Posted in English, Portuguese

Estou Além

Two translations in a row? Yeah, fight me!

This is another António Variações cover by Humanos and it’s a banger.

The lyrics are pretty paradoxical: “I only want to be where I’m not, I only want to go where I’m not going”. Even the title is a bit hard to render into english: “Estou Além” means “I am beyond” but that isn’t any good. How about “I’ve gone beyond”. Nah, that sounds like he’s died. Well, he has, but I am pretty sure that didn’t happen till after he wrote it. Maybe something like “I’m far out” or “I’m out there!” Too trippy? “I’m miles away”? Nah, it sounds like he’s just daydreaming. I think I like “I’m elsewhere” best but I’m not sure I could defend that in a court of law. If anyone has any better ideas, let me know in the comments.

EnglishPortuguese
Não consigo dominar
Este estado de ansiedade
A pressa de chegar
P’ra não chegar tarde

Não sei do que é que eu fujo
Será desta solidão
Mas porque é que eu recuso
Quem quer dar-me a mão
I can’t control
This state of excitement
The rush to arrive
To not arrive late

I don’t know what I’m running from
Maybe this loneliness
But why do I refuse
Anyone who gives me their hand
Vou continuar a procurar
A quem eu me quero dar
Porque até aqui eu só

Quero quem quem eu nunca vi
Porque eu só quero quem
Quem não conheci
I’ll keep on searching
For someone I want to give myself to
Because up to now, I only

Want who, who I’ve never seen
Because I only want
The one I’ve never met
Porque eu só quero quem
Quem eu nunca vi
Porque eu só quero quem
Quem não conheci

Porque eu só quero quem
Quem eu nunca vi
Because I only want
who I’ve never seen
Because I only want
The one I’ve never met

Because I only want
who I’ve never seen
Esta insatisfação
Não consigo compreender
Sempre esta sensação
Que estou a perder

Tenho pressa de sair
Quero sentir ao chegar
Vontade de partir
P’ra outro lugar
This insatisfaction
I can’t understand
Always this sensation
That I am missing out

I’m in a hurry to leave
I want to feel at the departure
An urge to leave
For somewhere else
Vou continuar a procurar
O meu mundo
O meu lugar
Porque até aqui eu só

Estou bem aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou
I’ll keep on looking
My world
My place
Because up to now I only

I am on my way to where I am not
Because I only want to go
To where I am not going
Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou

Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde não estou
Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going

Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Esta insatisfação
Não consigo compreender
Sempre esta sensação
Que estou a perder

Tenho pressa de sair
Quero sentir ao chegar
Vontade de partir
P’ra outro lugar
This insatisfaction
I can’t understand
Always this sensation
That I am missing out

I’m in a hurry to leave
I want to feel at the departure
An urge to leave
For somewhere else
Vou continuar a procurar
A minha forma
O meu lugar
Porque até aqui eu só

Estou bem aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou
I’ll keep on looking
My form
My place
Because up to now I only

I am on my way to where I am not
Because I only want to go
To where I am not going
Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou

Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde não estou

Estou bem aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou
Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going

Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not

I am on my way to where I am not
Because I only want to go
To where I am not going
Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou

Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou
Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going
Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going
Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou

Porque eu só estou bem
Aonde eu não estou
Porque eu só quero ir
Aonde eu não vou
Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going

Because I’m only OK
When I’m where I’m not
Because I only want to go
Where I’m not going
Posted in Portuguese

Sara Correia

Vou viver / Até quando eu não sei / Que me. Importa o que serei / Quero é viver

Eu e a minha esposa fomos assistir ao espetáculo de Sara Correia em Cadogan Hall. Foi incrível.

Antes do concerto dela, houve uma meia hora com um jovem que cantou bem acompanhado de um guitarrista. O público estava muito entusiasmado. Houve uma grande salva de palmas após cada canção. Nunca antes vi o primeiro artista a receber uma ovação de pé. Mulheres gritaram “amamos-te”. Havia muito estrogênio na sala, percebem? Perguntamos às mulheres do nosso lado direito quem era aquele rapaz. Foi Luís Trigacheiro, um vencedor do “The Voice Portugal”. Aaahh, percebo!

Sara apresentou o seu novo álbum e uns temas mais antigos tipo “Quero É Viver” (de Pedro Abrunhosa*) e “Estranha Forma de Vida” (de Amália Rodrigues) . A atmosfera na sala de concertos foi mil vezes mais animada do que a da minha última visita. Pessoas na varanda batiam os pés e gritavam “Ah fadista! Bravo! Sa-ra Sa-ra!”

