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.

Only You
Milton Nascimento Lyrics

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Only you
Can make all this world
Seem bright
Only you
Can make the darkness bright
Only you
And you alone
Can thrill me like you do

And fill my heart with love
For only you

Only you
Can make
All this change in me
For it's true
You are my destiny
When you hold my hand
I understand
The magic that you do

You're my dream come true
My one and only you

Overall Meaning

Milton Nascimento's song "Only You" expresses a deep love and admiration towards one person - their one and only. The lyrics speak to the idea that this one person is the only one who can make the world seem bright and make darkness fade away. It is clear that this individual brings complete joy and happiness to the singer's life, as they state that this person alone can "thrill me like you do" and "fill my heart with love." The lyrics go on to emphasize the idea that this person is the singer's destiny and has the ability to create a major shift within them. The words "when you hold my hand I understand, the magic that you do" demonstrate the intense connection and understanding between the two individuals. The song ends with the chorus emphasizing that this person is the singer's only dream come true.

Line by Line Meaning

Only you
No one else but you

Can make all this world
Your love has the power to transform the world around me

Seem bright
My outlook on life is positive and hopeful because of you

Only you
I cannot attribute this feeling to anyone else but you

Can make the darkness bright
You have the ability to light up even the darkest of situations

Only you
Again, I cannot give credit to anyone else but you

And you alone
You are the only one, there is no other

Can thrill me like you do
You excite me like no one else can

And fill my heart with love
You have the power to make my heart full of love

For only you
Once again, it is you and you alone who can do this

Can make all this change in me
Your influence can bring about a profound transformation within me