Today I am sharing a song by one of my favorite Brazilian singers, Ney Matogrosso. I love this song, a kind of lullaby when sung by Matogrosso, because it achieves its haunting effect by using a very simple melody and just a few very basic chords. If you listen carefully to the minimalist guitar accompaniment (here played by what might be the most talented Brazilian guitarist ever, Raphael Rabello) you will hear (in the second verse) a very few beautiful variations on the original harmonies. I have also provided a translation to the words (made by me and corrected by my friend “DA”).
This song was composed by Alfredo Gregorio, a kind of priest of the Santo Daime Church, a Brazilian native religion, with some inspiration from Christianity, mixed with other esoteric traditions, but focused on the Ayahuasca, that beverage discovered by the original cultures of Amazon (and not only in Brazil). In all their rituals, they drink this beverage Ayahuasca, which inspires them. These rituals are really amazing, very beautiful and special (other esoteric traditions also use the the Ayahuasca in their rituals). Because this specific song is sung during their rituals it can be considered a religious song.
I hope you will enjoy this as must as I do.
The Saker
Oh Moon, I thank you
for your life-giving light
In exchange I offer you
This love-filled song
You too, my golden Sun
Who adorns the skies
I know that you both give us this comfort here
Which is sweet like honey.
I salute the Sun and the Moon
and I salute the stars
and the earth’s soil, the forest and the sea
and the wind and everything else.
RIP Hugh Masakela:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=7lMQWnRBQr0
Pure paganism, I am from Brazil and I think you could watch some bossa nova songs, you will enjoy
indeed. I have been listening, and playing, bossa for well over 40 years now :-)
Cheers,
The Saker
Ol’a amigo,
Te escrevo de petit saconex ;)
De fato, boa musica!
Grande Abraço
Axé
Petit Saconnex!!
Eu vivi en Petit Saconnex por muitos anos :-)
Obrigado,
The Saker
I’m surprised that you like Ney Matogrosso and do not consider him a “freak”!
When I was young, I used to like his former band, Secos e Molhados. It was a very unique mix of Rock’n Roll, Blues and Latin American folk, with all band members painted like the rock band Kiss! (it was the early/mid 70’s)
I looked up on YouTube two of their albums I liked the most:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpqbbmJ42yU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylsWQTRZwMY
Thanks for making me remember this!
I consider him as an amazing and fantastically talented singer AND a freak :-)
But in artists being a freak is sometimes a part of what makes them geniuses, is it not so?
I have the entire Secos e Molhados discography and there is so much good stuff there.
Generally, I love Brazilian music, the Brazilian language and the Brazilian people.
If I believed in reincarnation (which I don’t) I would say that I must have been Brazilian in some past life :-)
You are very, very welcome!
Cheers,
The Saker
“But in artists being a freak is sometimes a part of what makes them geniuses, is it not so?”
I totally agree.
Saker, I’m Brazilian, currently leaving in the USA. Your marvelous comment makes me love this blog even more.
Thank you!
Conexão total!
Cheers, Saker.
I’m from Brasil and I read your Blog since the beginning. I’d had a lot to say, but for now just a curiosity:
Ney Matogrosso ( Mato Grosso, a State in the Brasilian Federation where he was born), was member of a Band called ” Secos e Molhados” , and the make up created and used by them is the inspiratio for the make up of the Rock Group KISS, as admited by Gene Simmons.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, yes, I know about the “Dry and Wet” band, I have the full discography.
To be honest, I don’t care too much about the theatrics. To me music is music.
But when it is good music, as Secos and Molhados was, then I don’t even mind the theatrics.
Cheers!
The Saker
Really nice thank you.
Here’s my latest on Mixcloud. All Jazz & Latin vinyl gems from the 60’s & 70’s as usual.
Hope you enjoy it.
https://www.mixcloud.com/TheAnalogTraveler/dusty-grooves-64-old-school-rules-chapter-ii/
Cheers!
Ney cantando “Tico tico no fubá”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WoOTZb2h_E
A mesma música pelo Duo Siqueira Lima:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcsSPzr7ays
Hello Saker, I love this blog because of its high level of political analysis and a heartfelt spirituality, two great passions of my life. And I really appreciate your Russian perspective. I admire and respect the Russian people.
Being a Brazilian, living in Europe, I also love the Daime, the one that doesn`t use the santa maria. Im very surprised, in a happy way, to see it being mentioned here. Daime completely changed Ney Matogrosso’s life, and of thousands of other people too.
Daime is a powerful tool for self knowledge and self transformation, to connect with the sacred. Its a path of the heart. The music, loads and loads of it, is totally sublime. Pure Prayer, bringing Light, Peace and Love to our soul.
Ayahasca music is a whole genre in Brazil, among spiritual alternative people, and I believe in Peru as well, although in a different way.
God Bless You and your family and those you love. Keep up the good and extremely important work. Bearing witness to the truth on Planet Earth in these times, times of Revelation, times of the Planetary Transition.
Sim, Saker, o Brasil tem muitos talentos; mas, esta’ sendo exterminado… Me doi o coração…
mod-to note: Translated: Yes, Saker, Brazil has many talents; but it’s being exterminated [destroyed] … It hurts my heart …
Hi Saker,
Really surprised and happy to read you like Brazilian Music and even understand Portuguese!
This pair, Ney Matogrosso and Raphael Rabello, is something to behold indeed!
Let me just offer you a suggestion on the translation for the last verses?
“and the earth’s soil, the forest and the sea
and the wind and everything else.”
He sings:
“A terra, a floresta, e o Mar
o vento e a todo o além.”
When he uses “o além” it indicates a noun, instead of an adverb which is the more common form of the word “além”. As a noun, it means the afterlife, the world beyond death.
So I think a more accurate translation would be:
“and the earth’s soil, the forest and the sea
and the wind and all the world beyond death.”
or
“and the earth’s soil, the forest and the sea
and the wind and the kingdom come.”
Cheers from Brazil!
Paz