Lisboa menina e moça – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Carlos do Carmo

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey through Portugal with Carlos do Carmo's iconic 'Lisboa Menina e Moça.' This song offers a poetic exploration of Lisbon, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Portuguese language while connecting with the city's soul through evocative lyrics and the soulful tradition of Fado.

[English]

In the Castle, I rest my elbow

In Alfama, I rest my gaze

And thus I unravel the thread

Of blue and sea

At Ribeira, I lean my head

On the pillow of the Tagus bed

With sheets hastily embroidered

In the fabric of a kiss

Lisbon, girl and young woman, girl

Of the light that my eyes see so pure

Your breasts are the hills, fisherwoman

The call that brings me to your door, tenderness

City adorned with points of light

Towel spread by the seaside

Lisbon, girl and young woman, beloved

City, woman of my life

In Terreiro, I pass by you

But from Graça, I see you bare

When a dove looks at you, it smiles

You are a woman of the street

And in the highest neighborhood of dreams

I place the fado I learned to invent

Life's aguardente and medronho

That makes me sing

Lisbon, girl and young woman, girl

Of the light that my eyes see so pure

Your breasts are the hills, fisherwoman

The call that brings me to your door, tenderness

City adorned with points of light

Towel spread by the seaside

Lisbon, girl and young woman, beloved

City, woman of my life

Lisbon in my love, lying down

City stripped by my hands

Lisbon, girl and young woman, beloved

City, woman of my life

...

[Portuguese]

No Castelo, ponho um cotovelo

Em Alfama, descanso o olhar

E assim desfaço o novelo

De azul e mar

À Ribeira encosto a cabeça

A almofada da cama do Tejo

Com lençóis bordados à pressa

Na cambraia de um beijo

Lisboa, menina e moça, menina

Da luz que os meus olhos veem tão pura

Teus seios são as colinas, varina

Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura

Cidade a ponto luz bordada

Toalha à beira-mar estendida

Lisboa, menina e moça, amada

Cidade, mulher da minha vida

No Terreiro, eu passo por ti

Mas da Graça, eu vejo-te nua

Quando um pombo te olha, sorri

És mulher da rua

E no bairro mais alto do sonho

Ponho o fado que soube inventar

Aguardente de vida e medronho

Que me faz cantar

Lisboa, menina e moça, menina

Da luz que os meus olhos veem tão pura

Teus seios são as colinas, varina

Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura

Cidade a ponto luz bordada

Toalha à beira-mar estendida

Lisboa, menina e moça, amada

Cidade, mulher da minha vida

Lisboa no meu amor, deitada

Cidade por minhas mãos despida

Lisboa, menina e moça, amada

Cidade, mulher da minha vida

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
castelo /kasˈtɛlu/ A2	noun - castle
olhar /oˈʎaʁ/ A2	verb - to look
beijo /ˈbeɪʒu/ A1	noun - kiss
luz /luʊz/ A1	noun - light
cidade /siˈdadʒi/ A2	noun - city
ternura /teʁˈnuʁɐ/ B1	noun - tenderness
mulher /muˈʎɛʁ/ A1	noun - woman
amor /aˈmoʁ/ A1	noun - love
cabeça /kaˈbe.sɐ/ A2	noun - head
seios /ˈse.i.uʃ/ B1	noun - breasts
ponto /ˈpõ.tu/ A2	noun - point
fado /ˈfa.du/ B2	noun - fado (a genre of Portuguese music)
vida /ˈvi.dɐ/ A1	noun - life
bairros /ˈbai.ʁuʃ/ B1	noun - neighborhoods
mar /maʁ/ A1	noun - sea