Carlos do Carmo (Lisbon, 21 December 1939 - Lisbon, 1 January 2021) was a P… Read Full Bio ↴Carlos do Carmo (Lisbon, 21 December 1939 - Lisbon, 1 January 2021) was a Portuguese singer. He was one of the most iconic faces of Fado.
He was the son of Lucília do Carmo (one of the greatest fadistas of the 20th century) and Alfredo de Almeida, (bookseller and later entrepreneur in the hotel business). His parents were also the owners of the famous Lisbon restaurant "O Faia". One might say that Carlos do Carmo was raised in an artistic atmosphere. His parents' house in the old part of the city, Bairro Alto, was a place where intelectuals and artists gathered, some of the more prominent figures of Lisbon society at that time. He studied the hotel business in Switzerland. In 1964, Carlos do Carmo began one of the most solid careers in the artistic panorama of Portugal...
When he returned to Lisbon from Switzerland he entered the hotel business with his parents, and took the reigns of "Casa de Fado" which they had founded, using all of the ideas and techniques that he learned in Switzerland. After the death of his father, Carlos do Carmo became the owner, and thanks to his merits and good luck, made "Casa de Fado" the best in Lisbon. But music was ever present in him, and he recorded one of his mother's songs, "Loucura", at the request of Mário Simões almost on a lark. The success of this experience was so great that the destiny of Carlos do Carmo could not possibly be delayed a minute more. The opportunity to record his first album came quickly, and in 1964 he recorded " Estranha Forma de Vida". His way of singing was different, his personal style unmistakable, he was the one that fado was waiting for to carry on the tradition, and there was a certainty that a new star had been born. From that moment on, success was part of his life, each and every fado that he sang, every album he recorded, every performance he gave, corresponded with yet another hit. All of his albums up to the present day have been cherished and the sales of his television performances are now part of fado history, recognized for their high quality, and for the inovative spirit that each one transmits. "Por morrer uma andorinha", "Duas lágrimas de orvalho", "Bairro Alto", "Gaivota",
"Canoas do Tejo", "Os Putos", "Lisboa Menina e Moça" e "Estrela da Tarde", are some of the biggest hits of his career. Because of a desire to maintain a purely artistic career for such a long time, his artistic references include quite diverse artists as Frank Sinatra, Jaques Brel, Elis Regina and José Afonso. The international circulation of his work was driven, as he always likes to affirm, "By those Portuguese who leave my country in search of a better life, and who have passed my works in to the hands of entrepreneurs and cultural agents of the various countries where they reside".
He has sung on 5 continents, his performances at the "Olympia" in paris, the opera houses of Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, the Canecão in Rio de Janeiro, the "Savoy" in Helsinki, the Auditório Nacional in madrid, the Teatro da Rainha in Haia, the theater of Saint Petersburgh, the "Place des Arts" in Montreal, the Tivoli in Copenhagen, and the Memorial da América latina in São Paulo are some of the finest moments of his career. His performances throughout Portugal at the Mosteiro dos
Jerónimos, the Fundação Gulbenkian, the Coliseu dos Recreios, the Casino do Estoril,
and at the Centro Cultural de Belém make a difference in the cultural level of the country.
The number of honours and awards he has received to this day are innumerable, from being named an honorary citizen of the city of Rio De Janeiro, member of the honor of Claustro Ibero-Americano das Artes, to the diploma accorded him by the senate of Rhode Island in the U.S. for his contribution to the propagation of Portuguese music, to the golden globe. He also figures as a pioneer in the new Portuguese discography, due to his album "Um Homem no País", the first cd to be edited by an artist in Portugal.
Carlos do Carmo knows the importance of family life, he's been married since 1964 having 3 children, as fruit of this union, one daughter and 2 sons, who maintain a close relationship with him. It's not always easy to juggle life as a family man with the life of a world traveling artist. He persues the realization of this dream, because he considers the union of family to be important. He considers himself the first link in a chain of individual connections. He values being with friends, and enjoys making new friends, maintaining an high level of quality in his artistic life.
Carlos do Carmo is an artist who has certainly already attained some of his goals, aiming for a public who holds him in high esteem, great respect, apreciating in him not only his qualities as a musician, but also those of an artist interested in the evolution of the music of his homeland, and who believes in the evolution of man as a creature who can embrace the whole world in it's diversity.

