By Instituto Gilberto Gil
Text: Ricardo Schott, journalist and music researcher
Capa do álbum Soy Loco por Ti América, de Gilberto Gil (1987)Instituto Gilberto Gil
On December 1988, Gilberto Gil ended the tour of concert Soy Loco por Ti America at Roseland, a traditional concert venue in New York. The concert promoted the same title album, another international release of the singer, issued by record label Celluloid.
Repertório de shows e composições de Gilberto Gil Rascunho de repertório do show da turnê Soy Loco Por Ti, América, de Gilberto Gil (1987)Instituto Gilberto Gil
There was a novelty for the fans, as the singer and songwriter would perform in the concert an unreleased song, which would turn very popular in the following year, “Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela.”
Gilberto Gil estuda repertório de show com o japonês Ryuichi Sakamoto e o Quarteto Jobim (2001-05-24)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Capa do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança, de Gilberto Gil (1989)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Between the studio and the office
Back in Brazil, Gil had work ahead of him: the singer was about to go into the studio Nas Nuvens, in order to record the album O Eterno Deus Mu Dança and would also serve a term as councilman in Salvador.
Gilberto Gil em cerimônia de posse como vereador em Salvador Foto 2 (1989)Instituto Gilberto Gil
He would take office on January 1st, 1989 and stay on duty until 1992, taking further the political project he had started while at the presidency of Gregório de Mattos Foundation, an arm of the Municipal Secretariat of Culture of the Bahia’s capital.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança na Alemanha (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
O Eterno Deus Mu Dança would be the album featuring the new track. “Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” would turn into his first big hit after joining politics.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The song would be a hit on the radios and get into the opening sequence of O Salvador da Pátria soap, broadcast by Rede Globo channel in 1989, which immortalized character Sassá Mutema, portrayed by actor Lima Duarte.
Gilberto Gil, em show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” was, by the way, a picture of Brazil in 1989 – year in which Brazilians have voted for presidency for the first time in nearly three decades, two of which ran by a military dictatorial government.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The song united hope and a sort of disappointment with the real world in its verses, which proposed, at a time when Brazil had its definitive contact with redemocratization, that rural workers should focus on their dreams.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Se os frutos produzidos pela terra / If fruits produced by the soil
Ainda não são / Still ain’t
Tão doces e polpudos quanto as peras / As sweet and fleshy as the pears
Da tua ilusão / Of your illusion
Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela / Tie your plow to a star
E os tempos darão / And time will bring
Safras e safras de sonhos / Harvests and harvests of dreams
Quilos e quilos de amor / Kilos and kilos of love
Noutros planetas risonhos / In other smiling planets
Outras espécies de dor / Other species of pain
Gilberto Gil e Fernando Collor de MelloInstituto Gilberto Gil
Political division in Brazil
The year of 1989 was also one of a clash between rural workers and landowners. During the election, Ronaldo Caiado, president of the Democratic Union of Landowners [UDR, in the Portuguese acronym], an entity that gathers landowners, had left the chair so as to run for the Presidency of the Republic.
Convite para evento de transmissão da faixa presidencial enviado a Gilberto Gil (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
He lost it in the first round, arriving at tenth, and ended up supporting Fernando Collor de Mello, who won the runoff that year, after running against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989)Instituto Gilberto Gil
In such a year where tensions between UDR and the Landless Workers Movement [MST, in the Portuguese acronym] were daily headlining in the newspapers, the issue of “private property” would come up in every debate, which turned Gil’s song a very hot subject.
Gilberto Gil na turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança, Alemanha (1989-09)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” touched, gently, on the dreams of those who produce the fruits and handle agricultural tools. Some have noticed the spiritualist side of the lyrics, which propose workers to set aside worldly things.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“It is about a very earthly spirituality, of integrality, marked by the taste of the soil fruits, like a basket full of backyard joys. A spirituality that carries in itself an invitation for all.”
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
This quote is in the article O Mistério na Tessitura da Vida: A Espiritualidade de Gilberto Gil [The Mystery in The Weaving of Life: The Spirituality of Gilberto Gil], written by theologian Faustino Teixeira, researcher of Theology Studies of the Juiz de Fora Federal University (Minas Gerais state).
