Desafinado
Antonio Carlos Jobim and Gal Costa Lyrics


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Se você disser que eu desafino amor
Saiba que isso em mim provoca imensa dor
Só privilegiados têm ouvido igual ao seu
Eu possuo apenas o que Deus me deu
Se você insiste em classificar
Meu comportamento de anti-musical
Eu mesmo mentindo devo argumentar
Que isso é bossa-nova, isso é muito natural
O que você não sabe nem sequer pressente
É que os desafinados também têm um coração

Fotografei você na minha Rolei-flex
Revelou-se a sua enorme ingratidão
Só não poderá falar assim do meu amor
Esse é o maior que você pode encontrar
Você com sua música esqueceu o principal
Que no peito dos desafinados
Também bate um coração

Se você disser que eu desafino amor
Saiba que isso em mim provoca imensa dor
Só privilegiados têm ouvido igual ao seu
Eu possuo apenas o que Deus me deu
Se você insiste em classificar
Meu comportamento de anti-musical
Eu mesmo mentindo devo argumentar
Que isso é bossa-nova, isso é muito natural
O que você não sabe nem sequer pressente
É que os desafinados também têm um coração

Fotografei você na minha Rolei-flex
Revelou-se a sua enorme ingratidão
Só não poderá falar assim do meu amor
Esse é o maior que você pode encontrar
Você com a sua música esqueceu o principal
Que no peito dos desafinados
No fundo do peito bate calado




No peito dos desafinados
Também bate um coração

Overall Meaning

Desafinado is a song that talks about the struggles of people who are considered 'desafinado' which means out of tune, musically speaking. The song starts with the singer saying that if someone says he is out of tune, it causes him immense pain. He talks about his limited abilities in comparison to those who are considered to have a privileged ear for music. He says that he only has what God gave him.


The singer then goes on to defend himself and his music by saying that what people call 'anti-musical' is actually bossa nova, and it's natural. He also points out that even those who are out of tune have a heart. In the second verse, the singer talks about how he captures the image of the person who considers him desafinado on his camera and develops it, displaying the ungratefulness of that person. However, he says that person cannot say anything about the singer's love because it is the biggest love they will ever find. The end of the song repeats the sentiment that even those who are out of tune have a heart that beats quietly in their chest.


Line by Line Meaning

Se você disser que eu desafino amor
If you say that I sing out of tune, my love, know that it causes me immense pain


Saiba que isso em mim provoca imensa dor
Understand that it causes me immense pain


Só privilegiados têm ouvido igual ao seu
Only the privileged have an ear as refined as yours


Eu possuo apenas o que Deus me deu
I only possess what God has given me


Se você insiste em classificar
If you insist on classifying


Meu comportamento de anti-musical
My behavior as anti-musical


Eu mesmo mentindo devo argumentar
Even if I must lie, I must argue


Que isso é bossa-nova, isso é muito natural
That this is bossa-nova, that it is very natural


O que você não sabe nem sequer pressente
What you don't know or even suspect


É que os desafinados também têm um coração
Is that even the tone-deaf have a heart


Fotografei você na minha Rolei-flex
I photographed you with my Rolleiflex


Revelou-se a sua enorme ingratidão
Your enormous ingratitude was revealed


Só não poderá falar assim do meu amor
You cannot speak like that about my love


Esse é o maior que você pode encontrar
It's the greatest thing you can find


Você com sua música esqueceu o principal
You, with your music, forgot the main thing


Que no peito dos desafinados
That in the hearts of the tone-deaf


Também bate um coração
A heart beats too


No fundo do peito bate calado
In the depths of the heart, it beats silently


No peito dos desafinados
In the hearts of the tone-deaf


Também bate um coração
A heart beats too




Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda., CORCOVADO MUSIC CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Newton Mendonca, Tom Jobim

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@rodrigoborquez7349

Mi corazón está de luto. Una de las voces más grandes de mi música favorita. Descansa en paz y vuela alto Gal. Desde Chile con amor....

@lilytoniolo9387

I live in Dallas Texas USA. I bought her CD and all the songs are fantastic. She came to NYC and gave a concert at Carnegie Hall and I was fortunate to be able to attend and she autographed CD. It was absolutely fantastic!

@humbertomoreno141

I loved her, the purity of her voice, her unique and melodious accent, which filled our souls with peace and joy. How sad that she is no longer with us! . Rest in peace Gal Costa

@bettypolk8206

Unfortunately it was a great loss for all of us who had known her for her wonderful voice and talented singer and great musician... Perdemos um grande talento da nossa música brasileira 😢💔

@roselimichelonfernandes5964

Unfortunately we lost our queen. So sad she is gone

@iandowney4630

I’m from Boston, Massachusetts and I’ve been listening to many different styles of Brazilian music since I was a kid. I have no idea how anyone could NOT love Gal! Her voice is among the very best in the entire world, in my opinion. I, too, had the great honor of seeing her perform in Boston- with Dori Caymmi- in 2001, which was two months after the 9/11 attack. I’ll never forget that show! Whether she was singing Jobim, Djavan, Jorge Ben, or singing with Filhos de Gandhi, her voice more than met the moment. In my 60 years, I don’t think I’ve heard a more beautiful and versatile voice. Maybe Ella Fitzgerald. I only wish that more people in this country (US) would listen to Brazilian music. God forgive them for they know not what they do.
My deepest condolences to her family, friends and to Brazil 🇧🇷 for the loss of this amazing musical, cultural and historical icon. She leaves the entire world with a very significant body of music for us and future generations to fall in love with again and again.
A voz dela será enfiada no tecido do universo pra sempre ❤ I hope my português wasn’t too bad.

@roselimichelonfernandes5964

@@iandowney4630 wow thats beautiful. To see how her voice and art touched you deeply just like many brazilians. And you are right Gal is one of the few singers that NO ONE would ever dare to criticize, she actually helped to built the pop culture we have now. She was truly the IT girl WITH TALENT for DECADES. From when i was a girl up until her death she never lost the power with the crowd and the adoration of really the entire country.

6 More Replies...

@joshcardin2783

She is one of the 10 best voices in all world in all times ever....

@FATIMAGARCIA302

Totally agreed!

@mairamiguel7420

I also agree!

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