Ligia
Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics
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Nunca fui ao cinema
Não gosto de samba
Não vou a Ipanema
Não gosto de chuva
Nem gosto de sol
E quando eu lhe telefonei
Seu nome não sei
Esqueci no piano
As bobagens de amor
Que eu iria dizer
Não, Lígia, Lígia
Eu nunca quis tê-la ao meu lado
Num fim de semana
Um chope gelado
Em Copacabana
Andar pela praia até o Leblon
E quando eu me apaixonei
Não passou de ilusão
O seu nome rasguei
Fiz um samba canção
Das mentiras de amor
Que aprendi com você
É Lígia, Lígia
E quando você me envolver
Nos seus braços serenos
Eu vou me render
Mas seus olhos morenos
Me metem mais medo
Que um raio de sol
Lígia, Lígia
At first glance, the lyrics to Antônio Carlos Jobim's song Ligia may seem like a list of things the singer dislikes or doesn't care about, but on further inspection, it becomes clear that these are all things that are typically associated with romance and passion in Brazil. The singer states that he never dreamed of Ligia (presumably the person he is singing to), never went to the cinema (where couples go to see romantic movies), doesn't like samba (a passionate Brazilian dance), doesn't go to Ipanema (a famous beach associated with beautiful people and romance), and doesn't like rain or sun (both of which are often used in Brazilian music to symbolize love and passion).
When he calls her, he hangs up by mistake and doesn't even remember her name, let alone any romantic things he was planning to say to her. He never wanted to spend a weekend with her drinking beer in Copacabana or walking on the beach in Leblon (another romantic spot). He admits that when he thought he was in love with her, it was all just an illusion, and he wrote a samba canção (a slow, romantic type of samba) about the lies he learned from her.
Despite all this, he knows that if she were to embrace him in her arms, he would surrender to her, but her dark eyes scare him more than a ray of sunlight. The song is a beautiful commentary on the pressure to conform to traditional romantic ideals and the fear of true intimacy.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu nunca sonhei com você
I never imagined or fantasized about you
Nunca fui ao cinema
I haven't gone to a movie theater
Não gosto de samba
I don't like samba music
Não vou a Ipanema
I don't go to Ipanema beach
Não gosto de chuva
I don't like rain
Nem gosto de sol
I don't even like sunshine
E quando eu lhe telefonei
And when I called you on the phone
Desliguei foi engano
I hung up by mistake
Seu nome não sei
I don't even know your name
Esqueci no piano
I forgot it while playing the piano
As bobagens de amor
The silly things about love
Que eu iria dizer
That I was going to say
Não, Lígia, Lígia
No, Lígia, Lígia
Eu nunca quis tê-la ao meu lado
I never wanted to have you by my side
Num fim de semana
On a weekend
Um chope gelado
A cold beer
Em Copacabana
In Copacabana
Andar pela praia até o Leblon
Walking along the beach until Leblon
E quando eu me apaixonei
And when I fell in love
Não passou de ilusão
It was just an illusion
O seu nome rasguei
I ripped off your name
Fiz um samba canção
I made a samba song
Das mentiras de amor
Of the lies of love
Que aprendi com você
That I learned from you
É Lígia, Lígia
It's Lígia, Lígia
E quando você me envolver
And when you embrace me
Nos seus braços serenos
In your peaceful arms
Eu vou me render
I will surrender
Mas seus olhos morenos
But your dark eyes
Me metem mais medo
Scare me even more
Que um raio de sol
Than a ray of sunshine
Lígia, Lígia
Lígia, Lígia
Writer(s): Antonio Carlos Jobim
Contributed by Kaylee E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.