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.
Misterios
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que não tem mais jeito de se apagar
Nem mesmo com toda água do mar
Preciso aprender os mistérios do fogo pra te incendiar
Um rio passou dentro de mim
Que eu não tive jeito de atravessar
Preciso um navio pra me levar
Preciso aprender os mistérios do rio pra te navegar
Quem mandou, coração?
Um vento bateu dentro de mim
Que eu não tive jeito de segurar
A vida passou pra me carregar
Preciso aprender os mistérios do mundo pra te ensinar
The song Misterios by Milton Nascimento expresses the burning desire of the singer to love and be loved. The lyrics use powerful metaphors to communicate the intensity of the emotions felt within. The first verse talks about a fire that burned within the character that cannot be extinguished, no matter how much water is available. The character needs to learn the mysteries of the fire to be able to ignite it within his lover. The second verse talks about a river that passed within him which he could not cross without a ship. The character needs to learn the mysteries of the river to navigate towards his lover. The third verse talks about a wind that blew inside him which he could not hold. Life passed him by, but he wants to learn the mysteries of the world to teach his lover.
The song speaks of the singer's desire to learn and understand the world in order to love better. The lyrics are somewhat cryptic yet eloquent, making it intriguing for the listeners. Each verse talks about an elemental force that the singer has encountered and needs to master to reach his lover. The song is a longing for intimacy and connection that can only happen when both parties can master the mysteries of the elements that stand between them.
Line by Line Meaning
Um fogo queimou dentro de mim
A passion has been ignited within me
Que não tem mais jeito de se apagar
That cannot be extinguished
Nem mesmo com toda água do mar
Not even with all the water in the sea
Preciso aprender os mistérios do fogo pra te incendiar
I need to understand the mysteries of fire to ignite you
Um rio passou dentro de mim
A river flowed within me
Que eu não tive jeito de atravessar
That I was unable to cross
Preciso um navio pra me levar
I need a ship to take me
Preciso aprender os mistérios do rio pra te navegar
I need to understand the mysteries of the river to sail you
Vida breve, natureza
Life is short, nature
Quem mandou, coração?
Who's in charge, the heart?
Um vento bateu dentro de mim
A wind blew within me
Que eu não tive jeito de segurar
That I couldn't hold back
A vida passou pra me carregar
Life carried me away
Preciso aprender os mistérios do mundo pra te ensinar
I need to understand the mysteries of the world to teach you
Contributed by Hudson G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.