Moving now to and artist from Cape Verde and one of the most beautiful songs, from the singer's her 1992 album Miss Perfumado. Evora began her career singing on Portuguese cruise ships, but in a long career, until she died aged 70 in 2011, she collaborated with many African musicians featured recently on Song of the Day. Sodade was originally written by the Cape Verdean composer Armando Zeferino Soares in the 1950s. The song, meaning 'longing', is inspired by emigrant workers who leave Cape Verde to look back at their homeland with nostalgia, and with yearning for loved one, but as well as the melody, it is the perfect pace, and the, gradually falling, lilting beauty of Evora's voice that truly brings out such emotions.
[Verso 1]
Quem mostra' bo ess caminh' longe?
Quem mostra' bo ess caminh' longe?
Ess caminh' pa São Tomé
Quem mostra' bo ess caminh' longe?
Quem mostra' bo ess caminh' longe?
Ess caminh' pa São Tomé
[Refrain]
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau
[Verso 1]
Quem mostra' bo ess caminho longe?
Quem mostra' bo ess caminho longe?
Ess caminho pa São Tomé
Quem mostra' bo ess caminho longe?
Quem mostra' bo ess caminho longe?
Ess caminho pa São Tomé
[Refrão]
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau
[Verse 2]
Si bô 'screvê-me, m' ta 'screvê-be
Si bô 'squecê-me, m' ta 'squecê-be
Até dia qui bô voltà
Si bô 'screvê-me, m' ta 'screvê-be
Si bô 'squecê-me, m' ta 'squecê-be
Até dia qui bô voltà
[Refrain]
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau
Sodade, sodade
Sodade d' ess nha terra São Nicolau.
Who will show you...
This distant way?
Who will show you...
This distant way?
This way ... to Sao Tomé?
The longing, the longing,...
The longing
For this land of mine, Sao Nicolau
If you write me letter,...
I will write you back
If you forget me,...
I will forget you...
Until the day...
You come back
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