Is there anyone able to translate some of Mariza's (fado) songs from Portuguese to English. Have managed to find a few translations but they just don't make sense. I can supply the songs and lyrics if required. Thanking you in anticipation.
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Portuguese to English Mariza's songs (fado)
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hi,
I can help, but she sings so many songs...
would you like some in particular? -
Re: Mariza
There are some songs in particular, probably about 5 or 6. I'll list them and if it's to much for you that's ok.
Cavaleiro Monge
Chuva
Ha Palavras Que Nos Beijam
Feira De Castro
Maria Lisboa
Primavera
Loucura
O Gente Da Minha Terra
It's a pretty tall order I know, appreciate anything you can send me. -
O Gente Da Minha Terra
É meu e vosso este fado
Is both mine and yours this fado
destino que nos amarra
destiny that tides us (together)
por mais que seja negado
no matter how much it is denied
às cordas de uma guitarra
by the strings of a guitar
Sempre que se ouve um gemido
whenever one hears a lament
duma guitarra a cantar
of a guitar singing
fica-se logo perdido
one is instantly lost
com vontade de chorar
With a desire to weep
Ó gente da minha terra
Oh people of my land
agora é que eu percebi
Now I've understand
esta tristeza que trago
This sadness which I carry on
foi de vós que a recebi
Was from you that I received
E pareceria ternura
and it would seem tenderness
se eu me deixasse embalar
If I let myself be soothed
era maior a amargura
my anguish would be greater
menos triste o meu cantar
my singing (would be) less sadder
Ó gente da minha terra
Oh people of my land -
Chuva
Rain
As coisas vulgares que há na vida
the common things in life
Não deixam saudades
aren't missed
Só as lembranças que doem
only the memories that make us hurt
Ou fazem sorrir
or those which make us smile
Há gente que fica na história
there are people who stay in story
na historia da gente
in our (life) story
e outras de quem nem o nome
and others who's name
lembramos ouvir
we don't even remember to have heard
São emoções que dão vida
these are the emotions that bring life
A saudade que trago
the "saudade" that I carry with me
Aquelas que tive contigo
those (emotions) that I had with you
e acabei por perder
and that by the end I've lost
Há dias que
There are days
marcam a alma e a vida da gente
that seal our soul and life
e aquele em que tu me deixaste não posso esquecer
and the one that you've left me I can’t forget
A chuva molhava-me o rosto
The rain wet my face
Gelado e cansado
(that was) frozen and tired
As ruas que a cidade tinha
the streets of the city
Já eu percorrera
I've already crossed
Ai... meu choro de moça perdida
ai... my cry of lost young girl
gritava à cidade
screamed to the city
que o fogo do amor
that the fire of love
sob chuva
under the rain
há instantes morrera
had just died
A chuva ouviu e calou
the rain heard and kept silence
meu segredo à cidade
(about) my secret to the city
E eis que ela bate no vidro
and then it knocks on the window
Trazendo a saudade
bringing "saudade" -
Oh my God you absolute legend. My brother in law is going to be so happy. Thankyou so much....it's a lot easier to understand when it's translated properly. If you have time to do the others, I would appreciate it, I have all the Portugueuse lyrics here if that would make it easier.
Regards -
Cavaleiro Monge
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por casas por prados,
through houses through fields
por quintas por fontes,
through farms through fountains
caminhais aliados.
you walk yourself allied
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por pinhascos pretos,
through black cliffs
atrás e defronte,
behind and in front
caminhais secretos.
you walk secretly
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por prados desertos,
through desert fields
sem ter horizontes,
without horizons
caminhais libertos.
you walk freely (x3)
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por índios caminhos,
through indigenous paths
por rios sem ponte,
through rivers without bridge
caminhais sozinhos.
you walk alone
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por quanto é sem fim,
because has no end
sem ninguém que o conte,
with no one to describe
caminhais em mim.
you walk in me
Do vale à montanha,
From the valley to the mountain
da montanha ao monte,
from the mountain to the hill
cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por prados desertos,
through desert fields
sem ter horizontes,
without horizons
caminhais libertos.
you walk freely
Sem ter horizontes,
without horizons
caminhais libertos.
you walk freely
Cavalo de sombra,
horse of shadow
cavaleiro monge,
monk knight
por quanto é sem fim,
because has no end
sem ninguém que o conte,
with no one to describe
caminhais em mim.
you walk in me
Aaai cavaleiro monge,
aaai monk knight
por pinhascos pretos,
through black cliffs
por rios sem ponte
through rivers without bridge,
caminhais em mim.
you walk in me
Written by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa -
Há palavras que nos beijam
There are words that kiss us
Como se tivessem boca,
as if they have a mouth
Palavras de amor, de esperança,
words of love, of hope
De imenso amor, de esperança louca.
of immense love, of crazy hope.
Palavras nuas que beijas
Naked words that you kiss
quando a noite perde o rosto,
when the night loses its face
palavras que se recusam
words that deny themselves
aos muros do teu desgosto.
to the walls of your sorrow
De repente coloridas
Suddenly colourful
entre palavras sem cor,
between colourless words
esperadas, inesperadas
expected, unexpected
como a poesia ou o amor.
as poetry or love
(O nome de quem se ama
The name of the loved one
letra a letra revelado
reveled letter by letter
no mármore distraído,
in inattentive marble
no papel abandonado)
on abandoned paper
Palavras que nos transportam
Words that carries us
aonde a noite é mais forte,
(to) where the night is stronger
ao silêncio dos amantes
To the silence of lovers
abraçados contra a morte.
embraced against death.
Written by the Portuguese poet Alexandre O’Neill -
This song is about a woman, Maria Lisboa, but this “woman” is, in fact, the city of Lisbon.
Maria Lisboa
É varina, usa chinela,
(she) is a varina (1), and wears chinela (2)
Tem movimentos de gata,
(she) moves like a cat
Na canastra (3), a caravela,
In the basket, (she carries) the caravel
No coração, a fragata.
in her heart, (she carries) the frigate
Em vez de corvos no xaile,
Instead of ravens on the shawl
Gaivotas vêm pousar.
sea-gulls came to lay down.
Quando o vento a leva ao baile,
When the wind takes her to the ball
Baila no baile com o mar.
(she) dances at the ball with the see.
É de conchas o vestido,
(her) dress is made of shells
Tem algas na cabeleira,
(she) has seaweed on her hair
E nas veias o latido
And in her veins, (has) the bark
Do motor duma traineira.
of the engine of a traineira (4).
Vende sonhos e maresia,
(she) sells dreams and the smell of the sea
Tempestades apregoa (5).
(she) announces (5) storms
Seu nome próprio: Maria,
her first name: Maria
Seu apelido: Lisboa.
Her surname: Lisboa
1 - Varina: a woman that sells fish
2 - Chinela: old shoe, a kind of slipper
3 - Canastra: a basket of thin strips of wood. The women carried this kind of basket, sometimes on their heads, when they went on to the streets to sell fish
4 - Traineira: traditional boat for fishing
5 - Apregoa/announces: the verb is apregoar – to announce with a cry (the women did it to announce the fish they were selling)
Raven: this is the symbol of Lisbon, because of the legend of Saint Anthony. -
hi,
you're welcome! I'm happ that you've enjoyed it.
I'll add some more in the next days.
Regards -
Hello there!
For me to be able to do this for my brother in law means a great deal. He loves Mariza and although he's a remarkable writer of letters, he just can not use a computer, and has been struggling with the translation of her songs for sometime. Once you understand the lyrics, they're really quite beautiful aren't they. So my friend you're doing a good thing and deserve a gold elephant stamp with sparkles.
Regards Eliza -
Primavera
Spring
Todo o amor que nos prendera,
All the love that had tied us,
como se fora de cera,
as if it was of wax,
Se quebrava e desfazia.
was breaking and crumbling down.
Ai funesta Primavera,
Ai, tragic Spring
quem me dera, quem nos dera,
how I wish, how I wish that we
ter morrido nesse dia.
had died on that day
E condenaram-me a tanto,
And I was comdemd to so much
viver comigo meu pranto,
to live with my crying
viver, viver e sem ti.
to live, to live, and without you
Vivendo sem, no entanto, eu me esquecer desse encanto,
Living, however without forgetting the enchantment
que nesse dia perdi.
that I lost that day
Pão duro da solidão,
hard bread of loliness
é somente o que nos dão,
that’s all we get
o que nos dão a comer.
