Amendoeira was born in Santarém, Portugal in 1982, making her the youngest singer from Portugal performing fado around the world today. Her singing style is classic and traditional, yet her unique vocals bring a bright, new glow to fado.
In 1994, a young Amendoeira participated in the Lisbon Grand Fado Gala, where she received enthusiastic praise from the jury and the audience. In the following year, she won the “Female Interpreter Award” at the Oporto Gala. From that date on, she has been performing non-stop around Portugal and the world. Some of her favourite experiences include travelling to Budapest to perform in front of a remote Portuguese community, performing with fado legend Carlos do Carmo at the Radio Alpha Auditorium in Paris, and her first time in the Americas as a headliner at the Commemorations of the 500th Anniversary of the Discovery of Brazil.
Four years later her first album was released: 1998’s Olhos Garotos (Playful Eyes), thereby giving her the honour of being the youngest fado singer with a published CD. Her second CD followed shortly thereafter in 2000, when Aquela Rua (That Street) was released to outstanding reviews. This was also the year that Amendoeira began singing regularly at Clube de Fado (The Fado Club), one of most renowned fado houses in Lisbon.
Her growing international acclaim brought the fadista to more corners of the world, receiving invitations to sing in Japan, Moscow and Holland (at the prestigious Muziekcentrum Vredenburg). Meanwhile, back in her homeland of Portugal, Amendoeira was asked to take part in some of the top fado anthologies, such as Novas Vozes, Novos Fados (New Voices, New Fados) and Nova Biografia do Fado (Fado’s New Biography). She also contributed to the Moniz Pereira homage album, as well as the soundtrack to the TV series Jóia de África (African Jewel).
In 2003, her third CD, the self-titled Joana Amendoeira, received enthusiastic praise from fado devotees, reviewers and audiences alike. The album’s promotional tour sent Amendoeira once again through Europe, this time performing in Spain, France and Austria, to name a few. The tour also brought her to Canada for the first time, where she performed at Montreal’s Strictly Mundial.
Amendoeira achieved further success when she received the 2004 Revelation Award from Casa da Imprensa (The Portuguese Press Association). That same year she presented her first solo show at one of Lisbon’s oldest and most illustrious stages—The São Luiz Theatre. This performance would later be turned into her first live album, Ao Vivo Em Lisboa (Live in Lisbon), released in July 2005.
The complete biography and more info about this singer can be found on www.joanaamendoeira.com
Barco De Sonhos
Joana Amendoeira Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Procuro o que desejo à sombra da cidade,
Aguardo um novo dia em sonhos que reparto,
Esperando a caravela ao largo da saudade
Lisboa aberta aos olhos, pintada em tons de sol,
Dourando a nostalgia à solta nos telhados,
Guiava o meu abraço, tal qual como um farol
O barco dos meus sonhos, à força de te amar,
Abrindo p'la janela o pano bem largado,
Partiu com estes versos, por pressa de chegar,
Acima da cidade com este meu recado.
In these lyrics, the singer Joana Amendoeira is describing her desire for something that she can't quite grasp, as she searches out the window of her room, looking for a new day to come. She is waiting for the "caravela ao largo da saudade" which means the ship of longing, or the ship of memories, to come in. The reference to the caravela is significant, as it is a traditional Portuguese ship used by explorers to traverse the seas and find new worlds. In this case, the ship represents the singer's longing for something new and exciting.
As she continues to describe her surroundings, the city of Lisbon comes into sharper focus, painted in tones of gold and saturated with the bittersweet feelings of nostalgia. The city, like a guiding light, is a part of the singer, leading her on through the unknown waters of her dreams. And it is through the power of her love that the "barco dos meus sonhos" or the boat of her dreams, sets sail. In a rush to reach the things she desires, the singer throws open the window and sets off with the wind at her back, leaving behind these verses as her parting message.
Through these lyrics, Joana Amendoeira is expressing her longing for something that is just beyond her reach, and her desire to set sail and chase after her dreams. The city of Lisbon is a significant part of her journey, as it guides her through the twists and turns of her imagination. She uses the imagery of the sea and boats to describe her journey, which is both physical and metaphorical.
Line by Line Meaning
No vão desta janela aberta no meu quarto,
I am standing by the open window in my room, looking into the emptiness, thinking about my desires amidst the city's shadows.
Procuro o que desejo à sombra da cidade,
I seek what I desire in the shadows of this city.
Aguardo um novo dia em sonhos que reparto,
I am waiting for a new day, dreaming and sharing my dreams with someone else.
Esperando a caravela ao largo da saudade
I am hoping for the ship to arrive and take away my longing.
Lisboa aberta aos olhos, pintada em tons de sol,
Lisbon opens up before my eyes, painted in the colors of the sun.
Dourando a nostalgia à solta nos telhados,
The city's roofs are bathed in golden light, as if the melancholy is free to roam here.
Guiava o meu abraço, tal qual como um farol
Like a lighthouse that guides a ship, my embrace guides me towards my destination.
Que leva o braço à vela em tempos delicados
In times of delicacy, my embrace leads me towards the sails.
O barco dos meus sonhos, à força de te amar,
The boat of my dreams sails forward, driven by my love for you.
Abrindo p'la janela o pano bem largado,
I open the sail wide through the window.
Partiu com estes versos, por pressa de chegar,
The ship sails away, carrying these verses, in a hurry to reach its destination.
Acima da cidade com este meu recado.
Above the city, carrying my message.
Contributed by Hailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.