Tinha corrido 10 milhas antes do concerto e estava com dores nos pés e as minhas pernas estavam fatigadas mas consegui estar de pé com os outros. Aí, que chatice.

(Update… er… well, look I’m absolutely sure she said it was one of his but I’ve just looked up the original on Spotify and it seems like it was a track by António Variações, released postumously on an album called Humanos, as part of a project by a group of musicians, including David Fonseca, Camané and some members of Clã. They went on to perform some of his music at a series of tribute concerts, which is available on Spotify. I had no idea this had happened. Very glad to find it though!)

Posted in English, Portuguese

Efe(c)tivamente

O blogue de hoje é mais uma tradução. O título não segue o acordo ortográfico mas não me importa. A palavra “efe(c)tivamente” é cognata com a palavra inglesa “effectively” mas tem um valor ligeiramente diferente porque é usada muitas vezes em situações nas quais usamos “really”. Lê a segunda definição nesta página para mais informações.

PortugueseEnglish
Adoro o campo as árvores e as flores
Jarros e perpétuos amores
Que fiquem perto da esplanada de um bar
Pássaros estúpidos a esvoaçar
Adoro as pulgas dos cães
Todos os bichos do mato
O riso das crianças dos outros
Cágados de pernas para o ar
I love the field, the trees, the flowers
Jugs and everlasting loves
That are close to the tables of a bar
Stupid birds, fluttering
I love the dogs’ fleas
All the woodland creatures
The laugh of children and others
Terrapins with their legs in the air
Efectivamente escuto as conversas
Importantes ou ambíguas
Aparentemente sem moralizar
Effectively, I listen to important and ambiguous conversations
Apparently without moralising.
Adoro as pegas e os pederastas que passam
Finjo nem reparar
Na atitude tão clara e tão óbvia
De quem anda a enganar
Adoro esses ratos de esgoto
Que disfarçam ao pilar
Como se fossem mafiosos convictos
Habituados a controlar
I love the whores* and the pederasts who pass by
I pretend not to notice
In the clear, obvious attitude
Of one who is being deceptive
I love those sewer rats
Who hide behind the pillar
As if they were convicted mafiosos
Used to being iin control
Efectivamente gosto de aparência
Imponente ou inequívoca
Aparentemente sem moralizar
Effectively I like imposing or unequivocal appearance
Apparently without moralising
Efectivamente gosto de aparência
Aparentemente sem moralizar
Aparentemente escuto as conversas
Effectively I like appearance apparently without moralising
Apparently I listen to conversation
Efectivamente sem moralizar
Efectivamente, sem moralizar
Aparentemente, sem moralizar
Efectivamente
Effectively without moralising
Effectively, wothout moralising
Apparently, without moralising
Effectively

*This could be translated a few different ways but I guess this is the one he means, unless the paedos were chasing a magpie!

Posted in English, Portuguese

Falem Agora

I don’t know how this song by Fábia Rebordão ended up on my playlist, but Spotify is convinced it’s something I should listen to. Good shout, Spotify, it’s pretty good. The theme is not wanting to listen to malicious gossip. It’s light and fluffy and fun to listen to.

PortugueseEnglish
Não ouço essas conversas
Isso é banal
Por serem tão perversas
Fazem-me mal
I don’t listen to those conversations
That’s boring
By being so perverse
They make me ill
Falem agora
Que eu estou por fora, e até já
Não se incomodem, deixem lá
Que eu já estou fora
Speak now
I’m outside and for the time being
Don’t bother, it doesn’t matter
Because I’m outside
Conversas de café
Não quero ter
Falar de outros não é
Só mau dizer
Conversations over coffee
I don’t want to have
To talk about others, it’s not
Just nasty talk
Falem agora
Que eu estou por fora, e até já
Não se incomodem deixem lá
Que eu já estou fora
Speak now
I’m outside and for the time being
Don’t bother, it doesn’t matter
Because I’m outside
Quem diz que viu, quem mente
Essas coisinhas
Nas costas de outra gente
Eu vejo as minhas
Whoever said they saw, whoever lied
Those little things
Behind other people’s backs
I watch mine
Falem agora
Que eu estou por fora, e até já
Não se incomodem deixem lá
Que eu já estou fora
Speak now
I’m outside and for the time being
Don’t bother, it doesn’t matter
Because I’m outside
Um caso mal contado
E outros que tais
Desligo passo ao lado
Leio jornais
A badly explained case
And so on
I switch off and step aside
I read the newspapers
Falem agora
Que eu estou por fora, e até já
Não se incomodem deixem lá
Que eu já estou fora
Speak now
I’m outside and for the time being
Don’t bother, it doesn’t matter
Because I’m outside
Posted in English, Portuguese

