Erasmo Carlos – Minha Gente
Erasmo Carlos – Sorrisa Dela
Erasmo Carlos – Vida Antiga
Erasmo Carlos – Mundo Cao
As the eyes of the entire world turn towards Brazil for the World Cup, I realized that I haven’t shared what is my single favorite album produced out of Brazil, Erasmo Carlos’ Sonhos e Memorias. 
I don’t have nearly the amount of background information I should have about Erasmo Carlos and the recording of this album. Many assume that Roberto Carlos and Erasmo Carlos are brothers, but they are not, at least not in the blood relative sense. The two of them cast a long shadow over the Jovem Guarda in the 1960s, with sounds that mostly mined from American rock’n’roll, with a little Brazilian flavor. By the 1970s, it’s clear that the influence of Tropicalia and post-Summer Of Love hippie culture made a major impression on Erasmo’s music. The result is this album, which contains one of my all-time favorite songs in any language, in any genre, from any age, “Minha Gente.”
“Minha Gente” translates to “My People.” The song is likely a tribute to a specific circle of friends and family, but could just as easily be extended to people who live life with the spirit that the song expresses. Lyrically, though the song appears to be sung to a “Brother,” it also acts a critique of the outside society, the old guard, and the people, young and old, who do not understand the way of life that Carlos and his cohorts have chosen. I’m not sure there’s a song that more fully encapsulates the way I feel in this world and the way I feel about the people I love, than this song (though “Life Could” from Rotary Connection comes very close). This is a song that I have literally listened to on repeat for hours on end. The mood that the music evokes is absolutely perfect.
Erasmo Carlos – My People
Brother, they keep asking me
Who are my people, what do they feel
What is my full name …
Brother, I lack the will
To give so much explanation
To those who do not understand anything
To those who do not understand anything
That’s why I sing, speaking of my weeping
Crying my grief
That although no one believed
It is clear as water
That although no one believed, it is clear …
Who thinks I’m so different
Who always asks what my chest feels
It’s because they do not read and do not see my heart
To these people my brother
I answer with a single word …
My people are open people
United people, True people
We are kings, We are prophets
We are sages and poets …
“Minha Gente” by itself would be enough to make this one of my favorite albums, but there are at least six other songs on the album that are also exemplary and have their own distinctive place amongst the best music to come out of one of the most creative and inspiring periods of time. It’s not a perfect record, there are some songs that fall flat with my ears, they seem to be just average Brazilian rock songs. But when Carlos gets in the groove, as he does with “Grilos,” “Mundo Cão,” “Sábado Morto,” “Meu Mar,” “Sorrisa Dela” and “Vida Antiga” it is pure magic. Nothing comes close to comparing to it.
Cheers,
Michael
Truly wonderful music and great heartfelt write-up. Never heard Erasmo before, thanks for introducing 🙂
I'm very happy to have introduced you to this record and to his music. There is much to enjoy in his catalog, but nothing quite matches this album…then again, very few recordings of any kind match how beautiful this is.