Raça Humana
Gilberto Gil
1984
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Raça Humana, released in 1984, represents a turning point in Gilberto Gil's discography. Marking an audacious sonic transition, the album distinguishes itself as the first in which Gil dedicated himself exclusively to the use of electric guitars, abandoning the acoustic guitar that characterised his previous works. This change injected renewed energy and an electric pulse into his music, redefining its soundscape. The work is punctuated by songs that became notable, such as "Pessoa Nefasta", "Índigo Blue", "Tempo Rei" and the infectious "Vamos Fugir". Such tracks demonstrate Gil's ability to blend his melodic sensibility with electrifying arrangements, creating a vibrant and captivating repertoire that deserves to be explored for its originality and musical vigour.
Context
In early 1984, Gilberto Gil was immersed in intense artistic activity. After completing the recording of the soundtrack for the film Quilombo, he resumed the tour for his previous album, Extra. It was amidst this busy schedule that, in April of the same year, a strategic break led him to begin work on what would become Raça Humana.
Recording
The recording of Raça Humana was an itinerant and multifaceted process. In April 1984, Gilberto Gil and producer Liminha travelled to Kingston, Jamaica, where they composed and recorded three songs, "Gimme Your Love", "Jamaican Sunday Morning" and "Probe", with the legendary group The Wailers at the Tuff Gong studios. These were some of the last recordings made at the location before it was transformed into the current Bob Marley Museum. The production journey continued to New York, where, at Record Plant Studios, the backing vocals for "Gimme Your Love" were recorded. Among the initial songs, only "Gimme Your Love" was used for the album, receiving new lyrics in Portuguese and being retitled as "Vamos Fugir". The main recording phase began in August of the same year, at the recently founded Nas Nuvens studio, in Rio de Janeiro, an initiative by Gilberto Gil and Liminha. There, tracks such as "Pessoa Nefasta", "Extra II - O Rock do Segurança", "Índigo Blue" were recorded, and "Vamos Fugir" was finalised with the Portuguese vocals. Throughout September, other essential songs, such as "Vem, Morena", "A Raça Humana", "Tempo Rei" and "A Mão da Limpeza", were recorded, with "Feliz por um Triz" being completed in October after several sessions.
Songs
The repertoire of Raça Humana featured songs that stood out for their melody and originality. Among the album's biggest successes are "Pessoa Nefasta", "Índigo Blue", "Tempo Rei" and "Vamos Fugir". The latter, co-written with producer Liminha, had a notable trajectory, resurfacing as a big hit twenty years later in a re-recording by the band Skank. The song "Vamos Fugir" has an interesting creation story, originating from an original English composition, "Gimme Your Love", recorded in Jamaica. Subsequently, its lyrics were translated into Portuguese, culminating in the version that became one of the album's milestones.
Legacy
In a modern critical assessment, Raça Humana is frequently praised, being recognised for its importance in the Brazilian music scene. Carlos Eduardo Lima, from Monkeybuzz, points to it as "one of the most important in national rock", although he observes that the album, at times, was "forgotten" amidst the proliferation of other "great albums from that period". Despite a B+ grade awarded by Robert Christgau, the critic suggests that non-Portuguese-speaking listeners may perceive a certain gap in the experience, which is not fully filled by the universalist title or the Jamaican rhythm present in tracks such as "Vamos Fugir".
Tracks
Credits
Gilberto Gil
Liminha
Gilberto Gil, Liminha
Chico Neves, Ricardo Garcia, Vitor Farias
Vitor Farias
Rogerio Cavalcanti
Gilda
Podcasts
Acorde - Música e Psicanálise · Rafael Garbuio e Ricardo Pezati
Vigésimo quinto episódio do podcast Acorde - Música e psicanalise, vamos analisar a obra Tempo Rei de autoria de Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, nosso Gilberto Gil. Essa música foi lançada no álbum Raça Humana de 1984.Para analisar esta obra contamos com a presença de nossa convidada a psicanalista Regina Rebelo.Edição e apresentação: vinhetando.com.brInstagram @vinhetandomultimidia, @rafael.garbuio
Videos
"Raça humana" - Gilberto Gil | Melhores discos brasileiros dos anos 80 | Alta Fidelidade
Alta Fidelidade
Films
Gilberto Gil Antologia Vol.1
2019
The documentary goes through works composed by the Bahian musician between 1968 and 1987. Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil, one of the most well-known members of the Tropicália generations, revisits some of his most famous works on this documentary.
Gilberto Gil: Tempo Rei
1996
Tempo Rei is the first audiovisual record of Gilberto Gil's vast work, celebrating the artist's thirty-year career, celebrated in 1996. Gil recalls his artistic trajectory, recalls striking facts and reveals some intimacies. Completely filmed on film, it includes great successes of the artist like Madalena, Cores Vivas, Vamos Fugir, Procissão and Expresso 2222.
Amor e Sorte com Gilberto Gil
2020
The music and poetry of Gilberto Gil in the voices of different generations of artists, and his wisdom in his own voice.
Books
Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos
Ricardo Alexandre · 2022
The largest Brazilian music election ever conducted: 162 specialists, spanning journalists, critics, musicians, producers and podcasters, each nominated 50 essential albums, supported by a masterlist of more than 2,000 works. Led by Ricardo Alexandre with tabulation by Sérgio Jomori, it was published in December 2022 as a 200-page hardcover book with graphic design by Fernando Pires.
Gilberto bem perto
Gilberto Gil, Regina Zappa · 2013
This is a comprehensive biography of Gilberto Gil, co-authored with Regina Zappa. The book explores the artist's life and career, from his origins in Bahia to his role in Tropicália and his tenure as Minister of Culture. It is likely to dedicate significant attention to Gil's discography, including the album 'Raça Humana', contextualising it within his artistic trajectory.
Analyses
Raça Humana – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
"Raça Humana" (Warner, 1984), Gilberto Gil
discosessenciais.blogspot.com
Raça Humana is one of the most important albums since Gilberto Gil leaned towards a more pop appeal for his work, starting with the album Realce, released in 1979.
'Raça Humana', de Gilberto Gil, ganha reinterpretações
billboard.com.br
Forty-one years after embracing guitars, synthesizers, and the pop/new wave aesthetic amidst political openness, Gilberto Gil's album 'Raça Humana' regains a sense of novelty.
Gilberto Gil tem evidenciadas a força e a atualidade perenes da ... - G1
g1.globo.com
Raça Humana, the subsequent album presented by the Bahian artist on 29th October 1984 (the year Caetano released Velô, a rock-infused album), continued in the same vein with greater emphasis.
"Raça Humana" de Gilberto Gil, ganha regravação em um encontro marcado ...
conexaobeat.com.br
The reinterpretation of Raça Humana celebrates Gilberto Gil's innovation, history, and legacy. 'It's a way to show that Gil's work remains relevant, and that technology and innovation can serve as a bridge to new audiences.'
