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.

Onde É Que Tu Moras?
Carlos do Carmo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Meu amor dormindo
Meu sonho acordado
Teu ventre parindo
Um cravo encarnado.
Onde é que tu moras
Meu lençol de espanto
Por quem é que choras
Quando eu te canto.

Aqui
À procura de ti nesta canção

Vou dando tudo em troca desse não
Que faz do meu poema solidão.
Aqui
Tão só como a certeza em que te espero
Dentro de mim renasce o desespero
Por tudo o que eu não amo o que eu não quero.
Aqui
Entre rosas de raiva e de tormento
Trago anéis de silêncio e sofrimento
Conto as forças de sangue que há no vento.
Aqui
Tenho a fúria nos dedos desenhada
Farei do nosso amor a barricada
Perdendo quase tudo quase nada.
Meu amor dormindo
Meu sonho acordado
Teu ventre parindo
Um cravo encarnado.
Onde é que tu moras
Meu lençol de espanto
Por quem é que choras
Quando eu te canto.
Meu azul doendo
Meu barco parado

Pássaro morrendo
Mas sem ter votado

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Onde É Que Tu Moras?" by Carlos do Carmo are a passionate and introspective exploration of love and longing. The singer is in a state of constant yearning for their lover, who seems to be far away, perhaps unreachable. The first stanza paints a vivid picture of the singer's emotional state: their love is "sleeping" while their "dream is awake", and they are haunted by the image of a "carnation" - a symbol of love and passion - being born from their lover's womb. The second stanza is a cry of frustration and desperation, as the singer searches for their lover everywhere, even in the lyrics of a song. They feel that they are giving everything to their lover, but receiving nothing in return, and this rejection is causing them intense pain and loneliness. The third stanza is a mixture of anger, sorrow, and determination. The singer is furious at the situation they find themselves in, but they are also willing to fight for their love, even if it means losing everything else.

Overall, "Onde É Que Tu Moras?" is a deeply emotional and introspective song that captures the longing and pain of unrequited love. The lyrics are a beautiful example of poetic language, using powerful metaphors and vivid imagery to convey complex emotions. The song also showcases the unique and beautiful voice of Carlos do Carmo, who is considered one of the greatest fado singers of all time. With its haunting melody, passionate lyrics, and soulful vocals, "Onde É Que Tu Moras?" is a classic of Portuguese music.

Line by Line Meaning

Meu amor dormindo
My love is sleeping

Meu sonho acordado
My dream is awake

Teu ventre parindo
Your womb giving birth

Um cravo encarnado.
A red carnation.

Onde é que tu moras
Where do you live

Meu lençol de espanto
My bedsheet of astonishment

Por quem é que choras
For whom do you cry

Quando eu te canto.
When I sing to you.

Aqui
Here

À procura de ti nesta canção
Looking for you in this song

Vou dando tudo em troca desse não
I am giving everything in exchange for that no.