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.

Trem de doido
Milton Nascimento Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Noite azul, pedra e chão
Amigos num hotel
Muito além do céu
Nada a temer, nada a conquistar
Depois que este trem começa a andar, andar
Deixando pelo chão os ratos mortos na praça
Do mercado

Quero estar onde estão
Os sonhos desse hotel
Muito além do céu
Nada a temer, nada a combinar
Na hora de achar o meu lugar no trem
E não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na praça
Minha casa

Não precisa ir muito além dessa estrada
Os ratos não sabem morrer na calçada
É hora de você achar o trem
E não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na casa
Sua casa

Quero estar onde estão
Os sonhos desse hotel
Muito além do céu
Nada a temer, nada a combinar
Na hora de achar o meu lugar no trem
E não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na praça
Minha casa

Não precisa ir muito além dessa estrada
Os ratos não sabem morrer na calçada
É hora de você achar o trem

E não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na casa
Sua casa

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Milton Nascimento's song "Trem de Doido" reflect on the journey of life and the fear of the unknown. The first verse describes a blue night, with stone and ground, and friends in a hotel. The second line, "Muito além do céu" (much beyond the sky), suggests that the context of the song is not just a simple physical journey. The perspective seems to shift to a journey of the mind, where there is nothing to fear or conquer. The repetition of the phrase "nothing to fear, nothing to conquer" highlights a sense of isolation or detachment from everyday mundane concerns. This detachment is underscored by the image of a train leaving dead rats in its wake.

The second verse then talks about the search for one's place on the train, a place of safety amid the fear of rats running wild. The singer speaks of his longing to find the dreams of the hotel again, a place where he has nothing to fear and nothing to combine. This is a world beyond the surface, where the superficiality of everyday life does not exist. The image of rats seems to be a metaphor for the fears that plague us, reminding us that it is important to face them in order to find our haven in the world.

One interpretation could be that the train represents life, with its ups and downs, and the goal is to find one's place in it while overcoming fear and anxiety along the way.

Line by Line Meaning

Noite azul, pedra e chão
A description of the surroundings, with a blue night sky, stones, and ground.

Amigos num hotel
The singer is with friends in a hotel.

Muito além do céu
The singer is imagining a place beyond the sky.

Nada a temer, nada a conquistar
The artist is not afraid or trying to accomplish anything.

Depois que este trem começa a andar, andar
The train starts moving and does not stop.

Deixando pelo chão os ratos mortos na praça do mercado
The train's movement is so powerful that dead rats are left behind in the market square.

Quero estar onde estão os sonhos desse hotel
The singer wants to be where the hotel's dreams exist.

Nada a temer, nada a combinar
Again, the artist is not afraid or agreeing to anything.

Na hora de achar o meu lugar no trem e não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na praça, minha casa
The artist needs to find their place on the train without being afraid of the rats left behind, which feels like their home.

Não precisa ir muito além dessa estrada
There's no need to go too far.

Os ratos não sabem morrer na calçada
The rats cannot die on the sidewalk.

É hora de você achar o trem e não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na casa, sua casa
It's time for the listener to find the train and not be afraid of the rats left behind, which feels like their home.

Quero estar onde estão os sonhos desse hotel
The singer wants to be where the hotel's dreams exist.

Nada a temer, nada a combinar
The singer is still not afraid or agreeing to anything.

Na hora de achar o meu lugar no trem e não sentir pavor dos ratos soltos na praça, minha casa
The singer needs to find their place on the train without being afraid of the rats left behind, which feels like their home.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lo Borges, Marcio Hilton Fragoso Borges, Salomao Borges Filho

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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