She grew up far from the fado houses of Lisbon and nothing suggested that she was predestined for the fado. Like almost all young Portuguese born after the revolution of 1974, she was interested in folk music, jazz, blues, bossa nova but not in fado. She regarded it as a genre for a different generation. This lasted until her 18th birthday, when her grandfather gave her the album Rara e Inédita by Amália Rodrigues. Suddenly, Cristina Branco discovered all the emotions that the genre could offer in the close connections that arose among voice, poetry and music. The amateur singer - then studying communication sciences and still full of her ambition to become a journalist - began to develop her vocal technique and to take her new vocation seriously.
After that, Cristina studied the poems from which major fado lyrics are taken.
Since then, Cristina has worked on her fado repertory, accompanied by Custódio Castelo on guitar and as composer.
Halfway through the nineties, other young musicians also found a new means of expression in the fado and this contributed to a surprising renaissance. Just as they did, Cristina Branco began to make clear choices in which respect for the tradition went hand in hand with the desire for renewal.
There can be no doubt that Cristina Branco is developing her own style from a number of primary components. She employs a traditional group (voice, Portuguese guitar, guitar and bass guitar) and offers us concurrently a light, warm and experienced voice; she mixes the traditional fado with themes and folk songs that are personal favourites and seems always to choose the words of the best Portuguese, or even Dutch poets with discretion.
Canto Moço
Cristina Branco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pelas praias do mar nos vamos
À procura de quem nos traga
Verde oliva de flor no ramo
Nave gamos de vaga em vaga
Não sou bemos de dor nem mágoa
Pelas praias do mar nos vamos
À procura de manhã clara
Lá do cimo de uma montanha
Acendemos uma fogueira
Para não se apagar a chama
Que dá vida na noite inteira
Mensageira pomba chamada
Mensageira da madrugada
Quando a noite vier que venha
Lá do cimo de uma montanha
Onde o vento cortou amarras
Largaremos p'la noite fora
Onde há sempre uma boa estrela
Noite e dia ao romper da aurora
Vira a proa minha galera
Que a vitória já não espera
Fresca, brisa, moira encantada
Vira a proa da minha barca.
The Portuguese lyrics of Cristina Branco's song "Canto Moço" evoke a sense of wanderlust and adventure. The singer speaks of being "filhos da madrugada" (children of the early morning), traveling along the beaches in search of the "verde oliva de flor no ramo" (olive green with flowers). They navigate the waves without feeling pain or sadness, in search of a clear morning.
The imagery of the song continues with the idea of lighting a fire on top of a mountain, to keep the flame burning all night long. A messenger dove called "Mensageira da madrugada" (Messenger of the early morning) appears, ready for the night to come. The song then takes a turn towards the sea, where the wind breaks anchor and the ship sets sail towards the horizon, in search of victory and enchanted spirits.
One interpretation of this song could be the idea of traveling in search of something, whether it be a physical object or an abstract concept such as hope or inspiration. The sea and the mountain represent different stages of the journey, and the idea of being a "child of the early morning" suggests that the search is ongoing and never-ending.
Line by Line Meaning
Somos filhos da madrugada
We are children of the dawn
Pelas praias do mar nos vamos
We travel along the beaches of the sea
À procura de quem nos traga
In search of someone who brings us
Verde oliva de flor no ramo
Olive green with a flower on the branch
Nave gamos de vaga em vaga
We sail from wave to wave like deer
Não somos de dor nem mágoa
We are not of pain or sorrow
Pelas praias do mar nos vamos
We travel along the beaches of the sea
À procura de manhã clara
In search of a clear morning
Lá do cimo de uma montanha
From the top of a mountain
Acendemos uma fogueira
We light a fire
Para não se apagar a chama
So that the flame does not go out
Que dá vida na noite inteira
That gives life throughout the night
Mensageira pomba chamada
Messenger dove called
Mensageira da madrugada
Messenger of the dawn
Quando a noite vier que venha
When the night comes, let it come
Lá do cimo de uma montanha
From the top of a mountain
Onde o vento cortou amarras
Where the wind cut the moorings
Largaremos p'la noite fora
We will set sail for the night
Onde há sempre uma boa estrela
Where there is always a good star
Noite e dia ao romper da aurora
Night and day at the break of dawn
Vira a proa minha galera
My ship's prow turns
Que a vitória já não espera
That no longer waits for victory
Fresca, brisa, moira encantada
Fresh, enchanting breeze
Vira a proa da minha barca
Turns the prow of my boat
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.