Her homonymous debut album… Read Full Bio ↴Gisela João is a Portuguese fado singer.
Her homonymous debut album, released in 2013, was released to critical acclaim, appearing in most of the end-of-year Best National Albums charts in Portugal.
Madrugada Sem Sono
Gisela João Lyrics
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Meu amor fora da lei
Mordi meus lábios sem beijos
Tive ciúmes, chorei
Despedi-me do teu corpo
E por orgulho fugi
Andei dum corpo a outro corpo
Embriaguei-me, cantei
E busquei estrelas na lama
Naufraguei meu coração
Nas ondas loucas da cama
Ai abraços frios de raiva
Ai beijos de nojo e fome
Ai nomes que murmurei
Com a febre do teu nome
De madrugada sem sono
Sem sem luz, nem amor, nem lei
Mordi os brancos lençóis
Tive saudades, chorei
The lyrics of Gisela João's song Madrugada Sem Sono allude to a woman's emotional turmoil after a tumultuous relationship with her lover. She waits for him in solitude, but the love between them is considered outlawed, possibly due to societal and moral norms that do not accept their love. The woman then bares the pain of not being able to express her love physically, metaphorically biting her lips while kissing is not a possibility. She is consumed with jealousies, and even cries out of insecurity and fear of losing her lover.
The woman eventually leaves her lover's body but does not let go of the hurtful memories. Her ego and self-respect make her run into the arms of others, but all they do is help her forget the pain for a moment - something that she ultimately fails to achieve. Her heart is then plagued with immense guilt, causing her to seek substances to numb the pain, which leads her down a path of self-destruction. The chorus further amplifies her pain and desperation as she sings of missing her lover while being awake during the lonely "Madrugada Sem Sono" (dawn without sleep), where she bites on the sheets and cries uncontrollably.
Overall, the lyrics give off a melancholic vibe and tell a story of love lost and the aftermath. The feelings conveyed throughout the song are intense and evoke empathy in the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Na solidão a esperar-te
I waited for you in loneliness
Meu amor fora da lei
My love was outlawed
Mordi meus lábios sem beijos
I bit my lips without kisses
Tive ciúmes, chorei
I felt jealousy and cried
Despedi-me do teu corpo
I said goodbye to your body
E por orgulho fugi
And I ran away out of pride
Andei dum corpo a outro corpo
I went from one body to another
Só pra me esquecer de ti
Just to forget about you
Embriaguei-me, cantei
I got drunk and sang
E busquei estrelas na lama
And I searched for stars in the mud
Naufraguei meu coração
I shipwrecked my heart
Nas ondas loucas da cama
In the crazy waves of the bed
Ai abraços frios de raiva
Oh, cold hugs of anger
Ai beijos de nojo e fome
Oh, kisses of disgust and hunger
Ai nomes que murmurei
Oh, names that I whispered
Com a febre do teu nome
With the fever of your name
De madrugada sem sono
In the sleepless dawn
Sem sem luz, nem amor, nem lei
Without light, love, or law
Mordi os brancos lençóis
I bit the white sheets
Tive saudades, chorei
I felt longing and cried
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Goulart Nogueira, Raul Ferrao
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind