Canção do Mar

The Song of the Sea

We remain with our gaze firmly directed towards the open seas with this fado, Canção do Mar, or the Song of the Sea. This track makes use of the music already popularised by Amália’s much earlier hit, Solidão (of which more in a future post), and was an immense success both in Portugal and internationally (it apparently featured in the Hollywood film, Primal Fear, in 1996). Whilst I would argue that these lyrics don’t have the narrative appeal or emotional punch of the original fado, this version retains the haunting allure of the earlier song, whilst also offering a new and striking creative energy.

Dulce Pontes, who sings here, is an important figure in the recent history of fado. Coming to the attention of her compatriots with her first album in the early 1990s, Pontes played a significant role in re-invigorating what was at the time a dying genre, in bringing fado to a generation which was rapidly turning away from tradition. Throughout her career, she has embraced a huge variety of musical styles, blending fado with traditional music from around the world, and has been particularly inspired by influences from Arabic and Bulgarian sounds.

As with the previous fado, Canoas do Tejo, water plays a starring role in this song, but the waves here are quite different from those which gently dance on the river Tejo. Here, the ocean takes on a menacing aspect; cruel and roaring, it accuses the fadista of trying to steal the light from her beloved eyes. Once again, the movement of the waves leads to the image of dancing, as both the fadista and her boat sway and bob on the swell of the sea… smiling, singing, and dreaming.


Canção do Mar



Music: Ferrer Trindade
Lyrics: Frederico de Brito


Canção do Mar
Fui bailar no meu batel
Além no mar cruel
E o mar bramindo
Diz que eu fui roubar
A luz sem par
Do teu olhar tão lindo.

Vem saber se o mar terá razão
Vem cá ver bailar meu coraçao

Se eu bailar no meu batel
Não vou ao mar cruel
E nem lhe digo aonde eu fui cantar
Sorrir, bailar, viver, sonhar...contigo.


La Chanson de la Mer
J’étais allée danser sur mon bateau
Là-bas, sur la mer cruelle
Et la mer mugissante
A dit que j’étais allée voler
La lumière hors pair
De ton si beau regard

Viens découvrir si la mer a raison
Viens-là, voir danser mon cœur

Si je danse sur mon bateau
Je n’irai pas à la mer cruelle
Ni ne lui dirai où je suis allée chanter
Sourire, danser, vivre, rêver… avec toi.



The Song of the Sea
I went to dance on my ship
Yonder on the cruel sea
And the roaring sea
Said that I went to steal
The peerless light
Of your so lovely eyes

Come and discover whether the sea is right
Come here to see my heart dance

If I dance in my ship
I will not go out to the cruel sea
And neither will I tell where I went to sing
To smile, to dance, to live, to dream... with you.