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.
Trastevere
Milton Nascimento Lyrics
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Dizia o cego a seu filho
Os olhos cheios de terra
O bonde fora dos trilhos
A aventura começa
No coração dos navios
Pensava o filho calado
Que a cidade é moderna
Pensava o filho sorrindo
E era surdo e era mudo
Mas que falava e ouvia
Milton Nascimento's song "Trastevere" is a lyrical portrayal of the city through the eyes of a blind father and his son. The father says that the city is modern, but his eyes are filled with dirt and the tram is off track. The son silently ponders, fully aware of his surroundings despite being deaf and dumb. The father's words suggest that the "adventure" of the city lies in the heart of the ships.
The song appears to be a reflection on modernity's impact on the city and its inhabitants, with the father's blindness and the tram's derailment symbolizing how progress often takes a toll on the people it strives to serve. Meanwhile, the son represents the possibility of alternative ways of seeing, hearing, and experiencing the world, suggesting that human experience is not entirely dependent on the senses that we oftentimes focus on.
Overall, "Trastevere" is a poetic message of hope, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and its ability to navigate the complexities of the modern world with joy and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
A cidade é moderna
The city is modern.
Dizia o cego a seu filho
The blind man said to his son,
Os olhos cheios de terra
His eyes full of earth,
O bonde fora dos trilhos
The tram was off the tracks.
A aventura começa
The adventure begins
No coração dos navios
In the heart of the ships.
Pensava o filho calado
The son thought silently
Pensava o filho ouvindo
The son thought while listening
Que a cidade é moderna
That the city is modern.
Pensava o filho sorrindo
The son thought while smiling
Era surdo e era mudo
He was deaf and he was mute,
Mas que falava e ouvia
But he spoke and listened.
Contributed by Jonathan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.