He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. He has also recorded a solo album as well as having founded bands including Mourning Widows, Population 1, DramaGods, and The Satellite Party. In 2007, he also reunited with Extreme to record new music and tour.
He made albums with several different projects. His discography with Extreme includes: Extreme (1989), Pornograffitti (1990), III Sides To Every Story (1992), Waiting For The Punchline (1995).
In 2008, Extreme reunited for a world tour and new album, Saudades de Rock.
Solo albums Nuno made include Schizophonic (1997), Mourning Widows (1998) and Furnished Souls For Rent (2000).
In 2002 Nuno formed Population 1 and released Population 1 and the EP Sessions From Room 4 in 2004. In 2006 he released Love with his new band, DramaGods.
Other works
In 2008, Bettencourt was featured on the soundtrack for the motion picture Smart People. Bettencourt is credited on the cover on the soundtrack as well. The soundtrack also features the Gary Cherone track, "Need I Say More", and Baby Animals selections. The album was released by Hollywood Records and is available on iTunes. The following year, Bettencourt was featured in a song and video called "Best Night Ever"[6] by Marshall Eriksen, a character on How I Met Your Mother. The video was a parody of Extreme's "More Than Words" video, in which the entire main cast of How I Met Your Mother made appearances.
In 1990, Bettencourt played rhythm guitar on the single version of Janet Jackson's "Black Cat," which was his first pop collaboration and a number one hit.
In 1991, Bettencourt produced Dweezil Zappa's release on Barking Pumpkin Records, Confessions. On this record Bettencourt also sings lead vocals for the first time, on a semi-ballad entitled "The Kiss", as well as playing guitar and singing background vocals on some other tracks. Extreme members Gary Cherone and Pat Badger also contributed.
In 1993, Bettencourt co-wrote and produced "Where Are You Going" for the Super Mario Bros. movie. He also joined Robert Palmer in the studio to record Palmer's album Honey. According to former Journey lead singer Steve Perry, Bettencourt has teamed with him to write and arrange songs. He also has writing and recording engagements with Maverick Records' Tantric (Bettencourt co-wrote Tantric's hit single "Hey Now"), Hollywood recording group BB Mak, Toni Braxton, and numerous others.
Bettencourt has also collaborated with singer Suze DeMarchi and with all of her Baby Animals bandmates. On Baby Animals' second release, Shaved and Dangerous, he produced a few songs and co-wrote "Because I Can". He also contributed to the writing, recording, and production of DeMarchi's solo debut from 1999, Telelove. In 1999, Bettencourt produced the album Magnolia, for the Portuguese singer and actress Lúcia Moniz. He also featured as singer and guitarist in the song "Try Again", which was included in Magnolia.
In 2006, Bettencourt along with his band DramaGods contributed their song "S'OK" to the album project Artists for Charity—Guitarists 4 the Kids, produced by Slang Productions to assist World Vision Canada in helping underprivileged kids in need.
In November 2009, Bettencourt announced that he would be touring with Barbadian singer Rihanna on her Last Girl on Earth Tour as lead guitarist, having appeared alongside her in several TV shows and other performances. He has since performed as Rihanna's lead guitarist on every subsequent tour, including her Loud (2010), 777 (2012) and Diamonds World (2013) tours.
In July 2011, Steel Panther reported to Loud magazine that Nuno would be "coming in to do something" on their then-upcoming release Balls Out. The collaboration resulted in the track "It Won't Suck Itself", which also featured Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.
Fallen Angel
Nuno Bettencourt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I wish he would go away
He comes in and out as he pleases
He bothers me night and day
Would you pardon the pun
But he wants me to come out and play
And if he's leave me alone
Just leave me alone then I'd be O.K.
Killing your savior is human behavior
Fallen Angels
Love is your oxygen, thin is the air
Fallen angels is the trend this year
The TV smile has convinced me to dial
1-900-SINS
I go to the party and who do I see
Skin on skin
I fell in love so I figured the devil would
Stay away
But like a bird I was free
Till he cut down my tree
Love hath flown away, fly away
Killing your savior is human behavior
Fallen Angels
Love is your oxygen, thin is the air
Fallen angels is the trend this year
Nuno Bettencourt's song, "Fallen Angels," is a melancholic reflection on the inevitable temptation of darkness and human frailty. The song explores the struggle of the singer, who confronts the devil and wishes he would go away while acknowledging his inevitable reappearance time and time again. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness and how, despite their best efforts, the singer inevitably falls prey to the devil's temptations. The song's chorus is a critique of the ways in which we, as humans, harm ourselves with our own self-destructive behavior, and how love can be a saving grace for those struggling to find their way back into the light.
The verse, "Killing your savior is human behavior/Fallen Angels/Love is your oxygen, thin is the air/Fallen angels is the trend this year," lyrically encapsulates the theme of the song. To "kill your savior" is to succumb to our own self-destructive behavior, and the fallen angels become emblematic of this trend of human weakness. Love, represented here as "oxygen," is precious and scarce and must be cherished to fight against this trend. The song warns that as much as we seek salvation outside of ourselves, the devil will continue knocking at our door until we find the strength within ourselves to resist his temptation.
Overall, Nuno Bettencourt's "Fallen Angels" is a deeply introspective and insightful song on the human condition, examining the struggles we face in navigating our darkness and the essential role played by love in grounding us and pointing us toward the light.
Line by Line Meaning
The devil he knocks at my door
The temptations in life that I succumb to are knocking at my door.
And I wish he would go away
I wish these temptations would leave me be and not control me.
He comes in and out as he pleases
These temptations come and go however they please, leaving a mark on my life each time.
He bothers me night and day
These temptations plague me at all hours, causing stress and discomfort.
Would you pardon the pun
May I use a bit of humor to express my thoughts?
But he wants me to come out and play
These temptations entice me to engage in activities that may be morally or ethically questionable.
And if he's leave me alone
If these temptations would just go away and not bother me anymore.
Just leave me alone then I'd be O.K.
If these temptations would cease, I could return to a happier and more peaceful state of mind.
Killing your savior is human behavior
Humanity exhibits self-destructive behavior by harming those who are meant to save us.
Fallen Angels
Refers to the constant temptation and 'sins' that plague humanity.
Love is your oxygen, thin is the air
Love is an essential component of life, yet it can be difficult to find and maintain.
Fallen angels is the trend this year
Temptation and destructive behavior seem to be on the rise in modern society.
The TV smile has convinced me to dial
The advertising industry has convinced me to partake in unethical or immoral activities through persuasive techniques.
1-900-SINS
Refers to paid phone services that offer various kinds of 'sins' or indulgences for a price.
I go to the party and who do I see
At social gatherings, I often encounter people engaging in questionable or immoral behavior.
Skin on skin
Refers to sexual activity, often with strangers or people one does not have an emotional connection with.
I fell in love so I figured the devil would
I thought that falling in love would keep me away from immoral behavior, but instead, it has brought me closer to temptation.
Stay away
I want the temptation and immoral behavior to stay far away from me and my life.
But like a bird I was free
I felt free and unencumbered before temptation and immorality took hold of me.
Till he cut down my tree
Until these temptations and immoral behaviors destroyed my sense of clarity and stability, leaving me vulnerable and detached.
Love hath flown away, fly away
Love and positivity have left my life, and I yearn for them to return.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTHONY J. RESTA, NUNO BETTENCOURT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind