. Nascimento is known for blending traditional Brazilian styles like samba and bossa nova with rock, jazz, and pop influences, creating a unique sound that has been influential both in Brazil and abroad. He has been active in the music industry since the 1960s and has released over 30 albums throughout his career.
The song's name, "Window to the World", is an evocative title that captures the sense of wonder and curiosity that the lyrics express. The idea of a window is also interesting because it suggests a sense of separation, where the singer is looking out at the world from a distance rather than being fully immersed in it. This could be seen as a metaphor for the experience of traveling, where the traveler is both a part of the place they are visiting and an observer of it from a distance.
In terms of the chords used in the song, they are relatively straightforward and are based around common Brazilian chord progressions. The song is in the key of A major and features a basic verse-chorus structure built around a simple guitar riff. The chords used are A, D, and E for the verses, with a chorus that moves to F# minor, B minor, and A.
Overall, Janela para o Mundo is a beautiful and uplifting song that celebrates the power of travel and the universality of the human experience. Its message of becoming a citizen of the world by experiencing its diversity is a timeless and important one.
Line by Line Meaning
De janela, o mundo até parece o meu quintal
Observing the world from my window makes it seem like my own backyard
Viajar, no fundo, é ver que é igual
At the core, traveling means discovering that everything is the same
O drama que mora em cada um de nós
The inner struggles that exist within every one of us
Descobrir no longe o que já estava em nossas mãos
To uncover what we already had in our hands all along by venturing far away
Minha vida brasileira é uma vida universal'
My Brazilian life is one that applies universally
É o mesmo sonho, é o mesmo amor
It's the same dream, it's the same love
Traduzido para tudo o que o humano for
Translated into whatever form of humanity it may take
Olhar o mundo é conhecer
To gaze at the world is to get to know it
Tudo o que eu já teria de saber
Everything I should already know
Estrangeiro eu não vou ser
I won't be a foreigner
Cidadão do mundo eu sou
I am a citizen of the world
Eu sou
I am
Contributed by Luke E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.