Milton Nascimento (born 26 October, 1942) is a Brazilian songwriter, singer… Read Full Bio ↴Milton Nascimento (born 26 October, 1942) is a Brazilian songwriter, singer, and guitarist, who is considered one of the foremost icons of Brazilian popular music. His work spans a multitude of genres, from contemporary folk to jazz, and is often rooted in the traditional and indigenous music of the country.

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.

Novena
Milton Nascimento Lyrics

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Se digo um ai
É por ninguém
É pela certeza
De saber que tudo tem

Tem sua vez de lá retornar
Ao lugar mais fundo
Fundo, fundo mais que o mar

Se digo sol
Não tem talvez
Não espero mais a chuva
Só preparo meu começo
A explosão de toda luz
A chama, chama, chama, chama

Se digo amor
Só é por alguém
É pelos malditos
Deserdados desse chão

Se digo amor
Só é por alguém

É pelos malditos
Deserdados desse chão

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Milton Nascimento's song Novena are introspective and philosophical in nature, with the singer contemplating various aspects of life and humanity. The opening lines, "Se digo um ai/É por ninguém/É pela certeza/De saber que tudo tem" ("If I say a word/It's for nobody/It's because I'm certain/That everything has its time"), suggest a sense of detachment and acceptance of the inevitability of life's cycles. The singer acknowledges that everything has its own time and place, and that sometimes things must end in order to make way for new beginnings.

The next verse, "Se digo sol/Não tem talvez/Não espero mais a chuva/Só preparo meu começo/A explosão de toda luz/A chama, chama, chama, chama" ("If I say sun/There's no 'maybe'/I don't wait for the rain anymore/I only prepare my beginning/The explosion of all light/The flame, flame, flame, flame"), continues this theme of embracing change and seizing the moment. The singer chooses not to wait for external factors to dictate his life, but instead prepares himself for his own journey and the potential for greatness.

The final verse, which repeats the refrain "Se digo amor/Só é por alguém/É pelos malditos/Deserdados desse chão" ("If I say love/It's only for someone/It's for the cursed/Disinherited of this earth"), brings a more explicitly political and social dimension to the song. The singer declares that his love is only for those who have been marginalized and oppressed by society, for those who have been robbed of the chance to live a full and fulfilling life. This statement reveals a deep empathy and solidarity with those who are struggling, and a desire to use his art in service of social justice and equality.

Line by Line Meaning

Se digo um ai
If I say a word, it's for no one in particular

É por ninguém
It's for no one

É pela certeza
It's because I'm sure

De saber que tudo tem
That everything has a purpose

Tem sua vez de lá retornar
Everything will eventually return to its origin

Ao lugar mais fundo
To the deepest place

Fundo, fundo mais que o mar
Deeper than the sea

Se digo sol
If I say the sun

Não tem talvez
There's no maybe

Não espero mais a chuva
I'm not waiting for the rain anymore

Só preparo meu começo
I'm only preparing my beginning