Casei Com Uma Velha

This song is actually by Maximiano de Sousa (aka “Max”) but I don’t think there’s a video of him performing it so I went with this cover by Raul Solnado instead. Max is from Funchal, and he says his wife is from Ponta do Sol, a few miles up the south coast. Another nearby town – Camacha – is mentioned too.

As you can see – or maybe you can’t – Solnado is wearing a hat that I recognise as a Maderian style, and I think the clothes are specific to the island too. The set shows a traditional house and I’m pretty sure the musical instruments the guys at the back are using are Brinquinhos*. Solnado is a mainlander from Lisbon so this is definitely cultural appropriation and he would be cancelled if he did this today. Quite right too. Throw him in jail!

I am publishing this on the 3rd of February to commemorate the birthday of another island girl – my wife. Since my birthday is on the 6th of May, she is numerically an older woman for the next 3 months. Feliz Aniversário, velha linda!

PortugueseEnglish
Casei c’uma velha
Da ponta do sol
Deitei-a na cama e o raio da velha rasgou-me o lençol
Tornei-a a deitar
Tornou a rasgar
Perdi a cabeça e atirei co’a velha de perna p’ró ar
I married an old lady
From Ponta do Sol
I laid her in bed but that blasted old lady
Tore my sheet**
I laid her down again
She ripped the sheets again
I lost my head and threw the old lady and she landed upside down
A tua mãe foi às lapas
O teu pai aos caranguejos
Ficaste sozinha em casa, fui*** dar-te abraços e beijos
Ó menina da Camacha
Diz de mim o que quiseres
Menos que não tenho jeito p’ra agasalhar as mulheres
Your mother went to the limpets
Your dad to the crabs
You stayed at home alone, I went to give you hugs and kisses
Oh girl of Camacha
Tell me what you want from me
Unless I’m just don’t have the knack of taking care of women

*More about traditional Madeiran instruments here if you’re interested.

**I had a little trouble following the action here: When he says “rasgou-me o lençol” did she actually make a hole in the sheets or just tear them away from him? I checked on r/portuguese just to be sure and it’s the former. And then how am I supposed to understand “atirei (com a) velha“? Is he throwing himself on her? No, apparently not. “Atirar com” isn’t in my handy guide to verbs with prepositions, but “atirar-se a” is, and that means to throw yourself at someone in an attack. No, my informant told me atirei com means that he just threw, shoved or otherwise propelled the old lady away. The “com” emphasises the force and “brusquidão” of the “sova” or “arremesso” he gave her (3 new items in the word hoard!), so she ended up “de pernas para o ar” – upside down. Probably not literally, but it wasn’t a graceful landing. Hmm… I think it’s one of those songs that’s really fun to listen to but just try not too hard to think about what it is he’s actually describing.

UPDATE – Well, i was joking about the violence and really imagining it as a kind of slapstick scene, but I am told I should consider it might be much more suggestive. That the legs in the air and the ripping of sheets and the warming up of the women could all be interpreted as taking about his sexual prowess, broadcast in an age when you couldn’t really say this sort of things directly. OK, well, that gives a whole new spin on things!

***Online lyrics say “foi” but I think that’s a typo because it doesn’t make any sense. Oh wait, it says fui in the subtitles doesn’t it! Oh well, glad to know I was right about that!

Posted in English, Portuguese

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?

PortugueseEnglish
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!

Posted in English, Portuguese

Smells Like Tuga Spirit

Another translation – this one from Amália. It’s not one of my favourites but I’ve always been intrigued by the title: Cheira a Lisboa: It smells like Lisbon. OK, well let’s see what that smells like then. Cigarettes and roasted chestnuts mostly, I think, well, OK, there are worse smells.

It’s probably worth remembering the differerence between “cheirar a” and “cheirar de” which is discussed in this blog post from a couple of years back. I’ll translate “cheirar a” as “smells like” not “smells of”. And “Cheira bem” I will translate as “smells good” but it would be more literal to say “it smells well” because bem is an adverb, but that would sound stupid in english.

