Girl From Ipanema
Esteban Lyrics


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Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
(Ooh) But he watch her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, that she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at he

Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see




(Doesn't see)
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)

Overall Meaning

The Girl From Ipanema is a classic bossa nova song that celebrates the beauty of a young woman from the Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The lyrics describe her physical appearance as "tall and tan and young and lovely," and how her effortless walk resembles the cool and gentle sway of the samba rhythm. As she walks, men cannot help but admire her, but the singer is saddened by the fact that she never notices him. He is in love with her, but he cannot express his feelings as she walks straight ahead, never looking back.


The song is about unrequited love and the bittersweet feeling of admiring someone from afar. The singer's longing and unfulfilled desire are conveyed through the melancholic melody and the haunting refrain of "ah" that echoes each time the girl from Ipanema passes by. The lyrics capture the fleeting nature of beauty and love, as the girl's daily ritual of walking to the sea is a reminder that time and tide wait for no one. Despite his heartache, the singer is content to watch her from a distance, knowing that his love for her is real.


Line by Line Meaning

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema is tall, tan, young, and beautiful.


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
She likes to take walks in Ipanema.


And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
Everyone who sees her passes makes a sound admiring her beauty.


When she walks, she's like a samba
Her walking style is similar to that of samba music.


That swings so cool and sways so gentle
Her walking style is both cool and gentle to watch.


That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
Again, everyone who sees her passes makes a sound admiring her beauty.


(Ooh) But he watch her so sadly
The singer watches her sadly because he has feelings for her but can't express them.


How can he tell her he loves her
The singer is struggling to find a way to confess his feelings to her.


Yes I would give my heart gladly
The singer would willingly give up his heart (love) to her.


But each day, that she walks to the sea
She walks towards the sea every day.


She looks straight ahead, not at he
She doesn't look at him when she walks by, perhaps indicating that she's not interested in him.


Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
Repetition of the initial line.


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
Repetition of the second line.


And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see (Doesn't see) (She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
He smiles at her but she never notices, which saddens him further.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Norman Gimbel, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Jeff Turner

Ahhhhhhhhh! I too love the girl from Ipanema. You are incredible my brother.

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