Garota De Ipanema
Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics


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Olha que coisa mais linda, Look at this thing, most lovely
Mais cheia de graça most graceful
É ela menina It's her, the girl
Que vem que passa that comes, that passes
Num doce balanço with a sweet swinging
Caminho do mar walking to the sea

Moça do corpo dourado Girl of the golden body
Do sol de Ipanema from the sun of Ipanema
O seu balançado Your swaying
É mais que um poema is more than a poem
É a coisa mais linda It's a thing more beautiful
Que eu já vi passar than I have ever seen pass by

Ah, porque estou tão sozinho Ah, why am I so alone
Ah, porque tudo e tão triste Ah, why is everthing so sad
Ah, a beleza que existe The beauty that exists
A beleza que não é só minha The beauty that is not mine alone
Que também passa sozinha that also passes by on its own

Ah, se ela soubesse ah, if she only knew
Que quando ela passa that when she passes
O mundo sorrindo the world smiles
Se enche de graça fills itself with grace
E fica mais lindo and remains more beautiful
Por causa do amor because of love

Tall and tan
And young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema
Goes walking
And when she passes
Each one she passes
Goes ahhh

When she walks
She's like a samba
That swings so cool
And sways so gently
That when she passes
Each one she passes
Goes ahhh

Oh, but he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at he

Tall and tan
And young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema
Goes walking
And when she passes




He smiles but she doesn't see
She just doesn't see

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Garota de Ipanema, or “The Girl from Ipanema” in English, encapsulate the pure beauty and grace of the young beach-goers that walk past the songwriter on their way to the ocean. The “sweet sway” of their steps appears like a poem come to life, but the most stunning female of them all is the “golden girl” who exudes an intangible allure that mesmerizes the songwriter. As she passes by, he muses on the frustration and desperation he feels in his own life, making the appearance of the girl all the more poignant. While his own existence becomes dulled by monotony and sadness, the presence of the girl from Ipanema turns the world into a brighter and more beautiful place for a moment. If only she could see the power of her own presence, how much happiness she brings with her simple stroll.


Garota de Ipanema captures the essence of the carefree beach culture that Rio de Janeiro is known for, while also embodying the melancholy undertones that make the city so textured and fascinating. The song, composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with Portuguese lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes and English lyrics by Norman Gimbel, premiered in 1962 at a Rio nightclub, but did not receive international acclaim until the 1964 version performed by João Gilberto and his then-wife, Astrud Gilberto. This version, recorded in New York City, reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a top 20 hit throughout Europe. Since then, “The Girl from Ipanema” has been covered by countless artists, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Amy Winehouse, cementing its status as a timeless classic. One of the most interesting facts about the song is how its creation brought together two very different artistic circles within Brazil – Jobim, who represented the sophisticated class of Rio de Janeiro’s urban elite, and de Moraes, a poet from the poorer outskirts of the city. It was their shared experiences and sensibilities that allowed them to write a song that resonated with so many people from all backgrounds.


Line by Line Meaning

Olha que coisa mais linda
Look at how beautiful she is


Mais cheia de graça
And how gracefully she moves


É ela menina
It's that girl


Que vem e que passa
Who comes and goes


No doce balanço, a caminho do mar
In the gentle sway, on her way to the sea


Moça do corpo dourado
A girl with a golden body


Do sol de Ipanema
From the sun of Ipanema


O seu balançado é mais que um poema
Her sway is more than a poem


É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar
It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen go past


Ah, porque estou tão sozinho
Oh, why am I so lonely


Ah, porque tudo é tão triste
Oh, why is everything so sad


Ah, a beleza que existe
Ah, the beauty that exists


A beleza que não é só minha
The beauty that's not just mine


Que também passa sozinha
That also passes by alone


Ah, se ela soubesse
Oh, if she only knew


Que quando ela passa
That when she walks by


O mundo inteirinho se enche de graça
The whole world becomes full of grace


E fica mais lindo
And becomes even more beautiful


Por causa do amor
Because of love




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Antonio Carlos Brasileiro De A Jobim, Marcus Vinicius Da Cruz De M. Moraes

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Richard Norris


on Samba Do Soho

It's "Diadem" which is a fancy headband. Also, I believe this song was written by Jobim's son, Paolo.

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