Meu Bem, Meu Mal Lyrics in English Alexandre Pires , Caetano Veloso
Bálsamo translates to "balm" in English. It's a word that evokes comfort, healing, and soothing relief, often associated with medicinal or aromatic substances.
In the context of "Meu Bem, Meu Mal," the singer uses bálsamo benigno (benign balm) to describe the beloved as a source of gentle comfort and well-being. It's a poetic way to express the calming and positive influence the person has on their life, making it a unique and tender descriptor in a love song.
"Meu Bem, Meu Mal" is a love song that refuses to separate devotion from danger. The singer calls the person they love their wine, their addiction, their smoke, their drug — pleasures that comfort and consume in the same breath.
Every line pairs a blessing with its shadow: a balm that is also a vice, a safe harbor next to a fear, passion next to carnival. The refrain "meu zen, meu bem, meu mal" (my calm, my good, my bad) sums it up: this love holds peace and trouble at once, and the singer accepts both without asking which one wins.
