Dulce Pontes is a Portuguese musician, songwriter and singer who writes and… Read Full Bio ↴Dulce Pontes is a Portuguese musician, songwriter and singer who writes and performs in many music styles, including pop, folk, Fado and classical music. Her songs contributed to the 1990s revival of Portuguese urban folk music called fado. Blessed with a powerful and dramatic voice, she is one of the most famous and respected Portuguese artists.

Pontes started her career as a mainstream pop artist, but over the years she has evolved to become a world music singer. She blends traditional fado with contemporary styles and searches out new forms of musical expression. She introduced musical traditions of the Iberian Peninsula in her work, rediscovered many long forgotten popular tunes and found use for obsolete musical instruments. Her work is inspired and influenced not only by Iberian musical tradition, but also Arabic, African, Brazilian and Bulgarian sounds. She sings mostly in her native Portuguese, as well as Spanish, Galician, Mirandese, Italian, English, Arabic and Greek.

Dulce Pontes has collaborated with Cesária Évora, Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, Carlos Núñez, the Chieftains, Kepa Junkera, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, George Dalaras, Andrea Bocelli (O Mar e Tu, duet sung by Pontes in Portuguese and Bocelli in Neapolitan, for his 1999 album Sogno), and others. Her song "Canção do Mar" appeared on the soundtrack of Hollywood film Primal Fear. A 30-second piece of that same song serves as the theme to the NBC police drama Southland. Her album Focus is the fruit of a collaboration with Italian composer Ennio Morricone with whom she has also performed live.
In June 2006, Pontes prepared her double LP O Coração Tem Três Portas (The Heart Has Three Doors). It was recorded live without an audience in Convent of the Order of Christ in Tomar and St Mary Church in Óbidos. According to the artist, it is "her most personal and intimate album." It includes Portuguese folk music, mostly fado. "[1] It was released in December 2006.
In 2009, Pontes released Momentos, a double disc collection that includes songs from her 20 year career as well as several previously unreleased tracks.[2] Currently, she is working on an album of all new songs which is titled Nudez.

Povo Que Lavas No Rio
Dulce Pontes Lyrics

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Povo que lavas no rio
Que talhas com teu machado
As tábuas do meu caixão

Povo que lavas no rio
Que talhas com teu machado
As tábuas do meu caixão

Há-de haver quem te defenda
Que compre o teu chão sagrado
Mas a tua vida não

Fui ter à mesa redonda
Beber em malga que esconda
Um beijo de mão em mão

Fui ter à mesa redonda
Beber em malga que esconda
Um beijo de mão em mão

Era o vinho que me deste
Água pura, fruto agreste
Mas a tua vida não

Aromas de urze e de lama
Dormi com eles na cama
Tive a mesma condição
Aromas de urze e de lama
Dormi com eles na cama
Tive a mesma condição
Povo, povo eu te pertenço
Deste-me alturas de incenso
Mas a tua vida não

Ai, povo que lavas no rio
Que talhas com teu machado
As tábuas do meu caixão
Povo que lavas no rio
Que talhas com teu machado
As tábuas do meu caixão
Há-de haver quem te defenda

Quem compre o teu chão sagrado
Mas a tua vida não

Overall Meaning

The song "Povo Que Lavas No Rio" by Dulce Pontes speaks about the relationship between the working class and the privileged society. The lyrics address the people who work hard to make a living by washing clothes in the river and cutting wood for coffins. The lyrics reflect the hard life of these people who work with their hands to make ends meet. The song portrays the struggles and pain of the working-class people as they live their lives and face their daily struggles. The irony in the song is that while these people work hard for their living, they may be forgotten in the grand scheme of things, and their hard work may go unnoticed by those who have the power and privilege.

The lyrics suggest that while the working class may have their land and culture taken away, they still defend it with their lives. However, despite their sacrifices, the privileged people may never understand the struggles and hardships of the working class. The song highlights the divide between the classes and the struggle for equality, as well as the injustice that the working class endures.

Line by Line Meaning

Povo que lavas no rio
Oh people who wash in the river

Que talhas com teu machado
Who carve with your axe

As tábuas do meu caixão
The planks of my coffin

Há-de haver quem te defenda
There must be someone to defend you

Que compre o teu chão sagrado
Who will buy your sacred land

Mas a tua vida não
But not your life

Fui ter à mesa redonda
I went to the round table

Beber em malga que esconda
To drink from a cup that hides

Um beijo de mão em mão
One hand to another's kiss

Era o vinho que me deste
It was the wine you gave me

Água pura, fruto agreste
Pure water, wild fruit