Gilberto Gil se apresenta no formato voz e violão no Centro Histórico de Salvador (1989)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Before O Eterno Deus Mu Dança hit the stores, “Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” was already a part of Brazilians lives. The night soap O Salvador da Pátria, broadcast by Rede Globo channel, premiered on January 9th, 1989, featuring the song as its theme.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The soap lasted until August 12th and its 186 chapters featured an opening sequence designed by Hans Donner, a well-known graphic designer, in which character Sassá Mutema—the “country’s savior”—showed up walking on the arid land of Northeast.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
He would then cross beautiful fields and get to the Ministries Esplanade, in Brasília. It would end with him walking around the earth, as “citizen of the world”—until he got to the stars, just as in Gilberto Gil’s lyrics.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The verses of “Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” listened by the audience during the opening sequence were those of the second section of the lyrics.
In 1989, 25 years after the dissolution of the Peasant Leagues—associations providing support to rural workers, which also advocated for the land reform—, it was possible to hear words such as “agriculturer” and “peasant” in a prime-time show, one that was not a TV news.
Gilberto Gil na turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança, na Alemanha (1989-09)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Se os campos cultivados neste mundo / If the cultivated fields of this world
São duros demais / Are way too hard
E os solos assolados pela guerra / And beligerated soils
Não produzem a paz / Cannot produce peace
Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela / Tie your plow to a star
E aí tu serás / And then you will be
O lavrador louco dos astros / The crazy agriculturer of the stars
O camponês solto nos céus / The crazy peasant wandering the skies
E quanto mais longe da terra / And the furthest from the Earth
Tanto mais longe de Deus / The furthest from God
As backing vocals Neila Carneiro e Nara Gil, durante show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança, de Gilberto Gil (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The saga of Sassá Mutema
Gil’s lyrics were a perfect match to the story written by Lauro César Muniz (in collaboration with Alcides Nogueira and Ana Maria Moretzsohn).
O percussionista Reppolho, durante show da turnê O Eterno Deus Mu Dança, de Gilberto Gil (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The naive and illiterate farm worker Salvador da Silva (who goes by Sassá Mutema) was picked by congressman Severo Blanco (Francisco Cuoco) to marry his mistress Marlene (Kiki Lavigne) and deviate public attention from his adultery.
Ministro da Cultura Gilberto Gil, presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva e Lauro César Muniz, condecorado com a Ordem do Mérito Cultural (2006-11-08)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The topic was approached with sensationalism by radio host Juca Pirama (Luiz Gustavo), and Juca and Marlene ended up being murdered. Sassá was then appointed as suspect and was even arrested for it, but was eventually proven innocent, with the support of the population and of teacher Clotilde (Maitê Proença).
O então ministro da Cultura Gilberto Gil, o ex-presidente Lula, a então primeira-dama Marisa Letícia e Lauro César Muniz na cerimônia de condecoração da Ordem do Mérito Cultural (2006-11-08)Instituto Gilberto Gil
A political climb started for Sassá, who caught the eyes of influential people. Sassá became the mayor of Tangará city, but decided to follow his path without the help of the local politicians, counting on Clotilde’s support, dreaming of the Presidency.
Ministro da Cultura Gilberto Gil, presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva e Lauro César Muniz, condecorado com a Ordem do Mérito Cultural (2006-11-08)Instituto Gilberto Gil
At the end of the soap, Sassá denied the label of “country’s savior” [the soap’s title, Salvador da Pátria, translates to country’s savior in English], and delivered a speech saying that nation “does not need saviors, a country is to be saved by its people” and led a workers march. Ultimately, the closing credits appeared backgrounded by Gil’s song.
Gilberto Gil em cerimônia de posse como vereador em Salvador Foto 1 (1989)Instituto Gilberto Gil
In a video published by the website Memória Globo, collaborator Alcides Nogueira remembered it was not an easy soap, precisely because the plot came up during election year. “We had Collor on one side, Lula on the other…
Showmício de Gilberto Gil para sua campanha de vereador de Salvador (1988-09-16)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“… the soap, I can vouch for that, was truly impartial, yet the audience, in a way, would connect the role of Sassá to Lula,” he said. Some would even interpret the “star” from Gil’s song as a reference to the symbol of the Workers Party.