that’s all we are given to eat
Que importa que o coração,
What does the heart matter,
diga que sim ou que não,
whatever it says, yes or no,
se continua a viver.
if it keeps on living
Todo o amor que nos prendera,
All love that had tied us,
se quebrara e desfizera,
was breaking and crumbling down,
em pavor se convertia.
was turning into dread
Ninguém fale em Primavera,
No one should talk to about Spring
quem me dera, quem nos dera,
how I wish, how I wish that we
ter morrido nesse dia.
had died on that day. -
Feira de Castro
Castro's Fair
Eu fui a Feira de Castro
I went to the Castro’s fair
P'ra comprar um par de meias
to buy a pair of socks
Vim de lá “cumas” chanatas
and came out there with some slipper shoes
E dois brincos nas orelhas
and two earrings in my ears
As minhas ricas tamancas
My beautiful slipper shoes
Pediam traje a rigor
demanded a dress suit
Vestido curto e decote
short dress with a low neckline
Por vias deste calor
due to this heat
Quem vai a Feira de Castro
Who goes to the Castro fair
E se apronta tão bonito
and dresses up so handsome
Não pode acabar a Feira sem entrar no bailarico
can’t leave the fair without dancing
Sem entrar no bailarico
Without dancing
A modos de bailação
somehow dancing
Ai que me deu um fanico
Ai, I had a nervous break down
Nos braços de um manganão
in the arms of a men
Vai acima, vai abaixo
Goes up, goes down
Mais beijinho, mais bejeca
another kiss, another beer
E lá se foi o capacho
and the toupee went away
Deixando o velho careca
Leaving bald the old man
todo o texto quer um tacho
every text wants a pan
mas como recordação
but as souvenir
apenas trouxe o capacho
I only brought the toupee
que iludiu o meu coração
that decived my heart
E fui a Feira de Castro
I went to the Castro’s fair
E vim da Feira de Castro
I left the Castro’s fair
E jurei para mais não...
and promised myself never again… -
Thanks once again 2 more to go.....hooray!!!!!!!
-
Loucura
Craziness
Sou do fado! Como sei!
I’m of Fado! How I know!
Vivo um poema cantado, de um fado que eu inventei.
I live a (singing) poem, of a fado that I made up.
A falar, não posso dar-me,
Speaking, I can’t expose myself
mas ponho a alma a cantar, e as almas sabem escutar-me.
but I make my soul sing, and the souls know how to listen to me
Chorai, chorai, poetas do meu país,
cry, cry, poets of my country
troncos da mesma raíz, de vida que nos juntou.
trunks of the same root, of the life that put us together
E se vocês, não estivessem a meu lado, então, não havia fado,
And if you weren’t by my side, then fado wouldn’t exist
nem fadistas como eu sou!
nor fadistas* as I am!
Esta voz, tão dolorida, é culpa de todos vós
This voice, so hurtful, it’s all your fault
poetas da minha vida.
Poets of my life.
É loucura! Oiço dizer, mas bendita esta loucura, de cantar e de sofrer.
It’s craziness! I hear them say, but blessed this craziness, of singing and suffering.
Chorai, chorai, poetas do meu país,
cry, cry, poets of my country
troncos da mesma raíz, de vida que nos juntou.
trunks of the same root, of the life that put us together
E se vocês, não estivessem a meu lado, então, não havia fado,
And if you weren’t by my side, then fado wouldn’t exist
nem fadistas como eu sou!
nor fadistas* as I am!
*fadista: a fado singer (fadistas - pl) -
Hello,
you're welcome!!
I can translate some more, just let me know.
MJ -
Hello,
I'm not sure if Mariza sings this song, but its very famous and I find the poem very beautiful. I hope you enjoy it!
It's very geographical, always mentioning Lisbon geography and its neighbourhoods. Once more Lisbon is a woman.
