Ricardo Bacelar – ‘Nada Sera Como Antes’ (Nothing Will Be As It Was) from Live In Rio is in many ways, a musical, mirror image of our two cultures.

Yes, Milton Nascimento’s epic song of hope applies to both Brazil and America, separated by the distance of time and shared through the challenges of insuring personal freedoms and a democratic Republic.

‘Nothing Will Be As It Was’ provides thoughtful context to the coronavirus pandemic. It also reminds us of the civil injustice, unrest and violence which has dominated headlines worldwide. Perhaps no song could be more timely.

Or to the point.

History Holds The Message

But why choose this song as the first single from Live In Rio? Brazilian jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar tells his story:

“We’re talking about the subject here in Brazil, too,” Bacelar observes. “We have a lot of problems with racism here, but our people have not yet taken the streets to protest and have social demonstrations. The world is watching the United States and people are talking about these issues everywhere,” said Bacelar who produced the 11-song Live in Rio collection.

Bacelar’s 2018 album, Sebastiana contains a very different version of “Nothing Will Be As It Was,” which was sung in English by acclaimed American singer Maye Osorio and accompanied by an animated video that suited the pop-electronic rendition of the song.

The new live version of Ricardo Bacelar – ‘Nada Sera Como Antes’ has a different arrangement and features Bacelar dueting with Brazilian vocalist-pianist Delia Fischer in Portuguese backed by a jazz band.   

“I chose to release this single thinking about this moment and the lyrics of the song. The lyrics are like a photograph of the moment. It’s a very famous song in Brazil that was originally recorded in 1976 when we were under a military dictatorship.

“The lyrics say ‘I know that tomorrow nothing will be like before, What news of my friends will they give me? What news of you will they give me?’ People were disappearing at the hands of the dictatorial military regime. And now people are disappearing – dying – because of the virus.

“Everyone in Brazil, the United States and all over the world have lost friends due to the virus,” said Bacelar.  

Ricardo Bacelar - 'Nada Sera Como Antes'

Nada Sera Como Antes, as performed by Milton Nascimento

Eu já estou com o pé nessa estrada
Qualquer dia a gente se vê
Sei que nada será como antes, amanhã
Que notícias me dão dos amigos?
Que notícias me dão de você?
Alvoroço em meu coração
Amanhã ou depois de amanhã
Resistindo na boca da noite um gosto de sol
Num domingo qualquer, qualquer hora
Ventania em qualquer direção
Sei que nada será como antes amanhã
Que notícias me dão dos amigos?
Que notícias me dão de você?
Sei que nada será como está
Amanhã ou depois de amanhã
Resistindo na boca da noite um gosto de sol

Nothing Will Be as It Was, as performed by Sarah Vaughan

Got my feet on the road just to see you
In my hair got a taste of the dawn
I know nothing will be as it was tomorrow…
Tell me when will I hear from my people?
Tell me when will I hear from my friends?
Bleeding finally there in my heart
No one ever can treat us apart
Holding on to a teardrop of sun in the mouth of the night
Any day any time any hour you can feel on the song in the air
I know nothing will be as it was tomorrow…
Tell me what do I hear from my people?
Tell me what do I hear from my friends?
Now that WE’ve got our feet on the road
Now that WE have a taste of the dawn
Holding on to a teardrop of sun in the mouth of the night

(By the way, kudos to saxophonist Ernie Watts for the great solo that ends the song).

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Ricardo Bacelar – ‘Nada Sera Como Antes’

Here’s Becelar’s earlier verison of the song, sung in English by American singer Maye Osorio, from his 2018 album Sebastiana.