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 Homem Das Castanhas
Carlos do Carmo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ou no Jardim da Estrela,
Num fogareiro aceso é que ele arde.
Ao canto do Outono,à esquina do Inverno,
O homem das castanhas é eterno.
Não tem eira nem beira, nem guarida,
E apregoa como um desafio.
E, se não mata a fome, mata o frio.
Um carro que se empurra,
Um chapéu esburacado,
No peito uma castanha que não arde.
Tem a chuva nos olhos e tem o ar cansado
O homem que apregoa ao fim da tarde.
Ao pé dum candeeiro acaba o dia,
Voz rouca com o travo da pobreza.
Apregoa pedaços de alegria,
E à noite vai dormir com a tristeza.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
A estalarem cinzentas, na brasa.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
Quem compra leva mais calor p'ra casa.
A mágoa que transporta a miséria ambulante,
Passeia na cidade o dia inteiro.
É como se empurrasse o Outono diante;
É como se empurrasse o nevoeiro.
Quem sabe a desventura do seu fado?
Quem olha para o homem das castanhas?
Nunca ninguém pensou que ali ao lado
Ardem no fogareiro dores tamanhas.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
A estalarem cinzentas, na brasa.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
Quem compra leva mais amor p'ra casa.
The lyrics to Carlos do Carmo's song "O homem das castanhas" paints a vivid portrait of a street vendor in Lisbon who sells roasted chestnuts to passersby. The first stanza describes the man's presence in two of Lisbon's main squares, the Praça da Figueira and Jardim da Estrela, where he can be found huddled over a small fire, burning brightly amidst the onset of fall and the arrival of winter. The "homem das castanhas" (chestnut man) lives a transient life, with no home to call his own, and yet he proudly declares his trade for all to hear. The second stanza continues the portrait, highlighting the man's physical appearance, including his shabby clothes and tired demeanor. Despite the hardships he faces, the chestnut man still manages to spread a bit of joy each day, offering warm chestnuts to those who buy them.
The chorus presents a call-and-response between the chestnut man and his customers, with each line asking "Who wants hot and good (chestnuts)?" and the response being "Those who buy (them) take more warmth home." The third stanza examines the emotions that the chestnut man carries with him throughout the day, including a sense of sadness, poverty, and loss. He is constantly pushing back against the approaching autumn and winter, even as the city around him changes with the seasons. Despite his hardships, no one seems to give the chestnut man much thought, and he is largely ignored by those who pass him by.
Overall, the song "O homem das castanhas" offers a powerful commentary on the lives of those who live and work on the margins of society, struggling to make a living and find a sense of purpose amidst the daily grind. It highlights the importance of taking notice of those around us, of seeing them as individuals with complex lives and experiences, rather than just faceless vendors or beggars. Through its haunting melody and evocative lyrics, the song encourages us to remember the humanity and dignity of all people, even those who may be overlooked or forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
Na Praça da Figueira,
In the square of Figueira,
Ou no Jardim da Estrela,
Or in the Garden of Estrela,
Num fogareiro aceso é que ele arde.
He burns on a lit brazier.
Ao canto do Outono,à esquina do Inverno,
At the corner of autumn, at the winter's bend,
O homem das castanhas é eterno.
The chestnut man is eternal.
Não tem eira nem beira, nem guarida,
He has no shelter or home,
E apregoa como um desafio.
And he proclaims it as a challenge.
É um cartucho pardo a sua vida,
A brown paper bag is his life,
E, se não mata a fome, mata o frio.
And if it doesn't kill his hunger, it kills the cold.
Um carro que se empurra,
A cart he pushes,
Um chapéu esburacado,
A holey hat,
No peito uma castanha que não arde.
A chestnut in his chest that doesn't burn.
Tem a chuva nos olhos e tem o ar cansado
He has rain in his eyes and a tired look.
O homem que apregoa ao fim da tarde.
The man who proclaims at the end of the day.
Ao pé dum candeeiro acaba o dia,
The day ends by a lamp post,
Voz rouca com o travo da pobreza.
A hoarse voice with the flavor of poverty.
Apregoa pedaços de alegria,
He proclaims pieces of joy,
E à noite vai dormir com a tristeza.
And at night he goes to bed with sadness.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
Who wants them hot and good, piping hot?
A estalarem cinzentas, na brasa.
Cracking grey in the embers.
Quem compra leva mais calor p'ra casa.
Whoever buys takes more warmth home.
A mágoa que transporta a miséria ambulante,
The sorrow that carries the wandering misery,
Passeia na cidade o dia inteiro.
Wanders the city all day.
É como se empurrasse o Outono diante;
It's like pushing autumn forward;
É como se empurrasse o nevoeiro.
It's like pushing the fog.
Quem sabe a desventura do seu fado?
Who knows the unfortunate fate of his life?
Quem olha para o homem das castanhas?
Who looks at the chestnut man?
Nunca ninguém pensou que ali ao lado
No one ever thought that right beside him
Ardem no fogareiro dores tamanhas.
Burn such great pains in the brazier.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
Who wants them hot and good, piping hot?
A estalarem cinzentas, na brasa.
Cracking grey in the embers.
Quem quer quentes e boas, quentinhas?
Whoever buys takes more love home.
Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.