‘Lucid’ Pele makes surprise debut ahead of 80th
Days away from turning 80, Brazilian football legend Pele said he was happy for his good mental health in a video sent to the media Tuesday, hours after confirming that he would be releasing his debut single to mark the celebrations.
"I thank God for giving me the health to make it this far lucid. Not very intelligent, but lucid," he joked in the short video, released ahead of his milestone birthday Friday. "I hope when I die God will welcome me the same way I've been welcomed all over the world because of our beloved football."
Meanwhile, as befitting his pedigree, Pele has teamed up with Grammy winners Rodrigo y Gabriela in making his first foray into the musical world."I've written many books, I've scored many goals, I've fathered children, I've planted many trees. The only thing that's lacking is a musical memento of my life," says the Brazilian legend.
Pele actually wrote the song, called 'Acredita No Veio (Listen To The Old Man)', in 2005, together with Brazilian jazz musician and arranger Ruria Duprat."I wrote this one because when I used to play with Santos, the coach used to say that when we lost it was the players' fault, but when we won it was the macumba (magic) had helped," said Pele. "The song is joking about that - of course, macumba doesn't win games at all."
Asked why it had taken him so long to foray into the arts, Pele said: "I didn't want the public to make the comparison between Pele the composer and Pele the footballer. That would have been a huge injustice -- in football my talent was a gift from God, music was just for fun."
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