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Music is universal. You can appreciate a song even if it's not in your language. In Portugal, a lot of people think that there is only good music abroad, and there was a point in my life when I also didn't appreciate or looked for Portuguese songs. I thought "It's only Pimba!" (Portuguese type of music with, in my opinion, mediocre lyrics but merry melody). However, there are so many amazing songs in my native language. Sometimes we don't appreciate what we have of value: incalculable gifted artists with amazing music.
Therefore I decided to share with you 11 of my favourite Portuguese songs. I have a lot more, but for now, I hope you like this list!
Carolina Deslandes - A Vida Toda
Carolina Deslandes is a singer and also songwriter. She reached popularity when she finished as the third-place finalist on the fourth season of Ídolos Portugal, in 2010. The first music that I heard of Carolina was Não é Verdade (It's not true), a sweet song. With that said, it was only when she released Mountains, with another Portuguese singer, Agir, that I started to realise how talented she is. My favourite song from her is without a doubt: A Vida Toda (For Life). The lyrics talk from themselves: it's a lovely song in which she sings that one day she will tell her children how she met their father, and how she instantly knew that it was a love for the whole life.
Ana Moura – Desfado
Ana Moura is a Fado singer recognised, not only in Portugal but also internationally. She has a lot of beautiful songs, but Desfado is my personal favourite. The music is lively, makes you want to dance and keep up with the rhythm clapping. The lyrics of the song is much deeper than it seems, at first sight, I mean, for illustration, at the end she says, "Ai que desgraça esta sorte que me assiste (Oh what misfortune, this good luck befell on me)”, but follows with "Ai mas que sorte eu viver tão desgraçada (Oh what good luck to live in such an unfortunate manner)”. Sometimes we only think about the negative side of our lives, the bad luck that we seem to have constantly, however, we forget that life itself is something precious, and we should live every day as it's the last one.
HMB ft. Carminho - O Amor é Assim
O Amor é Assim (Love is like that) is a collaboration between HMB, a soul and funk band with great recognition, with Carminho, considered to be one of the most talented Fado singers of her generation, who additionally sing other genres of music as well. The music is all about love, and how such a feeling is able to leave us practically in the clouds.
4Taste - 4 Horas à Tua Maneira
4Taste was a rock band formed in the framework of a youth series from Portugal named Morangos com Açúcar. The members of the group were: Luke D'Eça, Nelson Patrão, David Gama, and Francisco Borges. Various songs from the band were used in the TV Show, and their songs reached great success. I heard 4 Horas à Tua Maneira (4 Hours Your Way) in the Show more than 10 years ago, but I liked so much the song that I never forgot her.
If you have visited this blog before, you know this song doesn't need an explanation to be here. Salvador Sobral won Eurovision in 2017 with Amar Pelos Dois, and since then it's one of my favourite Portuguese songs. I adore the lyrics, melody, his interpretation and his voice. Moreover, I also really like Mano a Mano, another song from Salvador, between others.
Expensive Soul - O Amor é Mágico
To be honest, I think that the first time that I heard this song was in the year of its release, in 2010. It's such a good song! Very addictive, and it's easily that kind of music that make yourself want to dance. Expensive Soul is a hip-hop group constituted by António Conde e Tiago Novo. The duo is making music since 1999, and their discography includes many hits.
O Amor é Mágico (Love is magical) is, of course, a piece of music dedicated to love, and how passionate and invested you can be in a relationship when you are in love. The lyrics even say, "e o Amor é rápido (and love is fast)/ sádico (sadistic)/ às vezes é trágico (sometimes it is tragic)/ mágico (magical)”.
Amor Electro - A Máquina
First of many - many - astonishing songs that I heard from Amor Electro. This group was formed in 2010 and consists of Marisa Liz (the singer), Tiago Pais Dias (guitar and multi-instrumentalist), Ricardo Vasconcelos (keyboards), Rui Rechena (bass) and Mauro Ramos (drums). The band is incredible, and they were inclusively nominated for the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Portuguese Act at the 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards. One of the various occasions in which their talent was recognised.