PortugueseEnglish
Lisboa já tem Sol mas cheira a Lua
Quando nasce a madrugada sorrateira
E o primeiro elétrico da rua
Faz coro com as chinelas da Ribeira
Lisbon has sun but smells like the moon
When the surreptitious dawn breaks
And the first tram in the street
Makes a chorus with the slippers of Ribeira
Se chove cheira a terra prometida
Procissões têm o cheiro a rosmaninho
Nas tascas da viela mais escondidas
Cheira a iscas com elas e a vinho
If it rains it smells like the promised land
Processions have a smell like rosemary
In the most hidden backstreet bars
It smells of Iscas com Elas and of wine
Um cravo numa água furtada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Uma rosa a florir na tapada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
A carnation hidden in the window
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A rose flourishing in the park
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A fragata que se ergue na proa
A varina que teima em passar
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa tem cheiros de flores e de mar
The frigate that rises up on the prow
The fish seller who insists on passing by
They smell good because they are from Lisbon
Lisbon smells like flowers and the sea
Lisboa cheira aos cafés do Rossio
E o fado cheira sempre a solidão
Cheira a castanha assada se está frio
Cheira a fruta madura quando é verão
Lisboa smells like Rossio cafés
And fado always smells like solitude
It smells like roasted chestnuts* when it’s cold
It smells of ripe fruit when it’s summer
Nos lábios tem um cheiro de um sorriso
Manjerico tem cheiro de cantigas
E os rapazes perdem o juízo
Quando lhes dá o cheiro a raparigas
On its lips it has the hint** of a smile
Basil smells like songs
And the boys lose their judgement
When the smell of girls reaches*** them
Um cravo numa água furtada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Uma rosa a florir na tapada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
A carnation hidden in the window
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A rose flourishing in the park
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A fragata que se ergue na proa
A varina que teima em passar
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa tem cheiros de flores e de mar
The frigate that rises up on the prow
The fish seller who insists on passing by
They smell good because they are from Lisbon
Lisbon smells like flowers and the sea
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
It smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A fragata que se ergue na proa
A varina que teima em passar
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa tem cheiros de flores e de mar
The frigate that rises up on the prow
The fish seller who insists on passing by
They smell good because they are from Lisbon
Lisbon smells like flowers and the sea

*Ha! I told you so! She’s got half of it, anyway! The best half!

** I assume “um cheiro” can be “a hint” in this sense.

***I think “lhes dar” is equivalent to “dar a” (eles) which can have the sense of reaching or arriving at something

Posted in English, Portuguese

Faz-te um Homem, Rapaz (TV Rural)

Well, who fancies a translation? I know I do. First translation of the new year. This one is a bit more poppy and upbeat than some of the ones I’ve done lately.

By the way, can anyone work out what the marioneta is saying at the start? Tell me in the comments because I’d love to know. But even the CAPLE exam setters aren’t sadistic enough to make you listen to a guy talking through a swozzle in their aural comprehension. The creator is currently working with a company called Mãozorra at the moment so if you want to know more, have a look at their site.

PortuguêsEnglish
Modera a ansiedade de te veres a eito 
faz-te calmo e bom proveito
Quando amanhã te levantares 
E achares que é natural 
Não pensares nessa mulher, então 
Tudo vai mal 
Don’t focus on yourself so much*
Calm down and enjoy yourself
When you get up tomorrow
And think it’s natural
Not to think of that woman, then
Everything goes wrong
Quando te ouvires a falar 
Mete a cabeça para dentro 
Quando te ouvires a falar 
Encolhe os ombros num lamento 
Nem penses nisso, então 
Tudo vai mal
Tudo vai mal 
Vai de mal a pior 
E essa coragem, se és capaz 
Faz-te um homem, rapaz 
Já viste o que um dia faz? 
When you hear yourself talking
Put your head inside
When you hear yourself talking
Shrug your shoulders in sorrow
So dont even think about it
Everything goes wrong
Everything goes wrong
It goes from bad to worse
And that courage, if you can
Man up, lad
Have you seen what one day can do?
E se esta noite passar 
Há-de te irritar o dia 
E se esta noite evitar 
O que a estupidez faria 
Pára com isso, então 
Tudo vai mal
Tudo vai mal 
Vai de mal a pior 
E essa coragem, se és capaz
Vá lá, faz-te um homem, rapaz
modera a ansiedade de te veres a eito 
faz-te calmo e bom proveito
Faz-te um homem, rapaz 
Já viste o que um dia faz?
And if this night passes
It’s going to irritate you all day
And if this night avoids
What stupidity will do
So stop that
Everything goes wrong
Everything goes wrong
It goes from bad to worse
Adn that courage, if you can
Go on, man up lad
Don’t focus on yourself so much*
Calm down and enjoy yourself
Man up, lad
Have you seen what one day can do?