"Lisboa, menina e moça
Lisbon, girl and young woman"
No Castelo, ponho um cotovelo
In the Castelo (1) I put an elbow
Em Alfama , descanso o olhar
In Alfama (2), rests my sigh
E assim desfaço o novelo de azul e mar
And so I unravel the ball of thread of blue and see
À Ribeira encosto a cabeça
on Ribeira (3) I put down my head
A almofada, da cama do Tejo
the pillow of Tejo’s (4) bed
Com lençóis bordados à pressa
with sheets embroided in a hurry
Na cambraia de um beijo
On the lightness of a kiss
Lisboa menina e moça, menina
Lisbon, girl and young woman, girl
Da luz que meus olhos vêem tão pura
By the light of my eyes (you are) so pure
Teus seios são as colinas, varina
Your breasts are the hills, varina (5)
Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura
Cry (6) that brings tenderness to my door
Cidade a ponto luz bordada
City embroided with light stitches
Toalha à beira mar estendida
tablecloth unfolded by the seaside
Lisboa menina e moça, amada
Lisbon, girl and young woman, loved one
Cidade mulher da minha vida
City, woman of my life
No Terreiro eu passo por ti
On the Terreiro (7) I pass by you
Mas da Graça eu vejo-te nua
But of Graça (8) I see you naked
Quando um pombo te olha, sorri
when a pidgeon looks at you, it smiles
És mulher da rua
you are a woman of the streets
E no bairro mais alto do sonho
and on the highest neighborhood of dreams (9)
Ponho o fado que soube inventar
I put the fado that I was able to invent
Aguardente de vida e medronho
Spirit of life and medronho (10)
Que me faz cantar
that makes me sing
Lisboa menina e moça, menina
Lisbon, girl and young woman, girl
Da luz que meus olhos vêem tão pura
By the light of my eyes (you are) so pure
Teus seios são as colinas, varina
Your breasts are the hills, varina (5)
Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura
Cry (6) that brings tenderness to my door
Cidade a ponto luz bordada
City embroided with light stitches
Toalha à beira mar estendida
tablecloth by the seaside unfolded
Lisboa menina e moça, amada
Lisbon, girl and young woman, loved one
Cidade mulher da minha vida
City, woman of my life
Lisboa no meu amor, deitada
Lisbon, on my love resting
Cidade por minhas mãos despida
City by my hands undressed
Lisboa menina e moça, amada
Lisbon, girl and young woman, loved one
Cidade mulher da minha vida
City, woman of my life
1- Castelo: means castle but here also it’s neighbourhood. This castle stays on one of the seven Lisbon’s hills.
2- Alfama: a very old neighbourhood, near Castelo and also on a hill.
3- Ribeira: an area by the river side, where the boats were moored and fish was sold.
4- Tejo: Lisbon’s river
5- Varina: woman, fish seller
6- Pregão: sentence that women used to cry out to announce the fish they were selling
7- Terreiro: a large square by the river
8- Graça: another neighbourhood, on another hill.
9- Bairro Alto: literally means “high neighbourhood”, but Bairro Alto is the real name the neighbourhood (of course it’s also on a hill). It has a bohemian tradition and singers used to came here to sing Fado.
10- Medronhos: a small fuit used to make strong alcoholic beverages -
Hi! Just logged in to say thankyou for my translations, and found something extra. Thankyou so much. It's funny you know I'd never heard of "Fado" or Mariza until my brother in law told me over a 16 page letter , he'd found the music he'd been looking for all his life. So I downloaded "Mariza" "The story of Fado" for him, naturally I watched the DVD, and was in tears by the end. The music is emotional, earthy.......music of the people. I can understand why he likes it, although I think he's driving his wife and the people upstairs crazy. So i'll put all this together, send it off to him (he lives in another state). He'll be so happy. Thankyou my friend keep in touch I only which I could do something for you.......but alas I only speak English.
Regards
E -
Hi, you are very welcome! I hope you and your family enjoy it, and that your brother in law can give them some rest
For me it was very amusing, I had never done it before and I really thought it would be more tough.
If you ever want another portuguese lyric translation, please feel free.
Hope to hear from you again,
MJ -
Thanks MJ
If that's the 1st time you've translated for someone you did very well. I'm glad that you enjoyed doing it, was hoping it wouldn't be to much of a drag.
Although I'm still a little confused with Feira De Castro and the Toupe bit. I keep thinking how embarassing it would be if you were dancing with a man and his hair fell off. haha. If I read between the lines I'm thinking that she's saying that she's been deceived by this man, he was pretending to be someone he's not and that he broke her heart.
You'll be interested to know I've had a couple of messages from people asking me to translate Portuguese for them 'cause I did such a good job with the Mariza songs. Have had to explain no...............I'm the one that doesn't understand Portuguese.
Thanks once again.
Regards
E