Fado Dos Sonhos
Carlos do Carmo Lyrics

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Sem capricho ou presunção
Nesta torre de papel
Deita sete olhares de mel
Deita sete olhares de mel
Em metade de um limão
Deita sete olhares de mel
Deita sete olhares de mel
Em metade de um limão

Na noite mais traiçoeira
Ruim, medonha, brutal
Descontada a pasmaceira
Descontada a pasmaceira
Do inferno do normal
Descontada a pasmaceira
Descontada a pasmaceira
Do inferno do normal

Se me vires a cara séria
Juiz, togado ou em fralda
A julgar faltas, à balda
A julgar faltas, à balda
Num tribunal multimídia

A julgar faltas, à balda
A julgar faltas, à balda
Num tribunal multimídia

E tomado o pensamento
Por rombo, machado ou moca
Pega no laser da moda
Pega no laser da moda
Dou-te o meu assentimento

Pega no laser da moda
Pega no laser da moda
Dou-te o meu assentimento

Se me vires, por fraqueza
Por perfídia ou aflição
Mergulhado na tristeza
Mergulhado na tristeza
Com que se mói a razão
Mergulhado na tristeza
Mergulhado na tristeza
Com que se mói a razão

E servi-la à sobremesa
Das ceias da frustração
Assentado na baixeza
Assentado na baixeza
O programa da nação
Assentado na baixeza
Assentado na baixeza
O programa da nação

Por favor peço-te só
Não te demores, vem logo
Traz gasolina, põe fogo
Traz gasolina, põe fogo
Meu amor, não tenhas dó

Traz gasolina, põe fogo

Traz gasolina, põe fogo
Meu amor, não tenhas dó

Overall Meaning

" Fado Dos Sonhos" by Carlos do Carmo is a deeply introspective song that explores themes of melancholy, introspection, and societal critique. The lyrics evoke a sense of vulnerability and resignation, as the singer reflects on their own emotional state and the state of the world around them.

The first verse speaks of throwing seven honeyed glances into half a lemon, a metaphor for seeking solace or joy in something small and insignificant. It suggests a sense of longing for sweetness and tenderness in a world that may feel fragile and transient, represented by the "tower of paper."

The second verse portrays a night of darkness and treachery, where the mundane and the mediocre are discounted. It criticizes the "inferno of normality" and implies a desire for something more profound and meaningful.

The third verse takes a satirical tone, addressing the hypocrisy and flaws of those in positions of power and authority, such as judges or politicians. The lyrics suggest that they judge without real understanding or consideration, using a "multimedia court" as a symbol of superficial judgement.

The fourth verse delves deeper into the singer's emotional state, expressing moments of weakness, betrayal, and sadness. The lyrics depict a struggle with inner turmoil and the grinding of reason. The reference to serving sadness as a dessert at the dinners of frustration speaks to the suffocating nature of societal expectations and the way in which personal struggles are trivialized.

The final verse takes on a darker tone, expressing a sense of desperation and a desire for destruction. The request for gasoline and fire is a metaphorical call for letting go of pain and sadness, even if it means causing destruction. It is an emotional plea to embrace the intensity of one's emotions, even if it leads to chaos.

Overall, "Fado Dos Sonhos" encapsulates the essence of fado music, a Portuguese genre known for its poignant and introspective lyrics. It reflects on the complexities of human emotion and the challenges of navigating a world that can often feel cold and indifferent.

Line by Line Meaning

Sem capricho ou presunção
Without whims or presumption

Nesta torre de papel
In this paper tower

Deita sete olhares de mel
He throws seven honeyed glances

Em metade de um limão
At half a lemon

Na noite mais traiçoeira
In the most treacherous night

Ruim, medonha, brutal
Bad, scary, brutal

Descontada a pasmaceira
Discounting the stupor

Do inferno do normal
From the hell of normalcy

Se me vires a cara séria
If you see me with a serious face

Juiz, togado ou em fralda
Judge, robed or in diapers

A julgar faltas, à balda
Judging faults, at random