Many songs give us the impression of speaking to the soul.
This sometimes happens when we listen to Milton Nascimento, a Brazilian singer and composer with a powerful yet gentle voice, whose repertoire is filled with songs that lead each listener to their own inner self.
The touch on the soul is felt by the restless seeker of their one true self. This self-hunter often delights when they find artistic expressions that resonate with the deepest layer of their consciousness.
When an artist uses poetic language, which is heard more by the heart, it is as if they confirm in their work that, yes, there is something many of us seek within ourselves, sometimes uncertain of its existence. The listener realizes that their quest is not solitary.
Undoubtedly, this poetic treasure is a clue that they are on the right path, that there is something that gives life meaning. And then, the search for what transcends ordinary life no longer sounds like a gamble.
Milton Nascimento’s interpretation of the song “Caçador de Mim” is one of the best known. It was composed by Sérgio Magrão and Luiz Carlos Sá and was inspired by the book “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, which deals with the encounter and acceptance of one’s own personality and—why not?—the spiritual self.
Nothing to fear but the fleeing of the struggle
Nothing to do but forget the fear
Open the chest forcefully in a search
Escape the traps of the dark forestFar you go dreaming too much
But where do you get like this?
I will discover what makes me feel
I, seeker of myself.
It is a hymn to the courage of self-seeking. Of turning inward. Let the hunter forget the fear of life (this dark forest with its traps), even though fearing the daily struggle, and open themselves to the search for their true being.