Caetano Veloso no showmício da campanha de Gilberto Gil para vereador de Salvador (1988-09-16)Instituto Gilberto Gil
However, at that time, Gilberto Gil was connected to the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party [PMDB, in the Portuguese acronym]. In an interview to Mauro Ferreira for O Globo newspaper, on November 5th, 1990, Gil celebrated the fact he was soon to receive the 10th Shell Brazilian Music Award for life achievement—he had a 25-year-long career then.
Gilberto Gil recebe o Prêmio Shell de música brasileira (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Topics such as the reception of O eterno Deus Mu Dança and his time in politics would be featured in the text published in the newspaper. Gil recalled that his most recent album had been his most well-received in the United States.
Cartaz do Prêmio Shell em homenagem a Gilberto Gil (1990)Instituto Gilberto Gil
About politics, even though he was still serving, he said he had had “changes in expectations.”
“I can take deceptions and surprises, yet it is natural for us have setbacks. What is unnatural is to be upset over it…
Showmício de Gilberto Gil para sua campanha de vereador de Salvador (1988-09-16)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“… so I do not get upset over politics,” he said.
As for O eterno Deus Mu Dança, the album, it had followed its natural path at stores and radios, producing other hits, such as the title track and “Batuque,” a partnership with Chico Buarque.
Gilberto Gil em show da turnê do álbum O Eterno Deus Mu Dança (1989-05)Instituto Gilberto Gil
As an artwork, it was once more a proof that Gil, as a song creator, was paying attention to his times.
Gilberto Gil com a esposa Flora Gil, a sogra Nair Giordano, a cunhada Fafá Giordano, e os filhos Bela Gil, Bem Gil e José Gil em encontro de Natal na casa de Araras (Dezembro de 2019)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The true inspiration
In spite of its clearly political subject, “Amarra o teu arado a uma estrela” was written with far more peaceful intentions. Gil composed the song in 1988 for a contest at his sister-in-law’s high school, Fafá Giordano. She currently is executive director at Gege Produções.
Flora Gil, sua irmã Fafá Giordano no aniversário de um ano de Bem Gil, seu filho com Gilberto Gil (1986-01-13)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“She got home one day with this subject, ‘tie your plow to a start,’ and was due a song the next day. It was midnight, I was tired after spending the day campaigning (for councilman), had had one of those busy days…
O ator Otavio Muller, ex-genro de Gilberto Gil, Bem Gil, filho do cantor baiano, Fafa Giordano, cunhada do músico e produtora executiva da Gege Produções, e o garçom Alex no apartamento carioca da família (1994)Instituto Gilberto Gil
“… Nevertheless I grabbed the acoustic guitar, wrote and recorded it,” said Gil during a concert at Canecão venue, on November 27, 1988. “A few days later, I asked her: ‘Fátima, can you bring me that tape back? I was thinking there is something to it…
Gilberto Gil com Fafá GiordanoInstituto Gilberto Gil
“… so I played it now for you to prove it: if there is something to it, there is. If there is not, there is not,” joked Gil under applause, revealing that a friend had also heard the song during the Canecão tour.
Exhibit credits
Text and research: Ricardo Schott
Assembly: Isabela Marinho
Editing and copyediting: Chris Fuscaldo
General credits
Editing and curating: Chris Fuscaldo / Garota FM
Musical content research: Ceci Alves, Chris Fuscaldo, and Ricardo Schott
MinC content research: Carla Peixoto, Ceci Alves, Chris Fuscaldo, and Laura Zandonadi
Photo subtitles: Anna Durão, Carla Peixoto, Ceci Alves, Chris Fuscaldo, Daniel Malafaia, Gilberto Porcidonio, Kamille Viola, Laura Zandonadi, Lucas Vieira, Luciana Azevedo, Patrícia Sá Rêgo, Pedro Felitte, Ricardo Schott, Roni Filgueiras, and Tito Guedes
Data editing: Isabela Marinho
Acknowledgments: Gege Produções, Gilberto Gil, Flora Gil, Gilda Mattoso, Fafá Giordano, Maria Gil, Meny Lopes, Nelci Frangipani, Cristina Doria, Daniella Bartolini, and all photographers and characters in the stories
All media: Instituto Gilberto Gil
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