11. Girl From Ipanema
Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz Lyrics


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Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes ah

When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes ooh
(Ooh) But I watch her so sadly
How can I tell her I love her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at me

Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking




And when she passes, I smile but she doesn't see (doesn't see)
(She just doesn't see, she never sees me)

Overall Meaning

The song "The Girl From Ipanema" is an iconic Brazilian bossa nova jazz standard. It was written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes in 1962 in Rio de Janeiro. The lyrics describe a young and beautiful girl from the beach neighborhood of Ipanema in Rio, who catches the attention of everyone around her. The singer admires her from afar, but feels sad because he knows she does not notice him.


The first verse highlights the girl's attributes of being tall, tan, young, and lovely. When she walks, she moves like a samba and her graceful sway captures the attention of everyone around her. The following line repeats, emphasizing the fact that each person who sees her is captivated by her beauty.


The second verse reveals the singer's personal feelings towards the girl. He watches her from a distance, admiring her beauty and falling in love. He wishes he could tell her how he feels, but he is too afraid to express his emotions. The third verse repeats the same lines from the first verse, showing that the girl remains oblivious to the singer's affection. The final line reveals the singer's disappointment, as he smiles at her but she never sees him.


Overall, the song depicts the bittersweet experience of unrequited love and unattainable desire, set to the backdrop of the lively and vibrant beach culture of Rio de Janeiro.


Line by Line Meaning

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema is tall, tanned and beautiful


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
She likes to take a stroll outside


And when she passes, each one she passes goes ah
Everyone can't help but admire her beauty


When she walks, she's like a samba
She walks with rhythm like a samba


That swings so cool and sways so gentle
Her movements are effortless and graceful


That when she passes, each one she passes goes ooh
Everyone can't help but be charmed by her presence


(Ooh) But I watch her so sadly
I watch her but I feel sad because I can never have her


How can I tell her I love her
I wish I could express my love for her


Yes I would give my heart gladly
I would give everything to be with her


But each day, when she walks to the sea
Everyday she goes to the sea


She looks straight ahead, not at me
But she never looks at me


And when she passes, I smile but she doesn't see (doesn't see)
I can't help but smile but she doesn't even notice me


(She just doesn't see, she never sees me)
I'm invisible to her




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM, VINICIUS DE MORAES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@maycanlas6665

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes Each one she passes goes, ah
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, ah
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 him
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes He smiles, but she doesn't see
Oh, but he sees her 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 him
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, no she just doesn't see
But she doesn't see, she doesn't see, no she just doesn't see



All comments from YouTube:

@brianmolstad1255

When I started dating my wife in 1964 this was one of the very first songs we listened to and bought. She died two weeks ago and I still love her and remember this like it was 1964. God bless you Elisabeth.

@kellao2481

Aw rip❤

@Jinping-CoronaEatingShow

God blass you

@bruceeide4359

May Good God Bless you sir, for your faithfulness and love toward your forever soulmate.

@GroundhogzGarage

That’s a beautiful memory of your time together.

@stevecinquemani6225

@@Jinping-CoronaEatingShow ²

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@abelincoln3287

What a lovely vision she was and a unique and beautiful voice. She had a shy and timid presentation, and still delivered a classic performance. RIP

@diegoacuna4493

🕊

@bigballermakingmyends2797

😥😥😥

@oliviahackshaw5267

yes,just heard of her passing and playing this in memoriam

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