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.
Suite Da Terra
Dulce Pontes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Duas mãos calejadas,
Almas caiadas, raiz profunda,
Semente fecunda.
Oh montanha verde
Nascente de água, vida
Do verde que sinto,
Do cheiro que é verde!
Oh montanha verde
Nascente de água, vida
Do verde que sinto,
Do verde que cheiro,
Do cheiro que é ver-te!
Nas asar do Açr
Sobrevoar as casas,
Sublimar a dor
Num bater de asas.
Magma de povo solar,
Cantarás um fado novo
Quando o vulcao despertar.
Cantarás um fado novo.
The lyrics of Dulce Pontes's song Suite Da Terra celebrate the beauty and richness of nature, particularly the land and mountains that sustain life. The first verse talks about the act of plowing and sowing seeds with calloused hands, which is a symbol for hard work and connection to the earth. The words "almas caiadas" mean "whitewashed souls," which could be interpreted as purity or simplicity in the way of life on the land. The last line, "semente fecunda," means "fertile seed," and could be seen as a metaphor for hope or potential for growth and abundance.
The chorus is an ode to the mountain, depicted as a source of life and natural beauty. The repetition of the phrase "do verde que sinto" ("of the green I feel") emphasizes the singer's sensory experience of the environment, suggesting a deep connection to the land. The use of the verb "cheirar" ("to smell") is interesting because it suggests that the greenness of the mountain is not just a visual experience, but also an olfactory one. The final line, "do cheiro que é ver-te," ("of the smell that is seeing you") is a clever turn of phrase that brings together sight and smell in a poetic way.
The final verse is more abstract, invoking the imagery of a soaring bird and a waking volcano in a metaphorical context. The line "magma de povo solar" ("magma of a solar people") is particularly poetic, combining ideas of geological activity and cultural identity. The mention of the "fado novo" ("new fado") is significant because fado is a traditional Portuguese music genre that often involves themes of longing or nostalgia. The idea that a new fado will emerge from the volcanic landscape suggests a sense of optimism or renewal.
Overall, Dulce Pontes's lyrics in Suite Da Terra are a celebration of the natural world, depicting a deep connection between human life and the land. The lyrics use sensory imagery and metaphorical language to convey a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty and vitality of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Sulcar a terra, semear,
To plow the land, to sow the seeds,
Duas mãos calejadas,
Two calloused hands,
Almas caiadas, raiz profunda,
Whitewashed souls, deep roots,
Semente fecunda.
Fertile seed.
Oh montanha verde
Oh green mountain,
Nascente de água, vida
Source of water, life,
Do verde que sinto,
Of the green that I feel,
Do verde que cheiro,
Of the green that I smell,
Do cheiro que é verde!
Of the smell that is green!
Nas asar do Açr
In the heat of the Azores,
Sobrevoar as casas,
To fly over the houses,
Sublimar a dor
To transcend the pain,
Num bater de asas.
In a beat of wings.
Magma de povo solar,
Magma of a solar people,
Cantarás um fado novo
You will sing a new fado,
Quando o vulcao despertar.
When the volcano awakens.
Cantarás um fado novo.
You will sing a new fado.
Contributed by Amelia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.