She' S A Carioca
Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics

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Here she comes
Here she comes

Ela é carioca
She′s a carioca
Just see the way she walks
Nobody else can be
What she is to me

I look and what do I see
When I look deep in her eyes
I can see the sea
A forgotten road
The caressing skies

And not only that I'm in love with her
The most exciting way
It′s written on my lips
Where her kisses stay

She smiles and all of a sudden
The world is smiling for me
And you know what else she's a carioca
Ela é carioca

Here she comes
Here she comes

She smiles and all of a sudden
The world is smiling for me
And you know what else she's a carioca
Ela é carioca

Here she comes
Here she comes

Overall Meaning

Antônio Carlos Jobim’s song She’s a Carioca is a love song, dedicated to the singer’s lover who was from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The song is full of passion and admiration for the woman who has caught the singer’s heart. The song starts with “Here she comes,” repeated twice, to indicate the excitement, anticipation, and eagerness the singer has for his lover. The next line is “Ela é carioca,” which means “She’s a carioca.” Carioca is a term used for people from Rio de Janeiro. The singer is proud to be with a woman from this beautiful city and admires her for who she is.

The singer continues to describe his lover’s beauty, saying “Just see the way she walks, nobody else can be what she is to me.” He is mesmerized by her, and when he looks into her eyes, he can see the sea, the forgotten road, and the caressing skies. The singer is clearly in love with his carioca girl and expresses it by saying, “And not only that I'm in love with her the most exciting way, it’s written on my lips where her kisses stay.”

In the chorus, the singer talks about how his lover’s smile can change the world around them. The world is smiling for him when his carioca girl smiles at him. The song ends with “Here she comes” repeated twice, showing that the singer can’t get enough of his lover and is always waiting for her with open arms.

Line by Line Meaning

Here she comes
She is approaching and about to arrive

Ela é carioca
She is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Just see the way she walks
Her unique stride is noticeable and captivating

Nobody else can be
No one else can compare or match her essence

What she is to me
The very essence of her brings happiness to me

I look and what do I see
When I gaze at her, what do I perceive?

When I look deep in her eyes
When I deeply study her gaze

I can see the sea
I see the vastness of the ocean in her eyes

A forgotten road
A distant and treasured journey

The caressing skies
The gentle and soothing sky

And not only that I'm in love with her
However, my affection for her goes beyond this