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.
Meu Menino
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Não pense em mim
Que eu não te quero meu
Eu te quero seu
Se um dia você for embora
Vá lentamente como a noite
Que amanhce sem que
A gente saiba
Como aconteceu
Se um dia você for embora
Ria se teu cora�o pedir
Chore se teu cora�o mandar
Mas não me esconda nada
Que nada se esconde
Se por acaso um dia você for embora
Leve o menino que você é.
In the song Meu Menino by Milton Nascimento, the singer addresses his lover, telling her not to worry about him should she ever leave him. He emphasizes that he wants her, not possessively, but lovingly. He urges her to leave slowly, like the night that fades into the day, so that they both may reflect on what happened and not feel the sudden absence of the other. The lyrics ask her to be honest with her feelings, urging her to cry and laugh as she pleases, and to not hide anything from him. In the last line of the chorus, the singer pleads with his partner to take with her the child that she is.
This song speaks of a relationship of deep love and understanding, where the singer allows his partner to be free while still expressing his love for her. He acknowledges her as her own person and not solely as his lover. The song is filled with metaphors, such as the night that disappears and the child that needs to be taken with the lover when they leave. It bears a message of acceptance, respect, and honest communication in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Se um dia você for embora
If one day you leave
Não pense em mim
Do not think of me
Que eu não te quero meu
That I do not want you
Eu te quero seu
I want you to be yours
Se um dia você for embora
If one day you leave
Vá lentamente como a noite
Go slowly like the night
Que amanhce sem que
So that it dawns at a time
A gente saiba
That we do not know
Exatamente
Exactly how it happened
Se um dia você for embora
If one day you leave
Ria se teu cora�o pedir
Laugh if your heart desires
Chore se teu cora�o mandar
Cry if your heart commands
Mas não me esconda nada
But do not hide anything from me
Que nada se esconde
For nothing can be hidden
Se por acaso um dia você for embora
If by chance one day you leave
Leve o menino que você é.
Take the kid that you are with you.
Writer(s): Ana Maria Terra Borba Caymmi, Danilo Candido Tostes Caymmi Copyright: Som Livre Edicoes Musicais Ltda, Edicoes Musicais Tapajos Ltda
Contributed by Jacob C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.