*Really paraphrasing here – “Moderate your anxiety of seeing yourself constantly”

Posted in English, Portuguese

Vou Dar de Beber à Alegria

Translation!

I’ve had a couple of videos (here and here) that have made reference to a song called “A Casa da Mariquinhas”. It keeps appearing in the most unexpected of places, and I am planning to do a longer blog post about the history around it, but for today, here’s another “sequel” to the song. The title “Vou dar de Beber à Alegria” is not accidental – it’s a callback to an earlier title, “Vou dar de Beber à Dor”. The reason I’m interested in this video is that I don’t understand all the dialogue in between the verses, where she’s just having bantz with the audience. I can get quite a bit of it; my favourite bit is when she fancies singing a bit more she tells her guitarist “Anda Armando!” – oh yeah, she’s in charge. But I’m definitely missing huge chunks. I found a transcript online and it’s full of footnotes, so it seemed worth writing it out and decoding all the dialogue, with a view to sharpening my listening skills

OK (Rolls up sleeves) LET’S DO THIS!

Some aspects of this don’t really make much sense and I don’t know if it’s just me or what. Like what’s the mongoose stuff all about? There’s another version by Mafalda Arnauth which is really polished and leaves out the crazy backstory and there are a couple of other tweaks too – like she says “Umas Pinguinhas” instead of “Uma Macieirazinha”, maybe because that drink isn’t well-known now and people might wonder what she was talking about.

PortugueseEnglish
[Também podia ser Yé-Yé, olha,
Lembras-te, quando a gente fazia estas paródias? Ah, ah. Ela fazia um marinheiro americano depois voltámos: Eu fiz muitos marinheiros americanos, ela fez “um marinheiro americano” e eu fiz “um marujo português”, um dueto. É um sucesso!]
Anda Armando!
It could be Yé-Yé* too, look. Remember when we used to do these parodies? She (Amália Rodrigues) was making an american sailor** and then we came back: I made lots of american sailors, she mas “An american sailor” and I made “a Portuguese Sailor”, a duet. It’s a hit!

Go for it, Armando!
Passei ontem pela rua, onde morava,
A cantada e recantada Mariquinhas,
E qual não é meu espanto,
Olho e, vejo por encanto,
Outra vez, lá na janela, as tabuinhas.
Corri e bati à porta
E até fiquei quase morta,
Quando ela se abriu p’las alminhas,
Pois, quem veio a porta abrir e a sorrir,
Era mesmo a Mariquinhas!
Yesterday I went down the road where lived
The much-sung-about Mariquinhas
And which isn’t my amazement
I look and I see by magic
Once again, in the window, the shutters.
I ran and knocked at the door
And I almost died
When it opened by a mircacle
Because who came to the door and opened it smiling
It was Mariquinhas herself!
[Ai, a Mariquinhas ‘tá uma beleza, ‘tá tão linda a Mariquinhas!
Ai que linda, ai que linda, ai que beleza!
‘Tá mais gordinha, pesa quatrocentos e cinquenta quilos,
Não é brincadeira nenhuma, que é mais que o dobro!
Mas como gordura é formosura,
Ela não se importa nada com isso.
‘Tava a comer jaquinzinhos de escabeche, quando eu apareci.
Ela assim que me viu:
– Olha a Hermínia, eh pá!
Ela sabe que eu gosto de carapaus fritos, coitadinha até fez ternura:
Tinha lá o arranjinho dela, jaquinzinhos a 320 paus o quilo.
Ela tinha lá cinco gramas, era para ela e para o «charmant», pró «Schatz»; depois apareceu esta intrusa; olha, foi à conta! O que vale é que os jaquinzinhos, é cabecinha, rabinho e tudo, vai tudo na enchurrada!]
 
