Sonhos de Menino

Translation Time! I got interested in this song because of the audiobook I’m listening to. It’s a non-fiction book about a road-trip through Portugal. The writer pulls up in a town where there’s a big party in full swing and Tony Carreira is playing. He mentions this song being “The seventh encore” and says it is a huge favourite of emigrantes. OK, well, my curiosity is piqued.

(Edit) OK, I just finished the translation and I am sold. OK, I know it’s a bit sentimental, but I don’t care. It’s got heart, it’s got singalongability. What’s not to like?

Portuguese	English
Lembro-me de uma aldeia perdida na beira A terra que me viu nascer Lembro-me de um menino que andava sozinho Sonhava vir um dia a ser	I remember a lost village on the margin The land that saw my birth I remember a little boy who walked alone He dreamed one day he’d become
Sonhava ser cantor de cantigas de amor Com a força de Deus venceu Nessa pequena aldeia O menino era eu	He dreamed of being a singer of love songs With God’s strength, he won through In that little village I was that little boy
E hoje a cantar em cada canção Trago esse lugar no meu coração Criança que fui e homem que sou E nada mudou	And today singing each song I carry that place in my heart Child that I was, and man that I am And nothing has changed.
E hoje a cantar não posso esquecer Aquele lugar que me viu nascer Tão bom recordar aquele cantinho E os sonhos de menino	And today, singing, I can’t forget That place that saw my birth Its so good to remember that little place And the dreams of the little boy
Tenho a vida que eu quis Nem sempre feliz, mas é a vida que eu escolhi Infeliz no amor, mas, no fundo, cantor A vida deu-me o que eu pedi	I have the life that I wanted Not always happy but it’s the life I chose Unlucky in love but at heart a singer Life gave me what I asked for
Se eu pudesse voltar de novo a sonhar Faria o mesmo, podem crer E aquele menino Eu voltaria a ser	If I could go back to the dream again I’d do the same, believe me And that little boy I would be again
E hoje a cantar em cada canção Trago esse lugar no meu coração Criança que fui e homem que sou E nada mudou	And today singing each song I carry that place in my heart Child that I was, and man that I am And nothing has changed.
E hoje a cantar não posso esquecer Aquele lugar que me viu nascer Tão bom recordar aquele cantinho E os sonhos de menino	And today, singing, I can’t forget That place that saw my birth Its so good to remember that little place And the little boy dreams
E hoje a cantar em cada canção Trago esse lugar no meu coração Criança que fui e homem que sou E nada mudou	And today singing each song I carry that place in my heart Child that I was, and man that I am And nothing has changed.
E hoje a cantar não posso esquecer Aquele lugar que me viu nascer Tão bom recordar aquele cantinho E os sonhos de menino	And today, singing, I can’t forget That place that saw my birth Its so good to remember that little place And the little boy dreams
E hoje a cantar em cada canção Trago esse lugar no meu coração Criança que fui e homem que sou E nada mudou	And today singing each song I carry that place in my heart Child that I was, and man that I am And nothing has changed.
E hoje a cantar não posso esquecer Aquele lugar que me viu nascer Tão bom recordar aquele cantinho E os sonhos de menino	And today, singing, I can’t forget That place that saw my birth Its so good to remember that little place And the little boy dreams
E os sonhos de menino Meus sonhos de menino	And the little boy dreams My little boy dreams

In the first version of this I somehow confused my Carreiras and said David Carreira sang this. There is actually a singer with that name, but it’s a different guy!