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.
Senhor Arcanjo
Cristina Branco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vamos jantar
Caem os anjos
Num alguidar
Hibernam tíbias
Suspiram rãs
Comem orquídeas
Entra na porta
Menina-faia
Prova uma torta
Desta papaia
Palita os dentes
Põe-te a cavar
Dormem videntes
No Ultramar
Senhor arcanjo
Vamos jantar
Caem os anjos
Num alguidar
Que bela fita
Que bem não está
A prima Bia
De tafetá
E vai o lente
Come um repolho
Parte-se um pente
Fura-se um olho
A pacotilha
Tem mais amor
À gargantilha
Do regedor
Senhor arcanjo
Vamos jantar
Caem os anjos
Num alguidar
Põe a gravata
Menino bem
Que essa cantata
Não soa bem
Senhor arcanjo
Vamos jantar
Caem os anjos
Num alguidar
E as quatro filhas
Do marajá
Vão de patilhas
Beber o chá
The song "Senhor Arcanjo" by Cristina Branco is a surrealistic narrative about a dinner party hosted by the titular character. The first stanza describes fallen angels being served in a dish, while the second delves into the weirdness of the setting with descriptions of sleeping bones and orchid-eating frogs. The third stanza introduces a girl named Faia, who tries a papaya tart and cleans her teeth, and also mentions seers sleeping in the Ultramar (a reference to the former Portuguese colonies). The next part follows with a disconnected reference to Bia wearing a taffeta dress, and a lens professor eating cabbage and accidentally stabbing someone's eye with a comb. The fourth stanza has a brief allusion to the love for the necklace of the local ruler, as the characters prepare for dinner, with the lyrics "put on your tie, little boy, because that song doesn't sound good". Finally, the last part suggests that the daughters of a marajá (a South Asian prince or ruler) come to enjoy tea with mustaches.
While the lyrics may appear nonsensical at first glance, they contain metaphors and symbols that reflect the Portuguese culture and society. The references to the colonies and the use of the word "regedor" (meaning local ruler) allude to the historic context of colonialism in Portugal. The mention of teeth cleaning is reminiscent of the country's dental hygiene campaign, while the presence of food and luxury items like taffeta dress and tea with mustaches may suggest a commentary on the country's social hierarchy. The surrealistic imagery and fragmented narrative emphasize the absurdity of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Senhor arcanjo
Addressing the archangel and requesting his presence for dinner
Vamos jantar
Inviting the archangel to have dinner
Caem os anjos
Angels are falling down
Num alguidar
Into a pot
Hibernam tíbias
Shins go into hibernation
Suspiram rãs
Frogs sigh
Comem orquídeas
Eat orchids
Nas barbacãs
In the ramparts
Entra na porta
Enter through the door
Menina-faia
A girl made of beech
Prova uma torta
Try a pie
Desta papaia
Made from papaya
Palita os dentes
Clean your teeth
Põe-te a cavar
Start digging
Dormem videntes
Seers sleep
No Ultramar
In the overseas territories
Que bela fita
What a beautiful ribbon
Que bem não está
That is not good
A prima Bia
Cousin Bia
De tafetá
Wearing a taffeta dress
E vai o lente
The lecturer goes
Come um repolho
Eats a cabbage
Parte-se um pente
A comb breaks
Fura-se um olho
Pokes an eye
A pacotilha
The belonging
Tem mais amor
Has more love
À gargantilha
For the necklace
Do regedor
Of the regent
Põe a gravata
Put on your tie
Menino bem
Well-bred boy
Que essa cantata
That song
Não soa bem
Does not sound good
E as quatro filhas
And the four daughters
Do marajá
Of the maharaja
Vão de patilhas
Wearing sideburns
Beber o chá
Drinking tea
Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.