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.
O Amarelo Da Carris
Carlos do Carmo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
vai da Alfama à Mouraria,
quem diria.
Vai da Baixa ao Bairro Alto,
trepa à Graça em sobressalto,
sem saber geografia.
O Amarelo Da Carris
já teve um avô outrora,
Teve um pai americano,
foi inglês por muito ano,
só é português agora.
Entram magalas, costureiras;
descem senhoras petulantes.
Entre a verdade, os peliscos e as peneiras,
fica tudo como dantes.
Quero um de quinze p'ra a Pampuia.
Já é mais caro este transporte.
E qualquer dia,
mudo a agulha porque a vida
está pela hora da morte.
O Amarelo Da Carris
tem misérias à socapa
que ele tapa.
Tinha bancos de palhinha,
hoje tem cabelos brancos,
e os bancos são de napa.
NO Amarelo Da Carris
já não há "pode seguir"
para se ouvir.
Hoje o pó que o faz andar
é o pó (?)
com que ele se foi cobrir.
Quando um rapaz empurra um velho,
ou se machuca uma criança,
então a gente vê ao espelho o atropelo
e a ganância que nos cansa.
E quando a malta fica à espera,
é que percebe como é:
passa à pendura
um pendura que não paga
e não quer andar a pé.
Entram magalas, costureiras;
descem senhoras petulantes.
Entre a verdade,
os peliscos e as peneiras,
fica tudo como dantes.
Quero um de quinze p'ra a Pampuia.
Já é mais caro este transporte.
E qualquer dia,
mudo a agulha porque a vida
está pela hora da morte.
The song "O Amarelo Da Carris" by Carlos do Carmo is about the Lisbon tram, specifically the yellow one known as "Carris." The song describes the tram's route through different neighborhoods in Lisbon, from Alfama to Mouraria, Baixa to Bairro Alto, and up to Graça. The singer reflects on the history of the tram, wondering if it had an aristocratic grandfather and if its father was American and British before becoming Portuguese. The tram is described as a place where people from all walks of life come together, from "magalas" (working-class men) to "senhoras petulantes" (impertinent ladies).
The song also touches on the struggles of everyday life for those who rely on the tram for transportation. The singer mentions the rising cost of the fare, and the difficulty of dealing with overcrowding and pushy passengers. He reflects on the changes and decay that have affected the tram over time, from the worn-out straw seats to the now white-haired conductor. However, despite all of this, the tram remains a constant and familiar presence in the city, with its rickety wheels still turning as it trudges along the uneven streets. The song ends with the refrain "Quero um de quinze p'ra a Pampuia" (I want one for fifteen to Pampuia), a reminder of the timeless romance and nostalgia that the Lisbon tram inspires.
Line by Line Meaning
O Amarelo Da Carris vai da Alfama à Mouraria, quem diria.
The yellow tram of Carris goes from Alfama to Mouraria, something unexpected.
Vai da Baixa ao Bairro Alto, trepa à Graça em sobressalto, sem saber geografia.
It also goes from Baixa to Bairro Alto, climbs the Graça hill frantically, without knowing geography.
O Amarelo Da Carris já teve um avô outrora, que era o xora?.
The yellow tram of Carris had an ancestor who was called xora.
Teve um pai americano, foi inglês por muito ano, só é português agora.
Its father was American, and was English for a long time, but now it is Portuguese.
Entram magalas, costureiras; descem senhoras petulantes.
Shady characters and seamstresses get on, while impudent ladies get off.
Entre a verdade, os peliscos e as peneiras, fica tudo como dantes.
Despite the truth, the small gains, and the sifted flour, everything remains the same.
Quero um de quinze p'ra a Pampuia. Já é mais caro este transporte.
I want a fifteen-cent ticket to Pampuia, but transportation is getting more expensive.
E qualquer dia, mudo a agulha porque a vida está pela hora da morte.
And any day now, I'll change course, since life is almost over.
O Amarelo Da Carris tem misérias à socapa que ele tapa.
The yellow tram of Carris has hidden miseries that it covers up.
Tinha bancos de palhinha, hoje tem cabelos brancos, e os bancos são de napa.
It used to have straw seats, now it has gray hair, and the seats are made of imitation leather.
NO Amarelo Da Carris já não há 'pode seguir' para se ouvir.
The yellow tram of Carris no longer has the announcement 'pode seguir' (can proceed) to be heard.
Hoje o pó que o faz andar é o pó (?) com que ele se foi cobrir.
Today, the dust that makes it run is the same dust that covers it.
Quando um rapaz empurra um velho, ou se machuca uma criança, então a gente vê ao espelho o atropelo e a ganância que nos cansa.
When a young man shoves an old one, or a child is hurt, then we see in the mirror the recklessness and greed that weary us.
E quando a malta fica à espera, é que percebe como é: passa à pendura um pendura que não paga e não quer andar a pé.
And when the group is waiting, they realize that the fare dodgers get a free ride and don't want to walk.
Contributed by Daniel F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.