Anda Armando!
Oh, Mariquinhas is a beauty, she’s so lovely, Mariquinhas!
Oh how lovely, how lovely, what beauty!
She’s a little fatter, she weighs 450 kilos,
It’s no joke, it’s more than double!
But with fatness there’s gorgeousness,
She doesn’t care about that at all
She was eating Jaquinzinhos with escabeche*** when I appeared
And as soon as she saw me:
“Hello, Hermínia, woah, man!”
She knows I like Fried mackerel, poor thing, she was even kind to me
She had her little arrangement, jaquinzinhos at 320 paus (escudos) a kilo
She had five grams, it was for her and for the “charmant”, for the “Schatz”****; then there was this intrusion; look, it was the bill!
What matters is that the Jaquizinhos, heads, tails, everything, all go in together

Go for it, Armando!
Eu entrei e abracei a Mariquinhas,
Que me contou que um senhor de falas finas
Lhe deu a casa que é sua,
Pôs o prego na rua
E correu com o tal senhor, que era lingrinhas.
Mandou caiar as paredes,
Pôr cortinas de chita
Nas janelas tão bonitas, às bolinhas.
E, por fora, p’ra chatear as vizinhas,
Janelas com tabuinhas.
I went in and hugged Mariquinhas,
Who told me that a sweet-talking man
Had given her the house that is hers
Put the nail in the road
And ran with that man, who was skinny.
She ordered the walls to be whitewashed
Put up chintz curtains
with polka-dots on the beatiful windows
And outside, to annoy the neighbours
Windows with shutters
[Bem-feita! Lá na rua, as amiguinhas ficaram todas danadas.
E um peso de quatrocentos quilos em cada ponta das tabuinhas, que era para elas não poderem deitar para lá os mirones.
Aquilo é um rés-do-chão.
Antigamente aquilo era só lá chegar, e aquilo era canja, agora quem é que pode? Aguente-se oitocentos quilos, o que ela se havia de “alimbrar*****” hein! Mas é uma belíssima rapariga!
 
Anda Armando!
Well done! There on the street, the little friends were all upset
And a weight of 400kg on each corner of the shutter so the nosey-parkers couldn’t move them aside.
That was on the ground floor
Back in the day all you had to do was walk up and it was a piece of cake, now who could do it? 800kg is sturdy enough, which she must have remembered, eh? But she was a very beautiful girl!

Go for it, Armando!
Ai, já tiraram os caixilhos às voltinhas
E as janelas já estão todas catitinhas.
E p’ra afastar os temores
E o inguiço****** dos penhores,
Defumou a casa toda com ervinhas.
Pôs incenso das igrejas
E, p’ra acabar com as invejas,
Pôs um chifre atrás da porta, às voltinhas.
E na cama, sobre a colcha feita à mão,
Ai, debruada com borlinhas.
Oh they’ve already taken away the boxes
And the windows are all looking good
And to drive away fears
And the bad luck of the debts
She fumigated the whole house with herbs
Put out church incense
And to put an end to the envy
Put a horn behind the door around about*******
And on the bed, on the handmade quilt, oh, decorated with tassels
[Ela é muito prendada.
‘Tava a fazer colcha toda em caroché
Diz que era para oferecer a mim
Para eu estrear na noite de Natal:
E tens qu’a pôr, e tens qu’a pôr, e tens qu’a pôr
Tens qu’a pôr o quê, mulher?
Tens que pôr a colcha na noite…
‘Tá bem, pronto, acabou-se!
Faltavam très dias p’rò o Natal e a colcha ainda ‘tava em meio. E ela, coitadinha, ali, à fossanga, à fossanga…
Ò mulher, pára lá com a costura! Quando entram as visitas de cerimónia assim como eu, pára-se logo com tudo!
Nós éramos aprendizas de alfaiate, quando éramos miúdas, é claro que eu não percebia nada daquilo, nem queria, eu andava a apanhar alfenetes [alfinetes], agora ela não; ela já sabia “górnecer” [guarnecer], como ela dizia. Hoje é uma boa costureira de alfaiate e eu sou vedeta! De maneira que ela faz assim um bocadinho de cerimónia comigo, então respondeu:
Ó filha, eu por acaso até nem percebo desses “protocóis” [protocolos]. Você não percebe destes proto quê?
Então aprenda, eu é que sei! “Coltura” [Cultura] é comigo, sou eu e o Pedro Homem de Melo, só, mais nada!
Uma bandida daquelas, da minha criação, a dizer «protocóis». Mas em que rimance [romance], em que rimance, é que ela aprendeu os protocóis, não foi na crónica feminina, concerteza. Eu, ali, cheia de punhos de renda, nhó, nhó, nhó, nhé, nhé, nhé, e ela, pimba, «protocóis»!
 