A Máquina (The Machine) was released in 2011. Another song about love, but this time on its tragic side. "Porque este amor é meu (Because this love is mine)/ E cedo, vou saber (And soon, I will know)/ Que triste é viver (How sad is to live)/ Que sina, ai, que Amor (What a destination, what love)/ Já nem vou mais chorar (I'm not even going to cry anymore)/ Gritar, ligar, voltar (Scream, call, come back)/ A máquina parou (The machine stopped)/ Deixou de tocar (The machine stopped)."
The Gift - Primavera
The Gift is a group formed in 1994. They are an alternative rock band with an admirable route. Furthermore, they even won the MTV Europe award for best Portuguese act, in 2005. Sónia Tavares is the vocalist, John Gonçalves plays the bass and additionally keyboards, Nuno Gonçalves also plays keyboards, is responsible for the backing vocals, and it's a composer, and finally, Miguel Ribeiro plays the guitar and bass.
I think that what I like the most in Primavera (Spring) it's the lyrics. For instance: "Hei-de te amar, ou então hei-de chorar por ti (I will love you, or else I will cry for you)/ Mesmo assim, quero ver te sorrir... (Anyway, I want to see you smile...)/ E se perder vou tentar esquecer-me de vez, conto até três (And if I lose, I'll try to forget for once and for all, I count to three)/ Se quiser ser feliz... (If you want to be happy...)".
Diogo Piçarra - Dialeto
Diogo Piçarra started to gain notoriety after winning the fifth edition Ídolos (Portuguese version of Pop Idol) in 2012. His genre of music is pop/pop rock, and I actually really relish to hear his songs.
Dialeto (Dialect) has a modern melody, very catchy. Whenever I decide to listen to this song, I find myself clicking the repeat button countless times.
D'ZRT - Querer Voltar
D'ZRT was a band that for years, everyone talked about in Portugal. The group included Paulo Vintém, Vítor Fonseca, Edmundo Vieira and Angélico Vieira. In 2007 they announced the end of the band, however, for the delight of many fans, in 2009 they returned with their album Project (which debuted directly at the top of the list of bestselling albums in Portugal). Whenever I listen to D'ZRT songs I get a great sense of nostalgia. The group was legendary.
Querer Voltar (Want To Go Back) it's an emotional song about a past love, to which they want to return. They want to believe that that relationship it's in the past, but at the same time, they can't forget about that special person and the moments they spent together: "Tu conseguiste (You made it)/ Marcaste-me com o teu jeito (You marked me with your way)/ O Tempo passa (Time goes by)/ E o que me faz querer voltar (And what makes me want to come back)/ Pôr o orgulho p’ra traz (Putting pride behind)/ Tudo o que eu quero é voltar (All I want is to come back)/ Pôr de parte as coisas más e amar (Put aside bad things and love)".
Angélico Vieira - Gostasses de Mim
Angélico Vieira was one of the four elements of D'ZRT, the band that I previously talked about. Unfortunately, on the 28 of June of 2011, all the media in Portugal announced his death, a consequence of a disastrous car accident. It was a shock, he was so young, with a brilliant future ahead of him, and left this world in such a tragic way.
Nevertheless, Angélico left lots of wonderful songs. A discography to be proud of. Gostasses de Mim (Like me) is my favourite song of Angélico. Even if you don't understand what is he singing, you can feel the sadness of the melody, and the lyrics are something else: "Caem várias flores no meu jardim (Various flowers fall in my garden)/ Algumas delas até bem bonitas (Some of them even very beautiful)/ Mas existe uma em especial (But there is one in particular)/ Que eu quero só para mim (That I want only for myself)/ Essa flor não me deixa a conquistar (This flower does not let me conquer her)/ Ela é: o segredo fundo do mar (She is: the bottom secret of the sea)".
I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Mariana Nunes
Music
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