Meu Bem, Meu Mal Lyrics in English by 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 "Meu Bem, Meu Mal," Caetano Veloso uses bálsamo metaphorically to describe the beloved as a source of solace and well-being. He sings, "Meu bálsamo benigno," portraying the person as a gentle, benevolent balm that brings peace and healing to his life, making it a tender and memorable descriptor.
Caetano Veloso builds this song out of a single refusal: he will not separate what heals him from what wrecks him. In one breath she is “Meu vinho, meu vício” [My wine, my vice], his “bálsamo benigno” [gentle balm] and also his “signo” and “guru” [sign, guru] — comfort and dependency named as the same thing, not weighed against each other.
The chorus states the contradiction outright: “Meu zen, meu bem, meu mal” [my calm, my good, my bad]. He calls her his “droga” [drug] in the same verse where she is his “porto seguro” [safe harbor] — the song never resolves which one she really is, because for him she is both at once.