Anda Armando!

A colcha é linda!
É toda aos “kódrados” [quadrados] de metro e meio
Assim com rosinhas, todas em relevo; assim com cachos de uvas ferrais, pindurados assim à volta, uma fundura toda em «bois de rose»
é uma beleza! Pesa cinquenta quilos. Aquilo não é sonho, é pesadelo! Agora eu, pela escada abaixo, com cinquenta manguços às costas… Eu disse escada abaixo? Ó Irene, eu disse escada abaixo, disse?
Não é, é um rés-do-cháo!
She was very gifted.
She was making the whole quilt with crochet
She said it was to give to me
For me to use for the first time at Christmas:
And you have to put, have to put, have to put
Have to put, what, woman?
You have to put on the quilt at night
That’s fine, right, it’s finished!
It was three days before christmas and the quilt was still only half finished. And her, poor thing, there, working hard, working hard…
O woman, stop your sewing!
When they enter on cerimonial visits like me, everything stops!
We were apprentices of needlework when we were kids, it’s clear that I didn’t understand any of that and didn’t want to. I was picking up pins, but not her. She knew how to decorate, as she would say.
Today, she is a good seamstress and I’m a star! In that way she made a little ceremony with me, then replied:
Oh, daughter, I as it happens don’t know of these “protocols”. You don’t understand these proto-what?
Then learn, I’m the one who knows! Culture, that’s nmy department, me and Pedro Homem de Melo and nobody else!
One of those bandits of my creation saying “protocols”, but in what novel, in what novel did she learn “protocols”? It wasn’t in the Crónica Feminina, that’s for sure! Here I am, walking on eggshells, nhó nhó nhó nhé nhé nhé********* and her – boom! “Protocóis!”

Go for it, Armando!

the quilt is lovely!
It’s made up of squares, and a metre and a half in size
Like that, with roses, all in relief
and with bunches of iron grapes, hanging, like this around it, a background all in “rosewood” It’s a beauty! It weights 50 kilos
That’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare! Now me, down the stairs with fifty mongooses********** on my back… Did I say down the stairs? Oh Irender, I said downstairs, didn’t I? No, it’s the ground floor!
Lá está tudo, tudo, tudo, até o xaile
E a guitarra, enfeitada com fitinhas.
E sobre a cama, reparo,
Um peniquinho de barro,
Bem bonito e pintadinho com florinhas.
E eu fiquei tão contente!
E ficámos, calmamente,
A beber até de manhã, ai, ai.. uma macieirazinha,
Pois dar de beber à dor é o melhor,
Já dizia a Mariquinhas!
Pois dar de beber à dor é o melhor,
Já dizia a Mariquinhas!
There it is, everything, everything, even the shawl
And the guitar, decorated with patches
And on the bed, I notice,
A clay chamber-pot
All pretty, painted with flowers.
I was so happy
And we stayed, calmly
Drinking until morning, oh oh…
A little Macieira
Because drinking the pain away is the best
Said Mariquinhas
Because drinking the pain away is the best
Said Mariquinhas

*Yé-Yé was a style of pop music in europe in the sixties, The name derives from Yeah-Yeah used by bands like the Beatles

**I definitely feel like I’m in double-entendre territory here, but for what it’s worth in the sixties, Hermínia Silva did in fact make a record called “Marinheiro American” and another called “Marujo de Lisboa, and Amália seems to have made one called “My Love is a Sailor” but whether that’s all she’s talking about, I couldn’t speculate!

***Jaquinzinhos are baby Carapaus (horse mackerel), eaten whole, and escabeche is some sort of vinaigrette style sauce. Basically, this is tasca food, although it’s difficult to see how she got that fat off eating fish, but OK.

****French and German words equivalent to Prince Charming

*****lembrar

****** I think this must be “enguiço” – and “penhores” on the same line means objects used as collateral, but debt seems to work better in the line so I have fudged it…

*******No idea what’s going on here – but they’ve already talked about burning incense to drive out bad luck so maybe some other kind of superstitious ritual???

******** Best I can do as a translation for “punhos de renda” which means taking extreme care to avoid giving offence

********* I think this is just the sound of someone jabbering like blah blah blah…?

********** Mongooses? Is mongoose a slang word for kilogram? This is baffling!